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108 SHOFAR Winter 1994 Vol. 12, No.2 BOOK REVIEWS Defenders of the Faith: Inside Ultra-Orthodox Jewry, by Samuel Heilman. New York: Shocken Books, 1992. 394 pp. $27.50. Defenders of the Faith: Inside Ultra-Orthodox Jewry, by Samuel Heilman, an OrthodoxJew and Professor of Sociology at the City University ofNewYork, presents an empathetic, informative, interesting, well written, and often fascinating account of the life of ultra-orthodox Jews (haredim) in Jerusalem. During a sabbatical year in Israel, Heilman interviewed haredim about community and religious events, socialization, education, ideology, marriage, sex, and family life, and participated in community events and mass gatherings. He has enriched our understanding of how a traditional group maintains its unique life-style in the modern secular world. Heilman, with his keen eye and feeling for his subject, tells an engrossing tale. The reader learns about the life and ideology of the haredim, how values and beliefs are transmitted, how bonding with others occurs at religious gatherings, and how these events strengthen religious commitment and community ties. Defenders ofthe Faith is a must for aU those who wish to understand haredi values and life-style and is useful for Jewish studies courses as well as for a course in the sociology of religion. This book is a complement to the numerous books about returnees to Judaism, and together they help us understand why religious life-styles are meaningful. A background in sociology and Orthodox Judaism is not necessary in order to understand this book. Religious events and rituals and orthodox terminology are briefly explained. Sociological jargon is kept to a minimum, as Heilman superbly captures the world of the haredim and enables us to experience it as he did. The book is organized into three parts: 1. descriptions and analyses of the significance ofcommunity events and religious gatherings, including a Chanukah candle-lighting ceremony of the BeIzer rebbe, the bar mitzvah celebration of the son of the BeIzer rebbe, the shalosh seudos of the Reb Arelach chasidim, a dip in the mikveh before rosh hashana, and a pilgrimage to Meron; 2. a description of the educational system from preschool through post high school yeshiva studies based on interviews with teachers, administrators, and a rosh yeshiva in the schools where the author observed how the haredim are educated; and 3. transitional stages Book Reviews 109 marking the life of the ultra-orthodox, such as matchmaking, betrothal, weddings, and funerals. The fact that. Heilman was able to interview women about their religious views and behavior regarding sexuality, in a culture where women are largely unseen and sex is rarely discussed especially with outsiders, is a dramatic indication of the extent to which he was able to gain the trust of his subjects. (Heilman asserts that he was able to establish contacts with and interview haredim, even though he is Orthodox but not haredi, because the haredim wanted to show him their life-style was superior to all others.) Several background chapters present a historical overview of the development of haredi ideology and explain the differences between hasidic haredim and Ilthuanian haredim and between different hasidic groups. Historical events that led to the abandonment of religious Judaism provide a backdrop to explain the haredi desire to recreate orthodox Judaism after World War II in an extreme form. The most important finding is how the social bonds that tie members to one another and to the rebbe, which are crucial for group continuity, are reinforced at mass gatherings. For example, at the bar mitzvah celebration of the son of the Belzer rebbe, the speech of the rebbe affirms the importance of living a haredi life and separating oneself from the secular world, while the unique music links members to one another and instills confidence that the haredi way of life will continue. The sharing of food from the rebbe's plate, the singing, the content of the rebbe's talk, and the touching that occurs when haredim dance or try to wend their way through crowds enhance group ties. Heilman finds meaning in seemingly innocuous events. He believes that the haredim's ability to separate themselves from the outside world, even when they leave their neighborhoods, is indicative of...

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