Interestingly we don’t talk very much about Hassidic Dynasties in NYC other than Chabad. The other major dynasty is that of the Satmar’s. Their populations, in NYC, can be found in Williamsburg and Boro Park.

Quick Facts:

They originated from Hungary (and surrounding areas).

They are Anti-Zionist….believe it or not.

They have been locked in a succession (blood) feud for decades.

Satmar communities are hierarchical.

U.S. Satmar populations exist in Williamsburg, Boro Park, and Upstate New York.

Here is what Wikipedia has compiled on the Satmar Hassidim:

Satmar (or Satmar Hasidism or Satmarer Hasidism) (חסידות סאטמאר) is a Hasidic movement comprising mostly Hungarian^[1] and Romanian Hasidic Jewish Holocaustsurvivors and their descendants. It was founded and led by the late Hungarian-born^[2] Grand Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum^[1] (1887-1979), who was the rabbi of Szatmárnémeti,Hungary (currently Satu Mare, Romania).^[1] The town’s name in German is Satmar. The name Satmar was also used by the Yiddish-speaking population, Yiddish being then the common language of the local Jews. Members of the movement are usually referred to as Satmar Hasidim or Satmarer Hasidim.

The two largest Satmar communities are in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Kiryas Joel, New York. There are also significant Satmar communities in Borough Park, Brooklyn andMonsey, New York. Smaller communities can be found in North American cities such as Los Angeles, Montreal and Toronto; European cities such as Antwerp, London andManchester; Argentina; Australia and numerous cities and towns in Israel. The late Satmar Rebbe, Rebbe Yoel Teitelbaum, also held the title of the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem’sEdah HaChareidis, although he did not live in Jerusalem after 1946.

Satmar is one of the largest and most influential Hasidic movements in existence today, but formal demographic comparisons with other Hasidim are not available. It is believed to number close to 130,000 adherents (including men, women and children), and is rapidly growing due to the extremely high fertility rates of the group. This population figure does not include a number of smaller and related anti-Zionist Hungarian Hasidic groups who align themselves with Satmar.

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To Read The Entire Wiki-Web Satmar Articles, Continue Here.

I also wanted to mention that a film came out recently about certain fringe elements of the Satmar community in NYC.

Holy Rollers (2010), is an actual true story about Satmar kids being used as drug mules. Set in the late 1990s, the height of New York’s rave scene, ecstasy pills were being smuggled by Hassidim.

Holy Rollers stars, Jesse Eisenberg, as a struggling Satmar youth, who was sick of his destiny being decided for him. Now I’m not exactly sure what was in the main characters head, or his motives for taking such risks. Nevertheless, I won’t spoil the film for you. It’s a must see!! I really loved this film.

-David Mirand 

Contributing writer and former Program Director of RJI