The Blogs: The Hasidic mother, the Iranian visitor, and a Shabbat surprise | Elham Golkhandan

An Iranian woman visiting Brooklyn during Shabbat is asked by a Hasidic mother to enter her home and turn off a gas stove. The brief, practical interaction — help offered, a kosher snack given — becomes a personal memory that shifts the author's perception of the community from an observed curiosity to a human encounter.

An Iranian woman visiting Brooklyn in October 2026 is approached by a Hasidic Jewish mother on Shabbat who asks for help with her stove. The author hesitates but agrees after the woman leaves the door open. She turns off the gas flame, and the woman thanks her and offers a kosher snack. The author reflects on her initial worry about how her nationality might be received, but the interaction remains simple and practical. The encounter shifts her view of the neighborhood from an observed curiosity to a personal memory of kindness.