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I originally picked up Fader’s book after reading another book about young, female Hasidic Jews back in January of last year. Subtitled “Bringing up the Next Generation of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn”, this book takes on a more scholarly air in its examination of the education and raising on Hasidic boys and girls.
Do you know Hasidim is actually divided into sects? I have no idea until Fader’s book largely laid out the organization and history of this conservative religious group. Surprisingly, the majority of Hasidic Jews derive their traditions and origins from Hungary. And, unlike what I had previously learned, not all of them fervently try to convert non-practicing or liberal Jews to a more conservative practice.
Fader presents the rigid gender roles amongst Hasidic communities as a complex but worthwhile system. Women are actually more active in the outside world; their education prepares them to accept non-Hasidic Jews while the male education system encourages them to seclude themselves. She largely supports this through her examination of Yiddish and “Hasidic English”, but I had a very hard following this. Regardless, this “power” complicates stereotypes about women in conservative religions.
” In order to facilitate Hasidic men’s and boys’ study of sacred texts, Hasidic women adapt the cultural, political, and economic life of the city to the needs of their community. Their fluency in secular modernity, evidenced in their education, their relatively unmarked clothing, their use of English (rather than Yiddish, the traditional vernacular of Eastern European Jews), and their work outside the home, enables them to create a sheltered enclave for boys and men who study Torah…” (pg. 2)
The quote above may not be the best example, but this book does read like a very dry thesis paper. It’s actually why I originally put the book down; I was only encouraged to pick it up again by a friend who used it for a research paper.
Fader explains how being a Jewish women herself complicated her ability to be a nonpartisan observer in her anthology, and I did see several moments where she appeared to be judging her interviewees. They are also moments where her interviewees definitely appeared to being keeping her at arm’s length even though she claimed to be an insider.
Book Mentioned:
- Fader, Ayala. Mitzvah Girls: Bringing up the Next Generation of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009. Print. 260 pgs. ISBN: 9780691139166. Source: Library.
Polygamy and fundamentalist religions are two of my own interests so I had to read it when I found this book available for download from my public library. Having lived in Texas during the YFZ Ranch raid, this book was particularly interesting because of its examination of just how hands-off the police and public officials are when it comes to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
For example, Weyermann charges that former Arizona Governor and now Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano let the FLDS go unchecked for years over worries that action against the group would ruin her carrier and turn conservative, Christian voters against her. Arizona isn’t the only state that turns a blind eye; judges, lawyers, and jurists in St. George, Utah are charged with are charged with being sympathetic to their Fundamentalist brethren.
There is also the issue of freedom of the press as the two largest newspapers in Utah, one directly published by the LDS Church, are both distributed by the same company. I’m not familiar with what “distribution” means but Weyermann charges that both papers present polygamy in a positive light because of the influence of the LDS Church.
This book, however, is difficult to follow as it swings from investigation of tax-invasion to underage marriages to the Lost Boys. Focusing on tax-invasion and monetary extortion may not be nearly as “flashy” as underage marriages but it is one thing that has been repeatedly overlooked by other authors and journalists, particularly the fact that Jeffs used public positions (cops, councilmen, firemen) to solidify his control of Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah. Weyermann also relies heavily upon memoirs written by ex-FLDS members (some of which have climbed the bestsellers list and others I had read for myself) rather than interviewing these people for herself.
Those who practice polygamy under the FLDS and other Mormon and non-Mormon religious groups say that outlawing the practice violates their First Amendment rights. The general public often falls under the sway of this argument, which is why the 1953 raid on Short Creek and the raid on the YFZ Ranch have often ended with the public turning against public officials who act against this group. But Weyermann argues that the sexual abuse of children, fraud, and tax evasion on a massive scale cannot be considered religious freedoms. Her book is not the best on the way this group works but it certainly is the most persuasive.
Book Mentioned:
- Weyermann, Debra. Answer Them Nothing: Bringing Down the Polygamous Empire of Warren Jeffs. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2011. eBook. 304 pgs. ISBN: 1569765316. Source: Free download.
Subtitled “How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith”, Beck’s memoir begins with her wedding to John in the Salt Lake City temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One can only enter the temple if they have a card assuring the gate keeper of their good standing within the church, and what occurs in the LDS (Mormon) temples alludes non-Mormon writing about the religion.
But Beck isn’t one to spill the beans; she offers more information than other nonfiction books but references blood oaths and mock deaths for her hesitation in sharing the details of temple ceremonies. She sounds almost meek and scared of these oaths, but her tone turns gossipy and condescending when she focuses on other aspects (special underwear and movies, for example) of the ceremony.
The rest of the book alternates between Beck’s move to Provo, Utah from Harvard University in Massachusetts after her son is born with Down Syndrome (a decision she says was made because Mormons would be more accepting of her special needs son than her Harvard colleagues) and her confrontation with her father, a Mormon historian, in a hotel room over the sexual abuse her inflicted upon her. Her recollection of this abuse is spurred by the clashes between her and the administration of Brigham Young University over feminism and her interactions with BYU students.
I think it’s incredibly important to bring to light abuse (sexual, physical, or emotional) committed and/or covered up by religious organizations whether that be the LDS (Mormon) Church or the Catholic Church or any other religious body. Beck makes the claim that the LDS Church continually tries to shift the blame for abuse from the perpectrator to the victim; she uses a panel discussion on domestic violence and abuse during a conference for Mormon women at BYU as example of this. I find this blame game (whether committed by a religious organization or a politician or anybody) to be reprehensible, and I appreciate the fact that Beck published her account.
But I didn’t enjoy the book. This is a rambling narrative, and I hated the structure of the book. Reading about her confronting her father about the abuse before she even realizes it for her self made for a very confusing read.
Others’ Thoughts:
- John Beck (Martha’s Ex-Husband)
- The Zen Leaf
Book Mentioned:
- Beck, Martha. Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith. New York: Crown Publishers, 2005. Print. 307 pgs. ISBN: 0609609912. Source: Library.
Subtitled “An Intimate Journey Amongst Hasidic Girls”, Levine’s book was recommended to me by Eva of A Striped Armchair. I had to submit an interlibrary loan request to get my hands on the book, but less than a week after returning to school my request was fulfill, I picked up the book, and read the entire thing.
Lubavitcher Hasidim attempt to inspire secular Jews to become more observant and for their messianic fervor. Strict followers of Orthodox Judaism, they maintain sharp gender-role distinctions. Girls are supposed to take on the role of mother and are supposed to be submissive to the men in their lives; boys are supposed to be spiritual leaders. At all times, except for within the home, males and females are separated. Yes, even at weddings!
“Perhaps Americans tend to dehumanize Hasidim because of their marginality in contemporary culture. The issue is not life-defining religiosity per se; few express astonishment that historical women with traditional religious rearing and conviction had singular desires and thoughts. But today, in a world where most teenage girls wear pants and many have boyfriends, Hasidic girls can seem more like anachronistic relics than the struggling, triumphing, giggling, brooding, hating, loving human beings who, of course, they are.” (pg. 68)
The book follows a handful of Hasidic teenage girls in what appears to be a single day. One particularly religious young women longs to be a male scholar while another girl works ardently to become a doctor with the full support of her parents and intended husband, chosen without the traditional help of a matchmaker. Another girl leaves Crown Heights after realizing her religion does not match that of her community while another visits a strip club and smokes pot but is determined to eventually return to the orthodox community.
Levine spent a year living with the Hasidic community of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY, and found that on the whole, the Hasidic girls she met were more confident and posses a greater sense of self than teenage girls like myself. This runs completely counterintuitive to my image of meek, religious girls confined with rigid roles, unable to express themselves, but Levine attributes her finds to the phenomenon found in mainstream society. When girls are educated in classrooms without boys, research has shown that they are more confident and more likely to offer answers.
“…when I consider adolescents I have known, I am dismayed to observe that young women often do see their sexual appeal among the boys as a primary gauge of self-worth. Here’s the irony: Lubavitch girls, ensconced in their patriarchal system, validate their own existence and define their own standing in the world — at least until the marriage search. Spirited personality, not the ability to inspire male desire, is the key to popularity in their circles.” (pg. 214)
I wasn’t expecting this thesis to be apart of the book, but I did find it to be an interesting premise to think about even after I finished the book. Having been a teenage girl I know that girls can be caddy, they will form cliques that exclude people based on appearance.
However, I guess I amused that such religious girls like those followed in the book would not form cliques, but some of the cliques are based on necessity. For example, the group known as “888″ provided an open-minded forum for girls (and some guys) struggle to reconcile their own ideals about the roles of women and thoughts on religion.
Certainly a different approach to this conservatively religious community than any thing else I have read. However, if you’re looking for an introduction to Hasidim, I’m not quite sure this is best book to start with.
I have yet to read a book on the topic, but I did see an intriguing documentary entitled “A Life Apart: Hasidism in America” on Netflix Instant Watch. Until finding a good introductory book, I will recommend you start there.
Others’ Thoughts:
Book Mentioned:
- Levine, Stephanie Wellen.Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey Among Hasidic Girls. New York: New York University Press, 2003. Print. 255 pgs. ISBN: 081475192X. Source: Library.
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Subtitled “The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam”, Aslan’s book appealed to me because I wanted to read a book that presents Islam in a more positive light than A God Who Hates by Wafa Sultan in a relatively condensed and accessible way. I don’t know enough about the religion to be able to select something a little more in-depth and specific, but I also did not want finish the World Religion Challenge by allowing Sultan to have the last word on the religion of about 1.41-1.57 billion people (21-23% of the world’s population).
Islam is the second-largest religion and one of the fastest-growing religions in the world, but many in the West seem to have latched on to the idea that the actions of a few represent the thoughts of millions. That is, that we in the West are inherently locked into a “clash of civilizations” (to use Samuel P. Huntington’s misguided term) between the West and the Muslim world. Aslan’s book attempts to explain this religion by comparing its foundation and structure to that of Judeo-Christian believers, and therefore is really aimed at Western, Judeo-Christian readers.
I probably should have read this book before taking the class on U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East because religion does play a large part in the politics of the region (as well as in the United States) and other than a basic understanding of the reasoning behind the split between Shi’ism and Sunni, I really don’t know much about Islam. Aslan’s book offers an introduction into how Islam came into fruition, including how pre-Islamic Middle East approached religion and how Medina became a holy site.
Unfortunately, the book was not as interesting as I thought it would be. This is probably because I had a difficult time trying to keep all the names, theology, and chronology straight. Some of the chapters seemed to drag on, and there were a few instances where I would have preferred more of a chronological approach than the thematic approach he chose. There was also something about the lack of footnotes that bothered me. The last chapters of the book were very wide-ranging, and I think the topics – the Iranian Revolution, colonialism, Wahhibism – were too compressed to really be dealt with properly.
Without trying to spoil the book for anyone, I thought Aslan’s focus on the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and his conclusion were both interesting. My classmates and I had an interesting discussion on the prospects of democracy in the region last semester, and I wish we had read Aslan’s conclusion for our discussion. There is also some insightful discussion within the book about how Islam has been twisted to reflect the goals of others such as the Taliban or al Qaeda, but the book was clearly written for post-9/11 Western readers and it does not focus on other “problems” with Islam non-believers have outside of jihad. (There is a mention of the fight for women’s rights within Islam, which was Sultan’s problem with the religion.)
“Despite the tragedy of September 11 and the subsequent terrorist acts against Western targets throughout the world, despite the clash-of-civilizations mentality that has seized the globe and the clash-of-monotheisms reality underlying it, despite the blatant religious rhetoric resonating throughout the half of governments, there is one thing that cannot be overemphasized. What is taking place now in the Muslim world is an internal conflict between Muslims, not an external battle between Islam and the West. The West is merely a complicit bystander – an unwary yet complicit casualty of rivalry that is raging in Islam over who will write the next chapter in its story.” (pg. 248)
I guess what really bothered me, though, was how apologetic Aslan is about his own religion. I appreciate what the book did have to say about the evolution and introduction of Islam to the region as I do feel like I learned a lot. But while I also understand that people angered over 9/11 wanted to learning more about Islam and why (some) Muslims hate America would not appreciate someone forcefully explaining Islam, I do not like it when people apologize for their beliefs. And that, above all else, is what bugged me about this book.
Others’ Thoughts:
Book Mentioned:
- Aslan, Reza. No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam. New York, NY: Random House, 2005. Print. 310 pgs. ISBN:1400062136. Source: Library.
- Sultan, Wafa. A God Who Hates: The Courageous Woman Who Inflamed the Muslim World Speaks Out Against the Evils of Islam. New York: St. Martin’s, 2009. Print. 288 pgs. ISBN: 9780312538354. Source: Library.
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