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On a tour of Hasidic Brooklyn, this rabbi doesn't have all the answers — but he knows who does

JL;DR SUMMARY In this captivating narrative, Clara Shapiro recounts her immersive experience on a guided tour of Hasidic Crown Heights in Brooklyn, led by Rabbi Mayer Friedman. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CultureHasidic JudaismBrooklynChabadEducationLubavitchFaithCrown HeightsCommunity TourRabbi Mayer Friedman

Places mentioned

Brooklyn, New York, United States
"Follow Eastern Parkway past the Brooklyn Museum, the Botanic Garden, the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway, and youll arrive in the heart of Hasidic Crown Heights."
Texas, United States
"Theres a family from Texas with two daughters and two sons, all buff, blonde and bronzed in a way that fills the vitamin-D-deficient East Coast mind with awe."
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
"Also in our ranks are four older women from St. Louis who are here on a Girls Trip."
Australia
"And then there are the lone rangers, me and an elegant older woman named Melinda, who has lived in Australia for decades."

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Cairo Item ID 58941
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-08-10 05:30:51 UTC
Curated 2025-08-10 08:30:42 UTC