In the beginning years of the twentieth century, Hasidic immigrants fleeing Russian pograms and persecution in Middle Eastern Europe settled in Williamsburg and Crown Heights Brooklyn. Their communities became flourishing, tightly knit enclaves strictly focused on maintaining their religious beliefs and customs. To this aim, and to different degrees, the Williamsburg and Crown Heights Hasidim have avoided contact with the outside world. My own forgotten ancestry is tied to these insular and mysterious communities. I have long felt a deep curiosity about Hasidic life. These photographs are my attempts to understand and document Hasidic life in Crown Heights and Williamsburg Brooklyn .