Satmar Night Live
It was a case of mistaken location during the Satmar Hasidic celebration of Kuf Alef Kislev, the anniversary of the day when the Satmar Grand Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum escaped from Nazi imprisonment.
Politicians, such as Comptroller-elect John Liu and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, looking to cozy up to the Aaronites, or the followers of Rebbe Aaron Teitelbaum, streamed into the cavernous Steiner Studios, but were incorrectly directed to a party for Catholic Charities.
“Anyone who wasn’t wearing a kippot was sent to Catholic Charities,” said a spokesperson for Assemblymember Joseph Lentol (D-Williamsburg), who made a U-turn after realizing the error.
Instead of turning around, Churches United for Fair Housing’s Rob Solano decided to crash the Catholic Charities event, lingered a bit longer than Lentol, and ended up bumping into Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio in the elevator on his way to joining the 4,000 Hasids already swaying at Stage 6 next door.
“We shook hands,” said Solano.
Friends of the Zalmanites, or followers of Rebbe Zalman Teitelbaum, which make up 70 percent of the Hasidic population in Williamsburg, partied under a heated tent in Greenpoint off West Street. Assemblymembers Vito Lopez (D-Williamsburg), Joe Lentol (D-Williamsburg, and Councilmember-elect Steve Levin (D-Williamsburg), were among those in attendance.
“It was a wonderful evening,” said Community Board 1 member Simon Weiser.