Language and Sensitive Content Warning

In this long-form interview, I talk to Eli Benedict about his life story. Eli grew up in the Hasidic community in Bnei Brak, Israel, and later left the fold. He remains deeply engaged with the Hasidic community and has a tremendous passion for Yiddish language, literature, old books and community. He is the CEO of YungYiddish and he runs the channel for the @LeagueforYiddish.

I have brought Eli to you on my channel before. Most notably, when he showed me around his hometown of Bnei Brak, just a few days before the horrific October 7 attack. That video is my only content from outside of New York City (for now!) I also shared some shorter videos with Eli, and one longer interview we did after the October 7 attack.

I went into this video knowing that Eli has warm, complicated feelings for his community and that he was willing to speak candidly and honestly about the world he comes from. I did not know what Eli would share and it was quite a difficult interview to have and process. I thank Eli for sharing and hope you will all listen to his story with open minds.

Eli's story is another story that presents a perspective on the Hasidic education issue. My interviews on the subject create a mosaic with many different narratives. Hopefully, watching them all provides a more complicated, nuanced, and meaningful overview of the situation than one may find when reading the news.

Here are some more of my videos on #hasidiceducation
Izzy Posen's story ||    • "My childhood as a Hasidic boy" | In ...  
A trip down memory lane: my own Hasidic education ||    • I was educated in the Satmar Hasidic ...  
Gerry Albarelli, who taught English to Hasidic boys ||    • A Gentile Teacher and His Rowdy Hasid...  
Eli Spitzer, a Hasidic boys' school headmaster ||    • Hasidic Boys' Education Controversy |...  
Moshe Krakowski, who studied Hasidic boys education ||    • What Hasidic Boys Learn | In Conversa...  
Pearl, a Hasidic mother who educated her son's in this system ||    • A Hasidic housewife answers Youtube's...  

#education
#israel
#yeshiva