Greeting the Satmar Rebbe on the Queen Mary, 1965

New York · August 31, 1965

Greeting the Satmar Rebbe on the Queen Mary, 1965

Published October 1, 2026

Satmar chassidim stand at street level by the entrance to Pier 90, looking toward the water as the Queen Mary comes in, waiting for the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum. Police stand in front of them.

New York, August 31, 1965. About 39 seconds. The crowd at street level by Pier 90’s landward entrance, looking toward the water.

Satmar chassidim in black hats stand behind a police line under the pier shed — The 1965 film at 0:02. Satmar chassidim at the police line.

People wait along the pier shed behind a police line, with chassidim farther down the line — The 1965 film at 0:14. The line of people along the pier shed.

If you can identify anyone in the video, email info@jewishreels.com or use the comment box below.

Facing the water

The name Queen Mary is up on the ship as she comes in. In the video, the chassidim stand at street level by the landward entrance, behind police lines and facing the water. The steelwork overhead is part of the terminal and roadway structure.

A separate photograph from the ship looks down on an upper pier gallery. It shows another part of the reception. The street-level crowd in the video is not in that frame.

Photograph from the deck of the Queen Mary looking down on a crowd on an upper pier gallery — From the deck of the Queen Mary, looking down on an upper pier gallery. The street-level crowd in the video is not in this photograph. The print is lettered “Photographed on board R.M.S. Queen Mary” (Royal Mail Ship). Moreshet Auction 77, lot 99, September 15, 2024.

The paper the next morning

On September 1, 1965, Tel Aviv’s daily newspaper She’arim (issue 4306) datelined the report New York, August 31. The Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, had visited Britain and Israel. Several hundred followers came to receive him as he left the ship.

The marked She’arim report, September 1, 1965: The Satmar Rebbe returned to New York — Tel Aviv’s daily newspaper *She’arim*, September 1, 1965, front page. The marked report is “The Satmar Rebbe returned to New York.”

The Rebbe they came for

Reb Yoel Teitelbaum rebuilt the Satmar kehillah in America after the Holocaust. Williamsburg is its center. Anthony Camerano photographed him at the pier that day for the Associated Press.

The Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, at the Queen Mary pier on August 31, 1965, hand over his face, with men in black hats under the terminal roof — Anthony Camerano, Associated Press, August 31, 1965. Wider view. Photo ID 397272074081.

A closer Associated Press photograph of the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, and the men with him at the pier, August 31, 1965 — A closer exposure from another spot. Photo ID 558446652969.

The Associated Press titles both pictures “Grand Rabbi Returns From Overseas.” The captions say 11 weeks in Europe and Israel, and more than 100 followers at the pier. The number 100 is not accurate. The photograph from the deck shows well over 500 people on the upper gallery, in addition to the street-level crowd in the video.

Pier 90

Landward entrance to Pier 90
West 50th Street and Twelfth Avenue, Manhattan
40.76658, -73.99734

Behind the crowd, the words “Steamship Parking” appear on a garage. A New York City tax photograph shows the same sign at 637–641 West 50th Street, on the northeast corner of Twelfth Avenue. The garage stood directly across the avenue from Pier 90. This places the chassidim at the pier’s landward entrance, with the camera looking back toward West 50th Street.

New York City tax photograph of the Steamship Parking garage across Twelfth Avenue from Pier 90 — The garage, 1939–1941. NYC Municipal Archives, Block 1098, Lot 11.

Closer frame at 0:03 in the 1965 film, with the Steamship Parking sign behind the crowd at Pier 90 — The 1965 film at 0:03, closer on “Steamship Parking” behind the crowd.

Street View from the pier side of Twelfth Avenue today, looking toward the water, the way the crowd was facing. Open in Google Maps.

Satellite view of Pier 90 and the landward entrance where the film was made.

The film and what followed

The Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, remained their Rebbe until his petirah in 1979. In 1967 the Queen Mary left sea service and was preserved in Long Beach, California.

Timeline

1887: Reb Yoel Teitelbaum born.
August 31, 1965: The Queen Mary arrives in New York. Anthony Camerano photographs the Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, at the pier.
September 1, 1965: Tel Aviv’s daily newspaper She’arim prints the report of the August 31 return.
1967: The Queen Mary leaves sea service. The ship is preserved in Long Beach, California.
1979: The Satmar Rebbe, Reb Yoel Teitelbaum, is niftar.