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Abstract
Footage from the 1997 documentary “A Life Apart: Hasidism in America” (directed by Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky), the first in-depth documentary about Hasidic Jews, members of a distinctive group within Judaism that has roots in pre-World War II Eastern Europe.

Hasidim burning chometz on the eve of Passover in Borough Park, Brooklyn. (Part 2)

Terms you may encounter: Chometz: Leavened foods forbidden on Passover.

00:00:00 - Man and young boy with prayer book saying the prayer for burning of chometz. Fire engine speeding by. Man reciting prayer as the fire is stoked. Onlookers chatting in Yiddish and English. Closeups of children.

00:05:44 - Adults and children leaving the scene of the fire after the chometz is burned. A man with a small fire in the gutter. A Hasidic boy wearing a Mets jacket. Young man putting out the fire with a hose. Close-ups of children. The scene of the fire getting cleaned up.

00:09:36 - Fire engine. A man and a boy walking down the street. The man wishes the cinematographer a good holiday. Girl with baby carriage runs to catch up with her father. Houses and porches. Girls walking down the street. Soot at the site of the fire.

00:11:07 - (Partial audio) Extinguished chometz fire and fire engine.

00:11:44 - Conversation between filmmaker Rudavsky and young boy who is upset that he is being filmed. An older boy standing nearby seems more accepting of being filmed but the younger boy stalks off in disgust. (English, Yiddish)

00:15:40 - Boisterous crowd of boys poking around in the remains of a chometz fire with long sticks. Some ask the filmmakers what they're doing. One asks if this is "a British documentary." There is shouting of "No video!" Some wave at the cameras, others shout "Get out of here!" When they hear that the film is for television they become derisive.

00:16:02 - (No audio) Street scene in Borough Park; crowds of people shopping. Signs: Moshiach [Messiah] On His Way, Yeshiva Tehila L'Dovid for boys with learning disabilities. Laser light musical spectacular featuring Moshe Ilowitz and Rabbi Yitzy Erps. Other Passover-relatd events. Car with Moshiach on His Way sign on the roof. Sign for car service that is Shomer Shabbos. Sign for Hasidic summer camp for boys.
Duration
00:28:41 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Copyright Date
1997
Rights Declaration:
This recording is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download it. Please contact the Brooklyn College Archives for further information about how you may use this recording.
Persistent/Share URL
https://54098.surd9.group/show.php?pid=njcore:194839
Basic LTI parameter
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PID
njcore:194839