Kiryas Joel, [KIR-yas-Jo-EL] New York, is the name of a village in Orange County, New York, approximately 50 miles northwest of the City. It came to my attention because of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. When one takes the M train out of the City, the first stop on the other side of the East River is Marcy Street. Upon descending the stairs from the subway, one sees many signs that are not in English and therefore unreadable to the non-Yiddish reading-population of the City. A large population of Satmar Hasidic Jews live there. They maintain specific dress codes, all black garments, the men in wide-brimmed hats, long coats, specific hair growth and cuts, the women’s heads are all wig covered and the children’s first language is Yiddish. They have a community they endeavor to keep closed to the outside world. Someone mentioned that the overflow of this community moved to empty land outside the City, built a town and named the town Kiryas Joel. It has gained notoriety and one reason is because it is the poorest place in America with 70 percent of the villages 21k residents having incomes below the poverty line. Half receive food stamps and one third use other government means of support.* Most residents’ first language is Yiddish. The background of the group is fascinating. A large percentage of the population trace their roots to Romania or Hungary. Their main purpose in life is for the men to devote themselves to Torah and Talmund studies rather than academic training, the women to having and raising children. As to be expected, such an exclusive community is not without litigation or political troubles from surrounding townships. There is a wealth of information on the web.
*[NYT 20 April 2011]