Nathaniel Deutsch

This is a mostly fascinating history of the Satmar's hold on Williamsburg, and the existential threat posed by the hipster invasion. Be warned that this is an academic history. For those of us used to getting our nonfiction from journalists trained to engage the reader it is a whole different experience to read a work of thorough scholarship intended to inform and not to entertain. It some ways this is a wonderful shift which delivers a great deal of foundational information which lends the necessary context to understand the ways in which the Satmar have worked the system to their advantage and also to the impacts of gentrification, both positive and negative. (I know I am supposed to hate all gentrification. I do not.) The downside of going from pop history to academic history is that there are stretches of the book essential to solid scholarship that while good for the reader are also dead boring.

Several of the Hasidim interviewed in this book mention that they consider Jews who choose not to isolate themselves and engage in 24-7 19th century cosplay to be their greatest enemies, and I am not sure they are wrong. As one of those Jews, I will say that I have a lot of issues with the way the Haredi impact my life as a Jew and as a New Yorker and this book intensified my frustrations. Nonetheless this is an important read recommended for anyone interested in NY real estate, public housing, and public accommodations.… (more)