A Life Apart - Hasidism in America

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In New York City, the Hasidim are a common sight, but even here their way of life remains a mystery to those outside their community. With their use of Yiddish, their distinctive clothes and their strict observance of Jewish ritual and law, the Hasidim are considered by many an insular people with little connection to mainstream America. Yet their values are those that many Americans find most precious: family, community, and a life of meaning. In this "unique glimpse into this closed society" (Philadelphia Inquirer), seven years in the making, we are taken into the depths of the Hasidim's joyous, sometimes harsh, and often beautiful world. A "series of beautifully shot, startlingly intimate interviews" (New York Post) sheds light on idiosyncratic customs such as matchmaking, secular education and traditional dress, by taking us through the homes, schools and synagogues of this insular world. The filmmakers also candidly address suspicions of racism and accusations of sexism from the outside community.A Life Apart: Hasidism in America, narrated by Leonard Nimoy and Sarah Jessica Parker takes us on an illuminating journey into a "beautiful, mesmerizing and mysterious world" (San Francisco Bay Guardian) of a community kept distinct from its surrounding culture for generations.