Before reading this chapter, I never knew that Ditmas Park existed. Even Berger says that “..many seasoned New Yorkers have never heard of it.” This area in Brooklyn defies the mosaic theory, which states that a diverse area is “an arrangement of different-colored ethnic tiles often coexisting amicably but separated by the sturdy grout of chauvinism and suspicion.” Instead, it seems to be a melting pot. No one ethnic or racial group is dominant, making this neighborhood work; Susan Miller said, “The reason why this works is there’s no majority one-there’s a majority of many” (23).

I enjoyed how Berger showed that there were friendships among the people of different ethnicities in the neighborhood, showing that the diversity is not “cosmetic.” For example, Mavis Theodore, a black Trinidadian, and Hynda Lessman Schneiweiss, a Chicago-born Jew, are very close friends. I too, have close friends that are from different backgrounds. My core friends are from different ethnicities, such as Filippino, African American, Bengali, Guyanese, Korean and Chinese.

The people in this neighborhood make an effort to be friends with people of other cultures. For example, residents hold dinners where the entire neighborhood is invited. Also, for holidays, neighbors are invited to one another’s houses, even if they are not from the same religion. I believe this is truly amazing for the residents in this neighborhoods to do this. They are trying to create a close-knit community.

These cross-cultural friendships in the neighborhood, however, are limited by socioeconomic class. Homeowners associate with homeowners and apartment dwellers with apartment dwellers. Furthermore, shared professional backgrounds contribute to this inclusivity. Why can’t friendships cross the class lines?

-Anissa Daimally