Boychiks in the Hood is your passport to the Hasidic "underworld" -- a destination far different from popular expectations. Join Robert Eisenberg as he hangs out with an ex-Deadhead in Antwerp, makes a pilgrimage to the grave of the revered Rebbie Nachman in the Ukraine, munches mini-bagels with Rollerblading kosher butchers in Minnesota, discovers the last remaining religious Jews in Poland, talks sex with a karate-champion-turned-rabbi in Israel, and more.Simultaneously respectful and hilarious, Boychiks in the Hood is a surprising and unforgettable journey through the world's flourishing Hasidic communities that reveals this vibrant tradition as never before.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Not bad.:
I enjoyed this book, but there were a few things I found rather interesting/odd in his narrative- One, at one point he referred to the "Old Testament", a term which Jews find offensive. Two, for a guy who doesn't seem to know a lot about Judaism, I was surprised how much he did know when he explained holidays, laws and the like. It was almost as if I was really "on the same page" with him, and then the O.T. reference, which sort of "knocked him down a peg" with me. All in all though, I recommend this book... more info
as readable as Studs Turkle!:
This book is great-& so easy to read, like the great Studs Turkle.-I hope Mr.Eisenberg is at his typewriter now, creating another book. Wonderful job.
Very well done, exceedingly informative.:
I admit that I bought the book because the title suggested an almost rap-music reality behind the scenes of a New York Hasidic community. Yes, the title is plenty pop-culture, and it probably was part of a marketing plan. BOYCHIKS IN THE HOOD is a far better book than I had expected or hoped for, and the razzle-dazzle title does not at all suggest the complexity of a back-breaking world tour the mostly secular Eisenberg made, in a labor of love, to find and explore Orthodox, Satmar, Lubavitch, Hasidic... more info
This is wonderful!:
I am amazed by the glow this book spreads over me. While reading this book, I feel like I have spent an afternoon with my favorite Bubbe. My concern going into this is that the author would write this story from a secular point of view - harsh and judgemental. But this story is told with such gentleness and love that I feel drawn deeper and deeper into it. I really appreciate that Mr. Eisenberg wants to understand his subject rather than tear their values down or dismiss them all together. Living... more info
