Rosh Hashanah II

That day, He sent me two big signs.
I should say one big holy gift to start.
The second sign was in accordance with a test of my emotions.

I took the B62, and i stopped in Williamsburg when i felt that it might be a good stop.

I turned in Hooper street, and i heard voices of men.
That was the Kehilas Yetev Lev D'Satmar.

Man going to pray in the Satmar shul, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Apparently, there are two buildings.
My adrenaline was very high, and i walked fast, forgetting that i was a woman. That was His call.
I had to see that, before leaving NY.
This shul has a total capacity of 7,000 people. Imagine 7,000 Satmarers there for the afternoon prayer.
I had never seen these gorgeous tallits with silver.

Satmar shul, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Satmar shul, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Their prayer was different from the one of 770.
Despite they say the prayer like a song, they didn't actually sing. That was joyful.
I caught their attention, i was totally focused on them and the sound of the shul.
I had enough time to take two photos of the inside through the small window, before the Shabbos boy arrives with a Satmerer.
Spank, spank on my tushes!
No, no, they were nice. They were scared that i came inside and disturbed the prayer.
The Satmerer was not very friendly, but when i asked him if it was a Bobov, Pupa or Satmar shul, he changed his tone.
He understood that i was not just a troublemaker, though… But i have a deep interest, and felt that i was moved, and i was melting on the sidewalk.

The Satmarer davening outside, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

The Shabbos boy told me that i could go to the women section. I didn't want to go, i had a pocket book and lot of cash. Eh oui ! :-)
I was surrounded by children and ladies too looked at me.
I said to the Satmerer and the Shabbos boy that i will stay a little to listen to the prayer.
They only asked me for not taking photos.
A child stared at me, i smiled, but he thought that i came from another planet.
That was my first time that i met an official Shabbos boy. I was pretty jealous of his job.
He said to me that he works for them everyday. Not sure that he has understood my questions. He didn't seem interested by this culture. "Give me your job!", I wanted to scream.

Cutie rascals, i want them all, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Then, i left for a stroll in the deserted Williamsburg.
I had questions about the strollers that the ladies were pushing. I thought that it was forbidden for Rosh Hashanah. I asked a lady. She explained me the rules.

Hasidim from different sects according to their hat,
September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I went back to the street of the Satmar shul. I wanted to see them getting out of the shul. But it lasted more than i expected. I was thinking of this prayer during my long stroll which made me cry a little.

Two rascals in Hooper street, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I went to the Pupa shul where i used to go for Simchas Torah. The sukka was not built yet. I arrived when the ladies went out after the afternoon prayer.

I walked a lot, wandering in streets.

Father and son, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I want your tallit, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Williamsburg during high Holy Days,
September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I met a meshuga man who decided to clean the sidewalk and pushed dirty packs with his cane. He didn't notice that i was looking at him, taking photos. A Hasidic man saw him and he barely smiled when i smiled at him. I felt that he wanted to laugh.
I will post his photo later, and if someone can let me know which sect he is from, please. Thanks!

I followed these Belzer men because they were singing,
September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Satmarer, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I walked to the bus stop, and i waited a long time, taking photos of Hasidim who passed by.

Father and son, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Hasidim, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Most of the time, when i take photos, i try to be discreet. People are not stupid, i know.
During Rosh Hashanah, i am the only one with my phone in my hand.
I take photos without looking at them.

And then…

With a friend, we used to say about men wearing any kind of hats, that it is better to see who is hiding under their hat. Some men have a beautiful face with their hat. When they take it off, you may see another personality. 

As you know, i met many Satmerers, and i never bumped into one of them so far.

Maybe some of them saw me. I don't try to catch their attention in the streets.

But it had to happen.

During these three years, i met two jerks, two evil persons: one Lubaba and one Satmerer.

I am not going to share what happened with them, but He sent me these two persons on my road a last time.

The Satmerer asked me for not taking photos of him ever. I never did it.

I never saw him with the black grab and shtreimel indeed.

Usually, i am not a good physiognomist, but i remember some details of the person.

At this bus stop, i took photos of two men and two children.

One of the man looked at me intensively. Fortunately, i had sunglasses.

I saw his eyes, especially one, and i saw the fear in it.

That lasted less than one second, and i realized that i saw the devilish brain under this shtreimel.

That's very hard to explain because my emotions were very high. I followed him with my eyes. 

His way of walking and talking to his friend was quiet. That seemed different than when i used to hang out with him.

Later, in the bus, i checked the photos that i took of him.

That made me confused.

When i woke up the day after, i recognized him.

I will never post his photos. That's for my drawer for secrets. I respect his anonymity, despite what he did to me. What will it bring to me to take revenge? Nothing.

But, that was a good test! Maybe his punishment was at this second, when i recognized him, to have fear in his eyes and to think that i could get him into troubles by screaming his name… Whatever…

I feel sorry for this kind of bad persons with a life so stressful, and he has to live like a schizophrenic with all his lies. They are not even able to apologize sincerely!