Hasidic Jews and their Unique Culture
The Jewish religion is among the most ancient cultures in the world. However, it has fragments that are not as old. The Ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Culture first appeared 250 years ago in Eastern Europe before spreading and settling in Israel and the USA. The community is best known for closely-knit relationships and strict adherence to the Torah (the biblical five books of Moses). The culture is regarded as unique due to its unusual way of operation. The defining factors that set aside Hasidism from mainstream American culture include tightness of the community, markedly different roles for both genders, defined by custom and religious law, and a remarkable observance of rituals and religious fetes. Loewenthal (2013) argues that “the early Hasidic movement was distinguished by its readiness to see the sacred in everything.” Therefore, the most significant difference between pop culture and Hasidism is the secularity of American society.
Hasidic Jews are viewed differently from most other cultures by society. The New York Times, while reporting their push to purchase homes around the city, portrays members of the community as ‘observant’ and ‘conservative’ as opposed to the liberal profile of the other Jews in the area (Berger, 2017). Moreover, Berger reports of an aggressive group who would take extra-ordinary steps to achieve their goal. The Jersey City mayor complains of ‘very aggressive solicitation’ in reference to the group’s real estate agents’ habit of knocking doorbells in search of new property to acquire. The Guardian describes the community as ‘closed-off.’ In a report, von Cohen (2020) claims that the community was, until recently, rarely portrayed on screen due to their closed nature. Blending the media reports about Hasidic Jews, one would assume that the community is not only conservative but also influential. The tendency to introduce conservative ideas on previously liberal communities is a testament to their influencing nature.
Society seems to view Hasidic Jews as different due to the nature of their community. Perhaps the most critical aspect of separation is strict adherence to religion. According to McCaffree (2017), American society is becoming increasingly secular save for occasional bouts of religious revival, or religious apathy. He argues that people seek recreational and occupational goals more than a commitment to a homogenous religious, social group with shared goals. These values arguably contribute to the opposition Hasidic Jews face in neighborhoods they attempt to inhabit. For instance, Berger (2017) reports that Jersey City, Toms River, and Jackson have all banned property inquiries in a move targeted at real estate agents of Hasidic Jews trying to acquire property in those areas. While the overriding cause for the ban is the persistent ringing of doorbells potentially annoying residents, it is the aggression of the community that informs the move.
While American culture is diverse and open, not everyone gets accepted into it. The struggles of the Hasidim reveal that people must still attain specific qualifications to become part of the American culture. For instance, all neighborhoods expressed concern that the Hasidim would transform the character of their communities (Berger, 2017). The resident communities would like to protect their culture against Hasidim invasion, thus the protests against bulging Hasidic populations in their regions. Among the most critical qualifications for getting accepted into American culture, it appears, is the ability to slot in without changing the dynamics.
Hasidic Jews’ difference is not down to American cultural beliefs in society. They are primarily a victim of their own nature. Firstly, America has gone through cultural changes as a result of its mixed population. Secondly, America is not necessarily cultural blueprint for every society. Their own society practices diverse cultural beliefs, but Hasidim deviates significantly from popular American culture by practicing strict religious observance and building their lives upon religion rather than science (McCaffree, 2017). Hasidim is, therefore, distinct because of their beliefs and practices.
Reflection
Hasidic Jews are a select group who have withstood the test of time to practice religiosity in a profoundly secular world. While contemporary trends show the United States drifting towards secularism, Hasidim in the nation have not yielded to the pressure. Instead, they have stuck to their beliefs and taken measures to ensure their culture is not eroded. For instance, purchasing homes within a locality to enable them to live together to observe religious and social rituals requiring close physical distance is impressive.
The religious observance prevalent in Hasidic culture is probably the most controversial feature of the group. Their living habits of coalescing around an area explains in part how they have managed to wither all storms for the last three centuries. However, it is still remarkable that communities fear getting influenced by them. The unique ability to manipulate others to accept different values in place of one’s own marks Hasidim out as an aggressive group. Unsurprisingly, it has aided their quest to keep close and in touch with each other despite the relatively large size of their families.
A consequence of their desire to live together is resentment from the communities whose land they acquire for settlement. While new groups occasionally meet rejection from their hosts, Hasidic Jews seem to be the architects of their own misfortunes. First, their agents annoyingly ring people’s doorbells to inquire about the availability of homes for purchase. Secondly, communities feel uncomfortable with their tendency to transform host communities to follow their habits. Communities invest in their culture, and any attempt to erode it meets stiff resistance. Thus, they (hosts) oppose Hasidic presence. Opposition to Hasidic occupation would appear cruel at first, but a closer examination of the reported factors makes it justifiable. Therefore, Hasidic Jews should be aware that they will attract resentment whenever they are deemed a threat to the existing culture. Hostility appears a viable option; however, it does not solve the problem.
Several sources describe Hasidic Jews as a rare group whose social and religious dynamics are distinct from others. Both the news media and society share the same beliefs about the community, with each section reporting differences from the popular culture. In the areas they inhabit, the Hasidic Jews make up a small percentage of the population. Therefore one might expect them to maintain the core of their practices. However, that fete could be harder to achieve, given the threat of influence from the surrounding community. Even though they are relatively inaccessible to the outside world, influence from external factors is a genuine concern. Even if members are socialized to avoid interacting with people who are considered atheists or secular, achieving one hundred percent success is unlikely. Therefore, the community leaders have a difficult task ensuring no member slips.
References
Berger, J. (2017, August 2). Uneasy welcome as ultra-orthodox Jews extend beyond New York. The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/nyregion/ultra-orthodox-jews-hasidim-new-jersey.html
Loewenthal, N. (2013). The Hasidic Ethos and the Schisms of Jewish Society. Jewish History, 27(2/4), 377-398. Retrieved May 4, 2020, from www.jstor.org/stable/24709802
McCaffree, K. (2017). The secular landscape: The decline of religion in America. Springer.
Nadine von Cohen. (2020, April 30). There’s a wealth of Jewish stories on our screens right now. I wish some were Australian | Nadine von Cohen. the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/apr/30/theres-a-wealth-of-jewish-stories-on-our-screens-right-now-i-wish-some-of-them-were-australian