Erev Rosh Hashanah

I am in Paris, and the weather is nice.
I enjoyed seeing the Parisians at the terrace, eating, drinking, taking their time with this joie de vivre.
I feel very fine, and also free finally.
The trip was stressful with my Yiddish cat, suffering during the flight.

Tired peyos, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Mother and son, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

My last image of Crown Heights was amazing.
The boss of my Russian Jewish mother offered me to drop me off at the airport. He had to pick up his brother.
We were on Eastern Parkway, after 770, and suddenly, big lights on it.
Many Lubabas were there. We thought that it was a protest.
And then, i saw it.
The chicken of the Kaparot Ceremony.
I wanted to take photos but, the sacrifice of animals in the name of religion or not, makes me vomit.
But this image of a Lubaba holding the chicken in his hands above his head was the best photo ever, only for my mind.

Hasidic women with white tichel for Rosh Hashanah, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Running rascal, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I watched nearly the entire movie, Fading Gigolo by John Turturro. I wanted to see it when i was in NY, and there it was available during my flight. Vanessa Paradis is playing a Hasidic woman. Before commenting it, i will try to see it again. To play a Hasidic character is very particular. I haven't been convinced so far. She plays a Satmar and she has very long hair under her sheitel!
Even if a Hasidic woman remains a woman, they have a way of walking, wearing their clothes, talking… Their English is better than many men, but Yiddish is missing in this movie.
This movie is a comedy, that might explain it all!
None Hasidic during the flight, i saw one Jewish man wearing a kippah.
Maybe my neighbor behind me was Jewish, he had a likeness with my father and half-brother. Ouch!

Hasidim versus hipster, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

The rascals, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Let's come back to Erev Rosh Hashanah.
I was invited by G., the Jewish man who dislikes Hasidim and also the Lubabas. He has a dog, Jewish, and it feels the same way.
Once, the dog attacked my pony tail wildly, thinking that it was a peyos. I had a weird haircut. :-)

There was his girlfriend and other friends of him.
They never organized a real dinner since they are in this apartment.
G. is very social and has met his friends in streets, shops, offices… We all lived in Crown Heights.

Very thick peyos, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

A Yiddish cow lost in tranlation, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Amongst the guests, there was a couple. G. called him rabbi, maybe he was. He was 76 years old. He used to work many years for a Jewish theater. He came with his girlfriend, a Haitian woman, probably younger, and also catholic.
G. met this man in Target. I imagine the scene. :-)
This man met his girlfriend in the park, probably Prospect Park.
He saw her so miserable, thus he has to do something. He saved her life, and then she is caring for him. She didn't want him to drink too much alcohol. She is very shy.
We spoke a little in French, but her French is different. Haitian mix French with creole, thus the construction of the sentences is different. Sometimes, there is no verbs, and the creole is a language that i don't understand. I know a few expressions, that's all.

In a rush, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Thinking, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

I knew that i won't be disappointed, because G. will be an extravert that night.
All the times, he called the man "rabbi".
They were like old buddies, joking, laughing…
I assisted to a Jewish show.
G. started with the Rosh Hashanah blessing, and the rabbi blessed the challah.

I ate a few of everything, that was enough to make me sick the day after.
The food was good. G. is a good cook.

Then, the show between these two men.
They love the eskimo kissing, so they did it, laughing like two kids.
They sang Hatikva, the national anthem of Israel, mixed with other Jewish songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r2M8ply_l0
They danced together.
I was bursting out laugh.

Loud and intense conversation in Yiddish, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Funny conversation in Yiddish, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

G. looked at me and the Haitian lady, and teased us because we remained quiet. Kidding!
How to talk with two men on a stage?
I like G. a lot because he always asks questions instead of stating clichés.
He teased me with Hasidim. He actually thinks that i want to be one of them.
I tease him to drive him crazy when i say that i am going to 770 or on Kingston Ave.
He refused to watch the short video i made about a Chabad putting the tefillin on a Jewish man in the subway.

The Satmar Beatles, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

Cute smiling rascal, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein

The rabbi likes to make entrance and offstage.
His last entrance was very moving.
He had tears in his eyes, because he actually enjoyed this meal and loves G. and his girlfriend a lot.
G. and the rabbi looked like father and son.
G. lost his father a long time ago, and the rabbi lost his son 8 years ago.
He seems very affected by this event.
Their connexion was deep in a kind of fatherhood.
I was very surprised to see so many emotions in NY suddenly.

Waiting, Williamsburg, September 2014, ©emmarubinstein