Brooklyn, NY – In the first of a two part series scheduled to air nationally this Sunday night, Oprah Winfrey, the larger than life media mogul, talk show host, actress and producer who has been described as the greatest black philanthropist in American history, offers a glimpse into the lives of Chasidic Jews as she visits with two Brooklyn families.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Oprah’s Next Chapter is a weekly series featuring interviews and conversations with newsmakers, celebrities and even real life families, as in the case of this week’s episode, titled “America’s Hidden Culture.” Known for her warmth, insight and strong family values, Oprah’s visit to Brooklyn was part of her ongoing effort to highlight different cultures while at the same time portraying the common thread that joins all of humanity.
Immediately upon entering the home of Rabbi Aaron and Shterna Ginsberg, Oprah discovered that while she had little knowledge of the world of Chasidic Jews, both she and the Ginsbergs shared many similar goals and ideals. “We are more alike than we are different,” Oprah proclaimed as they discussed the concepts of family values, which are not specific to any one religion. Yet Oprah discovered that many customs of Jewish life were completely alien to her as clips that have been released from the upcoming show portray her reacting with amazement as all twelve members of the Ginsberg family shake their heads as she asks “Come on…nobody at this table has ever watched television?”
In an exclusive interview that aired on chabad.org with Rabbi Motti Seligson, Oprah expressed her admiration for the Chasidic culture, saying that while she had originally seen Orthodox Jews as “formidable” and “intimidating”, she felt a sense of warmth and welcome from the moment she entered the Ginsberg house. Oprah was also impressed by many other facets of Jewish life: the respect for tradition and values, the strong sense of family and family values, the sense of Godliness that is present both in a Jewish home and in every religious Jew and the ability to be a part of society while maintaining the ability to not get swallowed up by modern culture.
Despite all that she heard and witness Oprah admitted that what made the deepest impression on her was the value system and the way children are raised, deeply rooted in their traditions. Oprah marveled at the fact that just across the river from Manhattan there exists thousands of children who are not only being raised with no knowledge of popular culture, but have no interest in it at all.
During her visit Oprah met with a group of four women to discuss the women’s role in Judaism and was surprised to discover that women do not take a secondary role in Judaism but are instead equal partners, serving as the very foundation of Jewish life and aside from touring various locations in Brooklyn, Oprah paid a visit to a local mikvah.
Oprah, who admits that her personal goal is to “serve the human potential movement and see the best in ourselves” is hoping that the many people who see her interview will be inspired by some of the concepts that are integral to Jewish life, such as having weekly family dinners and raising respectful children who are not addicted to television or electronic devices.
Concluding her interview with Rabbi Seligson, Oprah marveled at the similarities between her own value system and that of Chasidic Jews chuckling, “I didn’t know, I was more of a Chasidic Jew than I thought!”
Part one of The Hidden Culture is scheduled to air Sunday night at 9 PM on OWN.
Watch below Rabbi Motti Seligson interview Oprah.
Video below Oprah with the Ginsberg’s.
Huge kiddush Hashem. Kol hakavod!
Now stories are going to come out that Oprah is really Jewish on her mother’s side.
Oprah realizes the equal part women have in Judaism, while the secular zionist hypocrites can not?
Why am I not surprised ?
This is madness
So the big bad “Media” is not so anti-semitic and ant-religious afterall.
“Oprah marveled at the fact that just across the river from Manhattan there exists thousands of children who are not only being raised with no knowledge of popular culture, but have no interest in it at all.”
Um hmm? I’m sure that this is 100% true, don’t you?
Isn’t Winfried a Jewish name?
tell her to ask deborah feldman
For the non_jewish world t may present as something invaluable.
However, the person being interviewed runs a school that is very makpid on what each child in the school has in the home and details on the parents dress code. I may be wrong, but I believe it is totally hypocritical for this person to do this interview.
“…Oprah discovered that while she had little knowledge of the world of Chasidic Jews, both she and the Ginsbergs shared many similar goals and ideals. “We are more alike than we are different.”
Seriously?
Oprah is a gevaldigge lady. Keep up the great work.
Debroah Feldman is a result of a dysfunctional home. Yes, all people have different dispositions, and should be free to some extent to go after their dreams. However had she grown up in a home similar to the Ginzbergs, Devoiry Feldman would very much be a wonderful and true yiddishe momma. What a shame. A system that failed her. Gitty Grunwald (Kalfa) has begun realizing that and is bez”h making great strides in her return to yiddishkeit. Hopefully Devoiry will one day wake up to the disaster of a life she is leading and hopefully will be welcomed back with giant open hands. I for one publicy reach out to Deborah right here and now. When you are ready to get a true taste of your heritage contact me and I would be glad to show you what it’s all about. Way better than pork and shellfish.
Is any of you aware that Mr. Ginsberg is the Dean of Gan Israel boys and girls school in Borough Park.. Imagine if one of the families who attend the school would conduct an interview with any TV show..I am sure they would be kicked out from Gan Israel.
While not being chabad, all I can say is that there are no group of yidden that are more capable and deserve more to present chassidic lifestyle. I myself am involved in jewish outreach and I can say that whatever was said and written here is exactly what it is. A pity that lashon Horah has to come up on these posts. Living just a few blocks away from Meah Shearim and having family there I can myself say that 70% of pple living there would’ve been able to make the same beautiful impression and inspiration as these beautiful pple did. It is a fundamental fact that jewish secularists or as is written in gemara that an am haaretz will hate a frum jew more than a goy. Which is unfortunately obvious with israeli chilonim. But even they, don’t really disrespect chassidim so much either, they just hurt inside. This is a beautiful kiddush hashem a day after the media was hit with a storm of lies of the life of a woman that I knew since she was born; who was always a bit mentally unstable. Travelled from school to school not because of looking for a better life but because she was impossible to deal with. She uses the same excuse every rebel, killer and angry person uses which is; blaming
continuation:
Pity her family has to endure this shame; she doesn’t mention that she happens to be coming from a family that is exactly not what is described in the article. They would be considered a bit more openminded than the rest of the community. There really isn’t much to say about it or any way to really understand besides for seeing that this woman has serious serious issues.
If Oprah went to meah sheorim to interview she probably would be stoned by the IRANISTS.
Perfect timing of this interview after the horrible, disgusting, and agenda ridden article in the New York Post two days ago.
shlomo:
Disfunctional home aher disfunctional home ahin. You can’t behave irresponsibly or untruthful and destructive because that’s the family you were born to. We’re living in a generation that even if kids or adults were already born to normal homes, there’s a lot of emotional strife. More children are on pills for emotional issues than ever before; but so many of them come out strengthened and grown and not blaming just building and inspiring. These times are not easy for anyone. Somehow everyone feels the disfunctionality in a different area but are we to hate, are we to blackmail, are we to blame, are we to eat treif or marry roman catholic or something? Don’t all the men and women (friends) that we know that have also had disfunctional and painful homes, deserve credit and serve as a lesson to all. That ultimately it’s “you” that has to be and no excuse will help “you” be only “you” can do it. She also plays on the innocense of a mentality where she knows she won’t be sued for the lies and defamation. There are so many clear lies written in the article that I would love her to be sued by those she’s accusing.
I don’t disagree with you at all. I just pity her and hope that one day she will find her way back to her father in heaven. ימינו פשוטה לקבל שבים. The test is whether the people she is wronging now will have the courage to forgive and accept her back with love. The time will come and will tell.
Had Oprah come away unimpressed and had unpleasant things to say you’d all be ripping her apart but because she bought the whole shpeil you all love her.
In other words, we only pay attention to “yes men”. Anyone who doesn’t drink the Kool Aid has offers nothing worth considering.
credit chabad for bringing out the beauty of judaism.
Oprah has a gift for presenting the very best in people by highlighting shared ideas and values. I assure you that when the conversation turns to abortion rights, gay marriage or the Arab Spring for Palestinians, big differences exist.
While others quarantine themselves from the outside world, Chabad and Oprah march boldly into unfamiliar territory showing how beautiful their lifestyles can be.
To #27 If D. Feldman as you wrote “hates “H’, why is she sending her child to a Jewish school or even bothering to give him any Jewish education? I think you may be wrong!! Why is she continuously getting “hate mail”? Why are they threatening her? Is that all these people have to do all day?? I thought they sat and learned torah!! This is not what a true torah scholar does!! Sorry!! Something just does not add up!!
Yesher Koach, Oprah. Now that you have a good impression of our people, go out and renounce your friend Obama’s policy and attitude with respect to Eretz Yisroel.
I know I’m going to sound very critical in a minute, so let me begin by saying that the Ginsburg family did a very good job during the visit.
However, I feel that because of the tremendous responsiblity in hosting someone like Oprah, especially since the visit is on TV, it would be nice if they had her come to a more articulate, open-minded family so she could get a more realistic and all-inclusive picture of the chassidishe lifestyle.
As a chassidishe woman, I feel that the Ginsburg family didn’t present a clear or mainstream picture of the attitudes toward modesty,relationships between husband and wife, the role of frum women and the halachos of niddah in the chasiddishe community.
As I was watching the clips online, I was annoyed at the incomplete and rather sketchy answers that they gave to some of Oprah’s questions.
They obviously did their best, but they weren’t the best candidate for the job.
The second part of the interview is tonight. I watched it, with a fair bit of skepticism. I mean, do you really believe that her kids did not KNOW what television is? I am not saying they watch it, but come on. This was a a definately Chabad media savvy event. Chabad is the ONLY group that could pull it off. With that said, I felt it was a very positive portrayal…witha large anmount of window-dressing (we are all perfect in every way) Tonight Oprah touches on the murder recently, so it is not all window dressing. Interestingly, she did not (or it was edited out) ask about the many pictures of the Rebbi hanging in the house. That could certainly burst the Chabad “we are perfect in every way” bubble. Oprah: What, you say this man is still alive and is the messiah even though he died decades ago.” What, some Chabadniks actaully have started to WORSHIP ths person as a form of a god? That would make for some interesting teevee. Also, we all know the family type…everything outwardly is perfect…perfect marriage, perfect children, perfect house, perfect bank account, until you scratch the surface a bit. I found the interview with the black Chabad family more genuine.