Description
Book SynopsisThe ultra-Orthodox yeshiva, or Jewish seminary, is a space reserved for men, and for a focus on religious ideals. This book uncovers evidence that firmly religious and pious young men of this community are seeking to change their institutions to incorporate several key dimensions of the secular world.
Trade Reviewn this ground-breaking work, Stadler accomplishes the seemingly impossible by penetrating the exclusive male enclave of the ultra-orthodox yeshiva. Her methods are not merely innovative, but truly inspired. The results are remarkable. -- Shaul Kelner,Vanderbilt University
This brief but exceptionally rich ethnography of the Haredi, the ultra-Orthodox male Yeshiva world in Israel, is an important contribution on many levels. Stadler successfully pioneers a methodology for studying an institution she cannot directly access: the methodologically preferred field approachparticipant-observation of behavioris, in this setting, not possible for a woman. She gets around thisbarrier by using alternative tools. Moreover, given the dearth of true observational studies of this bastion of male Jewish learning, this pioneering effort not only unravels some complexities of the Yeshiva world, but also uncovers the seeds of rebellion brewing among younger scholars who are verbalizing objections to their teachers rejection of integration and full participation in Israeli society. . . . If Stadlers analysis is correct, a mini-revolution is in the offing for Haredi society and its future role and status in Israel. A must read! . . . Essential. * Choice *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface 1 Introduction: Redefining Male Piety and Fundamentalism 2 Yeshiva Fundamentalism in Israel's Haredi Community 3 On the edge of transgression: The Study of the Talmud and the "Evil Inclination" 4 Challenges to the Fundamentalist Denunciation of Work 5 The Idealization of Soldiers' Masculinity 6 The Domestication of Masculine Piety 7 A Case Study: Terror, ZAkA, and the "Soldiers of Piety" 8 Conclusion: A Reconstruction of Fundamentalism and Piety Notes References Index About the Author
