P.O.V. - Hiding and Seeking . A Life Apart

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Introduction

New York University Professor Arthur Hertzberg and others explain that Hasidim don't consider themselves American or European or Israeli or anything else. Their primary concern is worshipping the Lord and living according to the Torah, the five books of Moses. When the first Hasidic immigrants arrived in America, mostly during the 1950s, they rejected many things Americans take for granted: television, movies, sports and pop music. Today, their culture continues to thrive. (2:47 minutes)

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History

Hasidism started as a spiritual revival movement which emphasized prayer, joy and charity. The founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, lived from 1700 to 1760. He was a man of the people who made spirituality accessible to everyone, including those who did not have access to books for learning. He said everyday life could be sanctified — that God could be served through everything one did: eating, working, raising children, etc. (6:49 minutes)

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Hasidism After World War II

Hasidism's teaching that God could be found all around us faced its ultimate test during the Holocaust. For the Jews that remained in Eastern Europe, WWII brought complete devestation and the death of six million. Among the Hasidim, four out of five were killed. Some Hasidim continued to cling to a God who had seemingly abandoned them. Others could no longer do so. (3:38 minutes)

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Women and Hasidism

In Hasidic culture, the woman is the foundation of the home. Hasidic women are expected to find spiritual fulfillment primarily in motherhood. They are told this role is so important it takes priority over public prayers and the study of Torah. (4:53 minutes)

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Hasidism and Others

Hasidim remain in neighborhoods where everyday interactions are often characterized by resentment and mutual suspicion. These tensions have led to political turf battles over the allocation of housing and public services. Hasidim are threatened by others who do not share their culture, including Jews whose interpretation of Judaism is different from their own. (3:35 minutes)

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Hasidism and Modernity

We're all looking for role models, for values, for meaning, that's the great word in America. All of this exists for the Hasidic. In return for this, they live a life within very strict boundaries, and they do not participate in the great American race for success. (5:17 minutes)