Let me conclude with a general point about the article.
The primary focus of the writers is on a miniscule sub-group of former Chassidim who are not observant Jews and obviously have an ax to grind with their former community. They make it look as if the overwhelming majority of Hasidim are unhappy, abused members of some cult, who do not have a normal life. The truth, however, at least for anyone who wants to open their eyes, is that the vast majority of Hasidim and chareidim have a wonderful quality of life. They grow up in two-parent families, enveloped in love. They spend their days actually learning in school, even though that learning may not mean much to Ms. Shapiro and Mr. Rosenthal.
They have a disciplined life, a good life, and the overwhelming majority go on to lead productive lives of their own. While of course our hearts go out to anyone suffering, including the malcontents and former Hasidim, to extrapolate to a community of “over 200,000” based primarily on the experiences of that miniscule minority is a journalistic crime of lack of context.
As I said at the outset, the New York Times is not just after the Chassidim. They, with their totalitarian intolerant woke ideology, are after anyone who refuses to think as they do and conform to the new zeitgeist. All of us non-Satmar style chareidim are next.
