Ann Steiner - Williamsburg

Boys on Steps

Hasidic Williamsburg

The Satmar Hasid community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is the most dominant and extreme of the various Hasid sects. I’m drawn to this group of people partly because of my own heritage. As a child I had relatives that lived in Williamsburg and on the infrequent occasions when I visited the community with my parents I was fascinated by their unfamiliar way of life.

The dialectical nature of life intrigues me. The people who live in Williamsburg are frequently described as unfriendly and harsh. I have wanted to understand the seeming incongruence of how these very serious and private people can in an instant burst into spirited and sometimes rapturous celebration.

The dichotomies of the Hasid Williamsburg community are reflected in how it’s people live. The community minimizes contact with the external world while simultaneously cherishing and celebrating family ties and worship. The insular and restrictive lifestyle is maintained as a way of preventing the dilution of religion and traditions through contact from outside influence. The old and strict traditions may seem oppressive and exclusive from the outside, but for most Hasids their religion and the codes they live by are a work of love and a source of great joy.

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Peyes (Traditional Hasidic Sideburns)

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Man At Carnival Rides During Passover

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Hasidim

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Tank Ride At Carnival During Passover

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Girls

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Father With His Children