Triggered: Yeshan Zhang

© Yeshan Zhang

By Yeshan Zhang

I was born and raised in the small town of Xinjiang in northwest China, where a majority of the population is Muslim. As a non-religious Han Chinese, I’ve always been interested in exploring religions and cultures. I had been exposed to more cultures and religions in New York City, and Hasidic Judaism attracted my attention. 

I started to walk the streets in some Hasidic neighborhoods in Brooklyn. I interacted with shop owners, barbers and Rabbis to get to know more about their daily life and beliefs. I also went to several synagogues to talk to people and observe their cultures. 770 Eastern Parkway is a synagogue in Brooklyn that I saw in a photo book about Hasidic Judaism. I traveled there frequently to talk to people in the women’s section and participate in their festival celebrations. 

This photo was taken one morning on a regular day. The prayer was about to start, and everyone was busy preparing for it. This mother and her daughter were looking for her husband and sons through the gaps of the boards that separate women on the balcony from the men on the first floor. 

To view more of Yeshan Zhang’s works, visit her website or Instagram