On the subway back from Manhattan this evening, I found myself in the middle (physically, not vocally) of a conversation about what to pierce next, at what point piercings look trashy, and which piercing salons were better than others. A typical subway conversation if there ever was one, second only to, "Move into the center of the car, and stop filming me with your camera phone while you're at it." But the discussion participants? A group of Orthodox Jewish girls, as was clear from the long skirts and the discussions of Shabbat. I would say "Only in NY" definitively, but there are probably other places in the world where such a scene might occur.
could easily be in Jerusalem
ReplyDeleteOr probably parts of Paris, Antwerp, Chicago, L.A.... I've never been to that last one, but I've heard things.
ReplyDeleteI had a related experience a few years back when a group of young Hasidic boys were talking about (and obviously still in the throws of) their pot-adventures.
ReplyDeleteIf they actually said "Shabbat" and not "Shabbos" they're probably Sephardic girls, not Hasidic. If you better describe thier garb, I can probably pinpoint their religious background.
ReplyDeleteFor example, only Hasidic girls wear stockings with a visible seam in the back (for reasons of modesty.) If the skirts were floor-sweeping 'Central Parks' they were probably Syrian Jews. If they were wearing long denims, chances are they are modern/mainstream orthodox ashkanaz girls.
Didn't say they were Hasidic, just observant/orthodox, and don't remember which word they used for the sabbath.
ReplyDeleteSorry, it was this Gothamist post which put the word "hasidic" in my mind.
ReplyDeleteWoops. My bad...
ReplyDelete