Misplaced Pages

Machzikei Hadass

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.

Hillel Halkin ( Hebrew : הלל הלקין ; born 1939) is an American -born Israeli translator , biographer, literary critic , and novelist who has lived in Israel since 1970.

#88911

56-688: Machzikei Hadass was a Haredi Jewish political party in 19th-century Austria-Hungary . At the 1879 Reichsrat election, the party ran on a joint list with the Polish nationalist Polenklub . Krakow's chief rabbi, Shimon Sofer , was elected in the Kolomea-Buczacz-Sniatyn district. He served until his death in 1883. This article about a European political party is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Haredi Judaism Haredi Judaism ( Hebrew : יהדות חֲרֵדִית , romanized :  Yahadut Ḥaredit , IPA: [ħaʁeˈdi] )

112-595: A Haredi school in the United Kingdom was rated as "inadequate" by the Office for Standards in Education , after repeated complaints were raised about the censoring of textbooks and exam papers which contained mentions of homosexuality , examples of women socializing with men, pictures showing women's shoulders and legs, or information that contradicts a creationist worldview. Haredi life, like Orthodox Jewish life in general,

168-589: A digital resume. The app was made possible by a partnership between its developers and the Orthodox Union — the same group responsible for kosher food certification ("Circle-U"). The standard mode of dress for males of the Lithuanian stream is a black or navy suit and a white shirt. Headgear includes black Fedora or Homburg hats, with black skull caps . Pre-war Lithuanian yeshiva students also wore light coloured suits, along with beige or grey hats, and prior to

224-517: A female instructor and all-female participants. The Court said in part: "Both in form and manner, the activity [Zumba] is entirely at odds with both the ways of the Torah and the holiness of Israel, as are the songs associated to it." With Haredi Judaism having a heavy emphasis on marriage — especially while young — some members rely on the shidduch (matchmaking) system. They employ a schadhan (a professional matchmaker) to support them in their search for

280-475: A secession from German Jewish communal organizations to form a strictly Orthodox movement, with its own network of synagogues and religious schools . His approach was to accept the tools of modern scholarship and apply them in defence of Orthodox Judaism. In the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (including areas traditionally considered Lithuanian ), Jews true to traditional values gathered under

336-700: A similar vein, Haredi Jews in Israel have demanded that the roads in their neighborhoods be closed on Saturdays, vehicular traffic being viewed as an "intolerable provocation" upon their religious lifestyle (see Driving on Shabbat in Jewish law ). In most cases, the authorities granted permission after Haredi petitioning and demonstrations, some of them including fierce clashes between Haredi Jews and secular counter-demonstrators, and violence against police and motorists. While Jewish modesty law requires gender separation under various circumstances, observers have contended that there

392-541: A spouse. While there is no current statistical data showing how many people use the services of a schadhan, it is estimated that the vast majority of Haredi couples were paired by one. However, with the broader societal shift to online dating, matchmaking in Orthodox and Haredi Judaism has started making inroads online. Vastly different from the most popular online dating services, apps like "Shidduch" pair couples based upon shared values and life goals. To do this, users fill-out

448-451: Is ArtScroll , which does publish pictures of women in their books. No coverage is given to serious crime, violence, sex, or drugs, and little coverage is given to non-Orthodox streams of Judaism. Inclusion of "immoral" content is avoided, and when publication of such stories is a necessity, they are often written ambiguously. The Haredi press generally takes an ambivalent stance towards Zionism and gives more coverage to issues that concern

504-643: Is black hat . Throughout Jewish history , Judaism has always faced internal and external challenges to its beliefs and practices which have emerged over time and produced counter-responses. According to its adherents, Haredi Judaism is a continuation of Rabbinic Judaism , and the immediate forebears of contemporary Haredi Jews were the Jewish religious traditionalists of Central and Eastern Europe who fought against secular modernization's influence which reduced Jewish religious observance. Indeed, adherents of Haredi Judaism, just like Rabbinic Jews , see their beliefs as part of an unbroken tradition which dates back to

560-499: Is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted halakha (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are usually referred to as ultra-Orthodox in English, a term considered pejorative by many of its adherents, who prefer the terms strictly Orthodox or Haredi (plural Haredim ). Haredim regard themselves as

616-454: Is a growing trend among some groups of Hasidic Haredi Jews to extend its observance to the public arena. In the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel, New York , an entrance sign asks visitors to "maintain sex separation in all public areas", and the bus stops have separate waiting areas for men and women. In New Square , another Hasidic enclave, men and women are expected to walk on opposite sides of

SECTION 10

#1732859353089

672-729: Is characteristic of the Haredi press in recent years, and pictures of women are usually not printed. In 2009, the Israeli daily Yated Ne'eman doctored an Israeli cabinet photograph replacing two female ministers with images of men, and in 2013, the Bakehilah magazine pixelated the faces of women appearing in a photograph of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising . The mainstream Haredi political Shas party also refrains from publishing female images. Among Haredi publishers which have not adopted this policy

728-643: Is married to Marcia and is the father of two daughters. Halkin translates Hebrew and Yiddish literature into English . He has translated Sholem Aleichem 's Tevye the Dairyman , and major Hebrew and Israeli novelists, among them Yosef Haim Brenner , S. Y. Agnon , Shulamith Hareven , A. B. Yehoshua , Amos Oz , and Meir Shalev . Halkin won a National Jewish Book Award in 1978 for his first original book Letters to an American Jewish Friend: A Zionist's Polemic (1977). He expressed why American Jews should immigrate to Israel. Halkin's second book, Across

784-481: Is not an institutionally cohesive or homogeneous group, but comprises a diversity of spiritual and cultural orientations, generally divided into a broad range of Hasidic courts and Litvishe-Yeshivish streams from Eastern Europe, and Oriental Sephardic Haredi Jews. These groups often differ significantly from one another in their specific ideologies and lifestyles, as well as the degree of stringency in religious practice, rigidity of religious philosophy, and isolation from

840-694: Is often discouraged, although educational facilities for vocational training in a Haredi framework do exist. In the United States and Europe, the majority of Haredi males are active in the workforce. For various reasons, in Israel, most (56%) of their male members do work, though some of those are part of the unofficial workforce. Haredi families (and Orthodox Jewish families in general) are usually much larger than non-Orthodox Jewish families, with an average of 7 kids for family, but it's not unheard of for families to have 12 or more. About 70% of female Haredi Jews in Israel work. Haredi Jews are typically opposed to

896-555: Is strictly segregated by sex. Yeshiva education for boys is primarily focused on the study of Jewish scriptures, such as the Torah and Talmud ( non-Hasidic yeshivas in the United States teach secular studies in the afternoon); girls obtain studies both in Jewish religious education as well as broader secular subjects. In 1930s Poland, the Agudath Israel movement published its own Yiddish-language paper, Dos Yiddishe Tagblatt . In 1950,

952-436: Is very family-centered and ordered. Boys and girls attend separate schools, and proceed to higher Torah study , in a yeshiva or seminary, respectively, starting anywhere between the ages of 13 and 18. A significant proportion of young men remain in yeshiva until their marriage (often arranged through arranged marriage ). After marriage, many Haredi men continue their Torah studies in a kollel . Studying in secular institutions

1008-757: The Haskalah movement derived from the Enlightenment , acculturation , secularization , religious reform in all its forms from mild to extreme, and the rise of the Jewish national movement . In contrast to Modern Orthodox Jews, Haredim segregate themselves from other parts of society, although some Haredi communities encourage young people to get a professional degree or establish a business. Furthermore, some Haredi groups, like Chabad-Lubavitch , encourage outreach to less observant and unaffiliated Jews . As of 2020, there were about 2.1 million Haredim globally, representing 14% of

1064-471: The German language in sermons from the pulpit and seemed to lean in the direction of Zionism . Shimon Sofer was somewhat more lenient than Lichtenstein on the use of German in sermons, allowing the practice as needed for the sake of keeping cordial relations with the various governments. Likewise, he allowed extra-curricular studies of the gymnasium for students whose rabbinical positions would be recognized by

1120-626: The Ichud HaKehillos LeTohar HaMachane . The Internet has been allowed for business purposes so long as filters are installed. In some instances, forms of recreation which conform to Jewish law are treated as antithetical to Haredi Judaism. In 2013, the Rabbinical Court of the Ashkenazi Community in the Haredi settlement of Beitar Illit ruled against Zumba (a type of dance fitness) classes, although they were held with

1176-481: The revelation at Sinai . However, most historians of Orthodoxy consider Haredi Judaism, in its most modern incarnation, to date back to the beginning of the 20th century. For centuries, before Jewish emancipation , European Jews were forced to live in ghettos where Jewish culture and religious observance were preserved. Change began in the wake of the Age of Enlightenment , when some European liberals sought to include

SECTION 20

#1732859353089

1232-606: The 1970s by secular Jews adopting a Haredi lifestyle as part of the baal teshuva movement ; however, this has been somewhat offset by those leaving . The term Haredi is a Modern Hebrew adjective derived from the Biblical verb hared , which appears in the Book of Isaiah ( 66:2 ; its plural haredim appears in Isaiah 66:5 ) and is translated as "[one who] trembles" at the word of God. The word connotes an awe-inspired fear to perform

1288-488: The 1990s, it was common for Americans of the Lithuanian stream to wear coloured shirts throughout the week, reserving white shirts for Shabbos . Beards are common among Haredi and many other Orthodox Jewish men, and Hasidic men will almost never be clean-shaven. Women adhere to the laws of modest dress , and wear long skirts and sleeves, high necklines, and, if married, some form of hair covering. Haredi women never wear trousers, although most do wear pajama-trousers within

1344-480: The Agudah started printing Hamodia , a Hebrew-language Israeli daily. Haredi publications tend to shield their readership from objectionable material, and perceive themselves as a " counterculture ", desisting from advertising secular entertainment and events. The editorial policy of a Haredi newspaper is determined by a rabbinical board, and every edition is checked by a rabbinical censor . A strict policy of modesty

1400-455: The Haredi community, such as the drafting of girls and yeshiva students into the army, autopsies, and Shabbat observance. In Israel, it portrays the secular world as "spitefully anti-Semitic", and describes secular youth as "mindless, immoral, drugged, and unspeakably lewd". Such attacks have led to Haredi editors being warned about libelous provocations. Hillel Halkin Hillel Halkin

1456-593: The Holocaust first began arriving in America. However, Isaac Leeser (1806–1868) was described in 1916 as "ultra-Orthodox". The word Haredi is often used in the Jewish diaspora in place of the term ultra-Orthodox , which many view as inaccurate or offensive, it being seen as a derogatory term suggesting extremism; English-language alternatives that have been proposed include fervently Orthodox , strictly Orthodox , or traditional Orthodox . Others, however, dispute

1512-482: The Jewish population in the emerging empires and nation states . The influence of the Haskalah movement (Jewish Enlightenment) was also evident. Supporters of the Haskalah held that Judaism must change, in keeping with the social changes around them. Other Jews insisted on strict adherence to halakha (Jewish law and custom). In Germany , the opponents of Reform rallied to Samson Raphael Hirsch , who led

1568-459: The Polish legislature Sejm , such as Meir Shapiro and Yitzhak-Meir Levin . Not all Hasidic factions joined the Agudath Israel, remaining independent instead, such as Machzikei Hadat of Galicia. In 1919, Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld and Yitzchok Yerucham Diskin founded the Edah HaChareidis as part of Agudath Israel in then- Mandate Palestine . In 1924, Agudath Israel obtained 75 percent of

1624-619: The Sabbath River (2002), is a work of travel literature in which he goes in search of the truth behind the mystery of the Ten Lost Tribes . He became increasingly interested in the Bnei Menashe —who began to immigrate to Israel from India in the late 20th century—and helped to arrange DNA testing for the group in 2003 in Haifa . Since then, he has written A Strange Death: a novel based on

1680-534: The Torah), frum (pious), and heimish (home-like; i.e., "our crowd"). In Israel, Haredi Jews are sometimes also called by the derogatory slang words dos (plural dosim ), that mimics the traditional Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation of the Hebrew word datiyim (religious), and more rarely, sh'chorim (blacks), a reference to the black clothes they typically wear; a related informal term used in English

1736-579: The banner of Agudas Shlumei Emunei Yisroel . Moses Sofer was opposed to any philosophical, social, or practical change to customary Orthodox practice. Thus, he did not allow any secular studies to be added to the curriculum of his Pressburg Yeshiva . Sofer's student Moshe Schick , together with Sofer's sons Shimon and Samuel Benjamin , took an active role in arguing against the Reform movement. Others, such as Hillel Lichtenstein , advocated an even more stringent position for Orthodoxy. A major historic event

Machzikei Hadass - Misplaced Pages Continue

1792-437: The body remains covered in accordance with the halakha . More modernized Haredi women are somewhat more lenient in matters of their dress, and some follow the latest trends and fashions, while conforming to halakha . Non-Lithuanian Hasidic men and women differ from the Lithuanian stream by having a much more specific dress code , the most obvious difference for men being the full-length suit jacket ( rekel ) on weekdays, and

1848-527: The characterization of the term as pejorative. Ari L. Goldman , a professor at Columbia University , notes that the term simply serves a practical purpose to distinguish a specific part of the Orthodox community, and is not meant as pejorative. Others, such as Samuel Heilman , criticized terms such as ultra-Orthodox and traditional Orthodox , arguing that they misidentify Haredi Jews as more authentically Orthodox than others, as opposed to adopting customs and practises that reflect their desire to separate from

1904-535: The content, or choosing to have rabbinic leadership censor it selectively or altogether. In the modern digital era, difficulty in censoring the Internet and conversely, the Internet's importance, resulted in a decades long and ongoing struggle of comprehension, adaption, and regulation on the part of rabbinical leadership and community activists. These beliefs and practices, which have been interpreted as "isolationist", can bring them into conflict with authorities. In 2018,

1960-749: The fur hat ( shtreimel ) and silk caftan ( bekishe ) on the Sabbath. Haredi neighborhoods have been said by some to be safer, with less violent crime, although this is a generalization, and even that may apply to only specific communities, rather than all. In Israel, the entrances to some of the most extreme Haredi neighborhoods are fitted with signs that ask for modest clothing to be worn. Some areas are known to have "modesty patrols", and people dressed in ways perceived as immodest may suffer harassment, and advertisements featuring scantily dressed models may be targeted for vandalism. These concerns are also addressed through public lobbying and legal avenues. During

2016-590: The general culture that they maintain. Some Haredis encourage outreach to less observant and unaffiliated Jews and hilonim (secular Israeli Jews). Some scholars, including some secular and Reform Jews, describe the Haredim as "radical fundamentalists". Efforts to keep clear of external influence is a core characteristic of Haredi Judaism. Historically, new mediums of communication such as books, newspapers and magazines, and later tapes, CDs and television, were dealt with by either transforming and controlling

2072-691: The governments, stipulating the necessity to prove the strict adherence to the God-fearing standards per individual case. In 1912, the World Agudath Israel was founded, to differentiate itself from the Torah Nationalist Mizrachi and secular Zionist organizations. It was dominated by the Hasidic rebbes and Lithuanian rabbis and roshei yeshiva (deans). The organization nominated rabbis who subsequently were elected as representatives in

2128-679: The groups, calling themselves "Status Quo". Schick demonstrated support in 1877 for the separatist policies of Samson Raphael Hirsch in Germany. Schick's own son was enrolled in the Hildesheimer Rabbinical Seminary , headed by Azriel Hildesheimer , which taught secular studies. Hirsch, however, did not reciprocate, and expressed astonishment at Schick's halakhic contortions in condemning even those Status Quo communities that clearly adhered to halakha . Lichtenstein opposed Hildesheimer, and his son Hirsh Hildesheimer, as they made use of

2184-409: The home at night. Over the years, it has become popular among some Haredi women to wear sheitels (wigs), that are thought to be more attractive than their own natural hair (drawing criticism from some more conservative Haredi rabbis). Mainstream Sephardi Haredi rabbi Ovadia Yosef forbade the wearing of wigs altogether. Haredi women often dress more freely and casually within the home, as long as

2240-450: The later adopters of the Haredi lifestyle in shidduchim (matchmaking) and the school system. The Haredim represent the conservative or pietistic form of Jewish fundamentalism , distinct from the radical fundamentalism of Gush Emunim , and emphasising withdrawal from, and disdain for, the secular world, and the creation of an alternative world which insulates the Torah and the life it prescribes from outside influences. Haredi Judaism

2296-421: The lines are privately operated, they serve the general public, and in 2011, the set-up was challenged on grounds of discrimination, and the arrangement was deemed illegal. During 2010–2012, there was much public debate in Israel surrounding the existence of segregated Haredi Mehadrin bus lines (whose policy calls for both men and women to stay in their respective areas: men in the front of the bus, and women in

Machzikei Hadass - Misplaced Pages Continue

2352-654: The local history of Zikhron Ya'akov , where he resides. His intellectual biography of Yehuda Halevi won a 2010 National Jewish Book Award. In 2012, Halkin published his first novel, Melisande! What Are Dreams? The critic D. G. Myers described it as a "unique and moving study of marriage, a love letter to conjugal love." In 2014, Halkin published a new biography of Vladimir Jabotinsky . Halkin writes frequently on Israel and Jewish culture and politics . His articles have been published in Commentary , The New Republic , The Jerusalem Post , and other publications. He

2408-407: The most authentic custodians of Jewish religious law and tradition which, in their opinion, is binding and unchangeable. They consider all other expressions of Judaism , including Modern Orthodoxy , as deviations from God's laws, although other movements of Judaism would disagree. Some scholars have suggested that Haredi Judaism is a reaction to societal changes, including political emancipation ,

2464-519: The municipality, but sought to protect its religious convictions independently. The community petitioned the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations on this issue. The one community principle was victorious, despite their opposition, but this is seen as the creation of the Haredi community in Israel, separate from the other Orthodox and Zionist movements. In 1932, Sonnenfeld

2520-659: The outside world. The community has sometimes been characterized as traditional Orthodox , in contradistinction to the Modern Orthodox , the other major branch of Orthodox Judaism, and not to be confused with the movement represented by the Union for Traditional Judaism , which originated in Conservative Judaism . Haredi Jews also use other terms to refer to themselves. Common Yiddish words include Yidn (Jews), erlekhe Yidn (virtuous Jews), ben Torah (son of

2576-411: The rear of the bus) following an altercation that occurred after a woman refused to move to the rear of the bus to sit among the women. A subsequent court ruling stated that while voluntary segregation should be allowed, forced separation is unlawful. Israeli national airline El Al has agreed to provide gender-separated flights in consideration of Haredi requirements. Education in the Haredi community

2632-581: The road. In Israel, Jerusalem residents of Mea Shearim were banned from erecting a street barrier dividing men and women during the week-long Sukkot festival's nightly parties; and street signs requesting that women avoid certain pavements in Beit Shemesh have been repeatedly removed by the municipality. Since 1973, buses catering to Haredi Jews running from Rockland County and Brooklyn into Manhattan have had separate areas for men and women, allowing passengers to conduct on-board prayer services. Although

2688-510: The viewing of television and films, and the reading of secular newspapers and books. There has been a strong campaign against the Internet , and Internet-enabled mobile phones without filters have also been banned by leading rabbis. In May 2012, 40,000 Haredim gathered at Citi Field , a baseball park in New York City, to discuss the dangers of unfiltered Internet. The event was organized by

2744-859: The votes in the Kehilla elections. The Orthodox community polled some 16,000 of a total 90,000 at the Knesseth Israel in 1929. But Sonnenfeld lobbied Sir John Chancellor , the High Commissioner, for separate representation in the Palestine Communities Ordinance from that of the Knesseth Israel. He explained that the Agudas Israel community would cooperate with the Vaad Leumi and the National Jewish Council in matters pertaining to

2800-623: The week-long Rio Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, many of the city's 7,000 Orthodox Jews feel compelled to leave the town, due to the immodest exposure of participants. In 2001, Haredi campaigners in Jerusalem succeeded in persuading the Egged bus company to get all their advertisements approved by a special committee. By 2011, Egged had gradually removed all bus adverts that featured women, in response to their continuous defacement. A court order that stated such action

2856-411: The will of God; it is used to distinguish them from other Orthodox Jews (similar to the names used by Christian Quakers and Shakers to describe their relationship to God). The term most commonly used by outsiders, for example most American news organizations, is ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Hillel Halkin suggests the origins of the term may date to the 1950s, a period in which Haredi survivors of

SECTION 50

#1732859353089

2912-510: The world's Jewish population. Haredim primarily live in Israel (17% of Israeli Jews and 14% of the total population ), North America (12% of American Jews ), and Western Europe (most notably Antwerp and Stamford Hill in London). Absence of intermarriage coupled with both a high birth and retention rate spur rapid growth of the Haredi population which is on pace to more than double every 20 years. Their numbers have been further boosted since

2968-613: Was born in New York City two months before the outbreak of World War II . He was the son of Abraham S. Halkin , then a professor of Jewish literature , history , and culture at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America , and his wife Shulamit, a daughter of Rabbi Meir Bar-Ilan . In 1970, he made aliyah to Israel and settled in Zikhron Ya'akov . He studied English literature at Columbia University . Halkin

3024-578: Was discriminatory led to Egged's decision not to feature people at all (neither male nor female). Depictions of certain other creatures, such as space aliens , were also banned, in order not to offend Haredi sensibilities. Haredi Jews also campaign against other types of advertising that promote activities they deem offensive or inappropriate. Due to halakha, i. e., activities that Orthodox Jews believe are prohibited on Shabbat , most state-run buses in Israel do not run on Saturdays, regardless of whether riders are Orthodox, or even whether they are Jewish. In

3080-536: Was succeeded by Yosef Tzvi Dushinsky , a disciple of the Shevet Sofer, one of the grandchildren of Moses Sofer. Dushinsky promised to build up a strong Jewish Orthodoxy at peace with the other Jewish communities and the non-Jews. In general, the present-day Haredi population originate from two distinct post-Holocaust waves: The original Haredi population has been instrumental in the expansion of their lifestyle, though criticisms have been made of discrimination towards

3136-753: Was the meltdown after the Universal Israelite Congress of 1868–1869 in Pest . In an attempt to unify all streams of Judaism under one constitution, the Orthodox offered the Shulchan Aruch as the ruling Code of law and observance. This was dismissed by the reformists, leading many Orthodox rabbis to resign from the Congress and form their own social and political groups. Hungarian Jewry split into two major institutionally sectarian groups : Orthodox, and Neolog . However, some communities refused to join either of

#88911