Episodes

  • "I craved religion and even tried Christianity" | In Conversation with comedian Antonia Lassar

    "I craved religion and even tried Christianity" | In Conversation with comedian Antonia Lassar
    Feb 16 2025
    Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/ctuFi83643E


    Antonia Lassar is a Jewish comedian who grew up with very little Judaism. She later became interested in various forms of religion, going on a seeker's journey for community with soulful musical connection. She loves singing and is a professional comedian. Our journeys couldn't be more different, yet we have so much in common in our appreciation of religious Judaism that doesn't always work for us. In our long form interview we talked about Antonia's background, about the Chabad sect, about the ritual of mikvah immersion, and much more.

    Check out Antonia here:
    Antonia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antonialastar/
    Antonia on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@antonialastar Antonia's website: https://antonialassar.com/


    Many many thanks to the Mandel Cultural Leadership program for helping make this happen. Special thanks to the wonderful Eva Heinstein whom I love.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 🚨 For women, girls, AND men and boys | In conversation with Jessica Roda

    🚨 For women, girls, AND men and boys | In conversation with Jessica Roda
    Feb 9 2025
    Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/blLciT0egb4

    Jessica Roda just published the book "For Women and Girls Only" on Orthodox Jewish women's performances. You can find her book here: https://amzn.to/4jKRJgj

    In this long form discussion we talk about what's happening in the scene of Orthodox Jewish women's performances. Because of modesty rules, women are not allowed to perform in front of men. So oftentimes their reach is limited. In Roda's work, she charts how women's perfomances has become a whole economy thanks to the internet and women's creative ways of approaching the Kol Isha issue.

    Check out Jessica's book and Jessica on Instagram and Twitter:
    https://x.com/RodaJess
    https://www.instagram.com/jess_roda/

    This interview is brought to you with the support of Fairfield University. This video is brought to you with the generous support of Fairfield University / Bennet Center for Judaic Studies. The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies is a unique academic center that strives to enrich the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual dialogue of Fairfield University. Continuing the vision of Carl and Dorothy Bennett, the Center fosters continued learning experiences and campus-wide awareness about Jewish history, ethical values, and religious observances. It also seeks to engage the Greater Fairfield communities through inspiring lectures and annual programs. https://www.fairfield.edu/academics/centers-and-institutes/bennett-center-for-judaic-studies/index.html
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • "I risk everything when speaking out as a woman in Kiryas Joel" | Exclusive interview with Fradel Neuman

    "I risk everything when speaking out as a woman in Kiryas Joel" | Exclusive interview with Fradel Neuman
    Jan 26 2025
    Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/HoTzWaF7dU8

    So many stories about the Hasidic Jews of the village of Kiryas Joel come from people who have left it. Or, often it will come from village official PR people who tell a very rosy story. In this interview, we get an exclusive peak into an everyday woman walking an exceptional line; risking everything in her community to express her voice. Fradel's story is compelling, fascinating and yet to get very interesting as she finds her place in the world, negotiating faith and individualization in a very communal society. Fradel is an amazing woman, mental health awareness advocate, talented photographer and more.

    Check her work out below:

    Find Fradel on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/fradelneuman/
    Fradel's photography website is: https://www.instagram.com/captureit___photography/
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    50 mins
  • Messiah Energy and Wholesome Comedy | Interview with Modi Rosenfeld

    Messiah Energy and Wholesome Comedy | Interview with Modi Rosenfeld
    Jan 19 2025
    Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/dlp7-4Aq1tM

    Modi Rosenfeld is a brilliant and wonderful Jewish comedian whose work I've long been a huge fan of. He is able to talk to any audience, a skill that few have. It's incredible to me that his audience spans from the very secular to the very religious, including Hasidic Jews, which is part of his bit. In my latest interview I talk to Modi for a bit of a behind the scenes discussion about his amazing work. C

    heck out Modi here on Youtube for amazing comedy videos including the full special here: https://youtu.be/iPF3GkKuPVc?si=0ghFVls5tJzKmSDJ

    Check out Modi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modi_live?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
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    40 mins
  • My Chanukah Memories | Reading: Circumcised Chanukah Gifts

    My Chanukah Memories | Reading: Circumcised Chanukah Gifts
    Dec 29 2024
    Video link: https://youtu.be/J1XGAMK4wng

    Happy Chanukah! This Chanukah I want to share some of my childhood memories by reading to you an unpublished essay about my childhood memories of Chanukah in the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel. Wishing all who celebrate the holidays very happy holidays!
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    21 mins
  • Sex ed in the Hasidic community | A Hasidic grooms receives the birds and the bees talk

    Sex ed in the Hasidic community | A Hasidic grooms receives the birds and the bees talk
    Nov 24 2024
    Video version of this posting: https://youtu.be/Gk917OpgS_Q

    It is the tradition that before a Hasidic young man gets married, he attends a private session with an older rabbi who guides him in matters of sex and intimacy. Since sex is not a topic openly discussed in this society as it is considered immodest, this one lesson is potentially the first time the young groom learns about sex and the opposite gender. That one lesson could be beautiful, painful, shocking, exhilarating, and so many other things.

    Since I myself went through this on the female side, I have first hand experience of how complicated and intense this session can be. A few years ago a young engaged man recorded his pre-marital session and it was circulated in the underground Hasidic world. I first found it painful to listen to, and later I came to see it as quite gorgeous, human, complex, worthy of dissemination.

    To keep everyone's identity private, I am not publishing the original audio, which is in Yiddish. However, I did translate the whole thing to English for my blog, and in this video I'll read to you most of that translation. I'm leaving out the very graphic sexual bits as I didn't think they were necessary. If you are interested in reading it (and probably you are, you are human! :)

    feel free to check out my blog post here: https://friedavizel.com/2022/03/27/transcript-of-a-hasidic-grooms-wedding-lesson/

    Please also check out my interview with intimacy coach Peggy Greenfield for more conversation on this very delicate topic. https://youtu.be/AUdw8W71Gv8
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    37 mins
  • The intersection of Sex and Piety | In Conversation with Intimacy Coach Peggy Greenfield

    The intersection of Sex and Piety | In Conversation with Intimacy Coach Peggy Greenfield
    Nov 23 2024
    Video version here: https://youtu.be/AUdw8W71Gv8

    *Sensitive content warning. This conversation contains adult themes.*

    Peggy Greenfield is a certified relationship and intimacy coach who grew up in the Satmar Hasidic community of Williamsburg, and now serves this population. Peggy is not in the community herself anymore, which gives her a unique vantage point from which to tackle challenges of sex and imtimacy, topics that are difficult and complicated anywhere, but which pose a unique challenge in a community of so many rules restricting sex and the body. Peggy is outside of the community's conventions, but she has a deep appreciation for it. She therefore is able to candidly and empathetically provide support and guidance and here, to talk openly for this interview. I understand that many people feel that this topic should not be discussed publicly, but after much deliberation, I decided that the right course of action is to release this interview. I welcome your thoughts in the comments.

    Please check out Peggy on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/pegreenfeld/

    Please subscribe, like, comment and share for more humanizing sensitive conversations on Jewish topics.
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • A battle for land between Hasidim and their neighbors | In conversation with Jesse Sweet

    A battle for land between Hasidim and their neighbors | In conversation with Jesse Sweet
    Nov 3 2024
    Video link: https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUI

    This is a discussion about the documentary 'City of Joel', with the filmmaker Jesse Sweet. It's a documentary about a turf war in the insular Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel. Kiryas Joel is a Satmar village in Orange County New York, and it's where I lived for the first twenty-five years of my life. The documentary includes amazing footage of the village I grew up in, with shots of several very close male contacts. It was a fun experience to watch it and to discuss the film with the filmmaker.

    Click here for the City of Joel documentary: https://amzn.to/4fsl5NS

    And here is Jesse's latest project, Nature of the Crime: https://www.docnyc.net/film/nature-of-the-crime/

    Please consider supporting my work by making a tax-deductible donation through Fractured Atlas fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/frieda-vizel-brooklyn-youtube-channel or sending a contribution via Paypal: paypal.com/paypalme/friedavizel This helps me to continue to bring to you more Jewish content, which requires a considerable investment on my part.
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    52 mins