When I asked to cover CD 12- Borough Park, Brooklyn, I had no idea I was about to get acquainted with the largest Hassidic community outside of Israel. I wasn’t aware of the existence of the most distant - closest - community to my roots, in my borough.
The religious community here in New York, and the one in the holy land are substantially distinct from each other, for many different reasons, but secular Jews, here and there, are generally alike wherever they are.
Ironic as it may be, coming to America, to learn about the Jewish orthodox community, turned o
ut to be more educating that I ever expected.
Recently, I had the opportunity to peek into a fascinating window. The realm of the orthodox celebrities, an industry I had no idea of how large it was, or how much money it involved.
I assumed there were politics, and gossip and scandals, like in any other community, but I didn’t know about the Michael Jacksons and Madonnas and paparazzis of Borough Park. Until I met Yossi Percia.
I met Percia, one of the leading photographers with David Fadida, a huge producer of Jewish music, in the neighborhood a few weeks ago.
I was working on a daybook and they were doing “A day in a life” on the local Beyonce. Aka Ohad Moshkovitz.
The night before we met, Moshkovitz, the Israel-based young vocalist performed in front of 3,000 people in New York. The last concert in his tour was sold-out, when some had to pay more than a thousand dollars for a ticket, according to Fadida.
YouTube hits, discs, fans, concerts. All the same. But there’s not a lot of online info, no Facebook or Twitter action either. Oh, and no girls.
Percia, the photographer who chased a gay Israeli TV host, and asked him to pose in a picture together with an Orthodox Hassid, has no problem with putting rabbis in awkward situations as well.
A few weeks ago, he took a picture of a rabbi in a basketball game in Madison Square Garden. The rabbi wasn't happy about it, but the website got a lot of entries. Yossi was pleased.
That’s entertainment, and business.
As the leading photographer for Chabad online, he likes to find the angle no other secular or religious photographers look for, but this isn’t his main agenda.
Percia’s real drive in his rising career is the satisfaction in exposing non-religious “brands”, like the Israeli super model Bar Refaeli, to the religion side. With the growing interest in the “religious-spiritual world”, in Kabala centers on both continents Percia recognized a great niche. Exposing secular Jews (and non-Jews) to religion and vice versa. Both sides benefit, he explained.
Luckily for Percia, Madonna, the real Madonna, the queen mother herself, is already on his side.
Duet of the 'King of Jewish music' MBD, and the prince, Ohad Moshkovitz.
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