What Do Satmar Chasidim Really Want?

Main Shul in Kiryas Joel (The Commentator)

There has been a bit of a buzz about a YU Commentator article by David Tanner, who describes himself as a clean-shaven, techeiles-sporting YU student. It involves his unplanned stay over Shabbos in the insular Satmar enclave of Kiryas Joel. The description of his experiences there matches their fine reputation as one of the most hospitable communities in all of Jewry.

Long story short – after missing his bus ride to a YU Shabbaton in Monticello, New York and with not enough time to make it back to his dorm in Washington Heights before Shabbos, he managed to make it to the closest religious community he could find on Google Maps. That was Kiryas Joel. He called the Chaverim chapter, in that city (a volunteer Chesed group), was picked up, and driven there before Shabbos began. He did not know what to expect. But it surely wasn’t what he ended up finding. Here are some selected excerpts describing his experience: 

I walked into shul earlier than everyone else, since I was makpid about davening before sunset while the practice of Chassidim is to daven long afterward... As soon as (davenig) was over, my host, Reb Shia Kornbli, came over to me and welcomed me. He then went around introducing me to others. (They responded with) “Good Shabbos” and “Shalom aleichem” and asked where I was from. 

Back at Reb Shia’s home… (as) the meal progressed... Reb Shia was very curious about YU, and I was curious about the chinuch system in Kiryas Joel. With regard to the elephant in the room, Reb Shia and I didn’t really talk about Zionism, though we did talk extensively about the Satmar Rebbe and his unyielding adherence to his beliefs... 

My Shabbos in Kiryas Joel gave me a completely different impression. Everyone I encountered was genuinely curious about and respectful toward YU. In fact, many people had never even heard of YU and were impressed when I described a typical YU student’s schedule of Torah learning and secular classes.

David has since revisited Kiryas Joel several times. On his last trip he had an interesting conversation with a young Chasid that was learning in a Satmar Kollel in Williamsburg…

David was asked whether he had studied the Hashkafic works of Rav Solovietchik. Specifically, Kol Dodi Dofek which deals with th Rav’s positive view of Zionism.  Recognizing the shocked look on David’s face he retorted,  ‘I bet you didn’t expect to hear that one.’

As noted, David’s experience with Satmar hospitality does not surprise me at all. But a Satmar Chasid who studies in one of their Kollels and yet is interested in the views of someone whose views are anathema to Satmar... that did surprise me. 

We are not, after all, talking about an expatriate Satmar Chasid that might be trying to undermine his former community. We are talking about someone who represents their best and brightest – a young Talmid Chacham studying full time in Kollel.

That got me to wondering about whether this Chasid was an outlier who secretly studies 'forbidden works' or whether there are a lot more like him. Not that necessarily study the works of the Rav. But whose interests extend far beyond Satmar's reach. Is he the exception or the rule? Are there other things they would like to explore outside of their own orbit that they might want to emulate? Like an educational system that includes a Limudei Chol curriculum?

I think that is the real ‘elephant in the room’ at this juncture. How many Satmar Chasidim are there really that would like to see their child better educated than they are now, but are afraid to say so in public for fear of the negative repercussions to them and their families? Especially now in the current climate of what they see as government and media hostility towards them? 

Those who defend Satmar’s right to deny their young a decent secular education keep saying that they have a right to educate their children as they see fit. But do they really see as fit  an educational paradigm bereft of core subjects like English, math and science? Or are they just too scared to say anything about it publicly? Was the interest expressed in YU's daily schedule a clue about what they really want? Or was it simple curiosity? Perhaps both?

I don’t know the answer to any of these questions. But I sure would like to find out if there is a critical mass (and perhaps even a majority) of Satmar Chasidim that would indeed like to see a change in how their children are educated. Problem is that as things stand now, we will never be able to find out.