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CHILD REARING PRACTICES OF HASIDIC JEWS.   Term Paper ID:28365 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Examines beliefs, home life, parenting goals, education, community values.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Examines beliefs, home life, parenting goals, education, community values. Paper Introduction: The Child-Rearing Practices of Hasidic Jews Introduction The essence of Hasidism is both its orthodoxy and its passion. Although there are many sects of Hasidic Jews, they all share the fundamental idea that the soul must be on fire for the creator, not for anything else. It is the creator who is at the center of life and all of life is lived in accordance with principles, commandments, and guidelines that have been long-established as likely to lead the community closer to the time of the messiah and the beginning of heaven on earth. With this as its goal, the child-rearing practices of Hasidic families differ from the average American family in many ways. The goal is to mold an observant Hasidic Jew, with understanding of his Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Lieberman choice a window into OrthodoxJudaism. Even morethan the Amish, they are outside of popular culture, although more visiblein New York City and other major metropolitan cities where there areenclaves of Orthodox Jews. Seattle Times, August 12, p. Ultimately, the community movestoward closeness and greater understanding of what is required in order tobe observant Jews. At thesame time, these activities are imbued with a sense of the sacrality of allof life's acts, rather than thought of as mundane and unimportant. In other words, the children are to be guided by awein relationship to the numinous and the recognition of their own place inthe universe as small creatures in need of teaching and admonition. According to Eisenberg (1995), by the year2 75, most Jews left in the United States will be Orthodox and Ulra-Orthodox Jews, including the Hasidim. Women are expected to spend most of their time cooking,cleaning, and caring for their husbands. They took different school buses to the school, attendeddifferent classrooms with different teachers, and emphasized differentsubject matter. Yet, mostof the education that children receive is participatory, including theeducation they receive at the yeshiva. (1993). Judaica Press. The girls wore long dresses, while the boys dressed intraditional Hasidic garb. 11. (1995) provided a photo-essay for the Satmar community which shows the community as it lives itscommunal life. The more ultra-Orthodox Hasidic sects alsocomprise a relatively new wave in the United States and are sometimes inconflict with other, older Orthodox sects of Hasidic Jews (Mansnerus,2 ). The Hasidic perspective is not akin to a Christianfundamentalist perspective that completely replaces the joy of the creatorwith the fear of punishment by the creator. A6. The state of NewYork actually tried to create a special public school district in 1989 toserve the disabled children of Kiryas Joel, a village in Orange County, NewYork comprised almost exclusively of Satmar Hasidic Jews. To be a Hasidic Jew is not, however, to be merely oralways, serious and intellectual. The challenge ofpiety: Satmar Hasidim in New York. Tension over Hasidim boils over in a lawsuit.New York Times, October 1 th, p. This is not an anti-body religion, but a religion that prescribes how best to manage one's lifeto enjoy the body, while serving the community and adhering to all thecommandments and precepts of the creator. JasonAronson. The children of the household should never lack for love, butthey should never challenge the authority of the parents, or the religiousauthorities. Yet, clearly this insularity and separateness is an aspect of HasidicJewish practice, which undergirds child-rearing practices and hasconsequences for the children, both positive and negative. He himself is adescendant of a Hasidic family, but one that became secularized. This is not aprivatistic religion, but a communal one. (1998). The focus seemed to be on ensuring that the twogroups did not get together on their own. It is not primarily through fear and punishment that they aretaught, but they are guided to acknowledge the authority of the hierarchyin which they exist. Unlike other Jewish groups, which are mixing with theChristian world and often losing participating, observant members, theHasids remain a more intact community. Instead, she is talking about the kindof fear that is represented by the admonition in the Hebrew scriptures to"fear" the Creator. There is also a children's holiday curriculum which is designed tointroduce children to the major, and many minor, Jewish holidays andcelebrations. Hasidism is based on action, rather than on introspection,reflection, and meditation. Theoutcome of his education was work at Columbia and Harvard, perhaps the mostsecularized of educational institutions, steeped in the American religion,if any. D8. Thus, children learn that theirbehavior is primary, rather than their intentions. Mintz, J.R., Weiss, M.B., Neumesiter, M. Thus, as Harris (1995) described it, Lubavitcherfamilies may have televisions and VCRs, but primarily they use them only towatch the rebbe's sermons. Shenoted that while the girls were certainly repressed, she felt even sorrierfor the boys, who were intellectually rigid and showed little interest inexploring anything new. (1999). Inother words, all of the acts that the woman performs is in accordance withreligious observance or ritual. For example, there are books specifically designed to tell tales ofancient Jewish heroes, or of children who lived exemplary lives. With this asits goal, the child-rearing practices of Hasidic families differ from theaverage American family in many ways. Yet, there is a modern Orthodox Judaism, exemplifiedby Joe Lieberman, for example, which resembles its more liberalConservative and Reform counterparts perhaps more than the Satmar sect ofHasidic Jews (Eckstrom, 2 ). Otherwise, family life is focused on reading,studying, talking, and praying. The intent is to raise children who are good Jews. Mintz, J.R. For this, the authorrecommends creating a balance between trust and fear within the Torah home(Radcliffe, 1989). Eisenberg (1995) noted, though, that one of the advantages of theinsularity of the Hasidic community is that it is preserving itself as areal community. Hasidic people: A place in the new World. Even in study, theindividual child is not expected to understand everything by himself orherself. Instead, children work in cooperation with each other, and withthe instructors, in order to come to a fuller understanding of the Torah,the Talmudic commentaries, and all other aspects of Jewish life. Students study at the yeshiva, which is a private schoolfocused not only on reading, writing, and other subjects, but on intensivestudy of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud. (2 ). Holy Days: The World of a Hasidic Family. Rigidity can also be thought of as stabilityand security, providing a safe harbor for children and a strong sense ofplace for themselves in a society that is chaotic in many respects. While the general class of North AmericanJews is declining through an intermarriage rate approaching 5 percent, theHasids are increasing by 5 percent annually and doubling their populationin the country every 15 years. Mansnerus, L. Instead, the Hasids are knownfor their equal emphasis on joy, celebration, and delight, includingdelight in sexuality and other aspects of the senses. The focus also, clearly, was on schoolwork, rather than on thedistractions of the opposite sex. The intent isto mold observant Jews within the Hasidic tradition. 91995). Children's holiday curriculum Yom Habikkurim.Lederer Messianic Publications. The intention is to help children understand what they seein their communities in a more intentional way (Johnson, 1999). (1999). The members ofthis community had originally withdrawn their disabled children from publicschools in other districts because they stated that the children weretraumatized by having to attend school outside of their communities. There are pictures and reviews about costumes, holidays,and family life, all of which portray the community as an admirablecommunity of well-educated and pious Jews. Theydo not receive the special education they could benefit from because oftheir inability, or their parents' unwillingness to allow them, to attendpublic school where services are available. Dalfin, C. Forexample, in the Lubavitcher community, the primary role for women is stillwithin the home. It is designed to teach childrenhow to participate in the community for the good of the community, which isseen as for the good of the children also. Instead, they were destined tobe matched up by a matchmaker and not necessarily even know their intendedhusband until right before the wedding. Limiting education to the school environment is not an accurateportrayal of the education of young Hasidic Jews, however. There are then the ancientscholars who interpreted the Torah, providing the Talmudic perspective.Then there are the newer rabbis, like the Baal Shem Tov, or the LubavitcherRebbe, who lead specific communities. Eisenberg, R. Harris, L. It is the observance that undergirds the joy. Boychicks in the hood. Jason Aronson. Voices from the middle, 5(2), 1 -15. The Child-Rearing Practices of Hasidic Jews Introduction The essence of Hasidism is both its orthodoxy and its passion.Although there are many sects of Hasidic Jews, they all share thefundamental idea that the soul must be on fire for the creator, not foranything else. The woman is responsible for keeping thehome a ritually observant home, and this is considered an importantresponsibility, although quite different from that of the men (Harris,1995). Finally, there is the local rabbi,the parents, teachers, and one's other relatives and community members. Their educationoccurs on a daily basis, in the home, on the streets, at observances andcelebrations, through rituals, and in tales and books that are designed tocontinually remind them of who they are and what is expected of them. The many observances prescribed in the Hebrew sciptures,particularly the Torah, are an integral part of the daily life of everymember of the family. Allother children attended private religious schools in the village itself.However, in 1994, the Supreme Court rejected New York's effort, noting thatthe state had unlawfully singled out a specific religious sect for special,favorable treatment, breaching church/state boundaries. By this, they are encouraged from a young age to thinkthrough things by using a moral process that is grounded in specificprinciples. The goal is to mold an observantHasidic Jew, with understanding of his or her responsibilities to thecommunity in calling the messiah forth. Other efforts weremade to reinstate the school district, the latest in August of 1999, butthis, too, was struck down by the Supreme Court by a vote of 6-3 (Carelli,1999). The intention is not to raise children who make a lot ofmoney, or who are independent, or who achieve great things. (2 ). Education The education of the children of Hasidic Jews takes place outside ofthe public school system. There have been few portrayals of the communityin books, television, or movies, although a recent movie arousedcontroversy from within the community because of its portrayal of theinsularity and rigidity of the group (Goodstein, 1998). Loving Sam. Another advantage of the Hasidic way of parenting is what Radcliffe(1989) describes as the molding of children into adults who are both ableand willing to fulfill all of their responsibilities to their creator andto the larger community. 1. Again, this is not an individualistic religion. Falk, A. While the Amish are Christianfundamentalists, seeking to live a life close to the portrayal they view inthe Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures, the Hasidic Jews strive to teachtheir children a way of life that is congruent with the Hebrew Bible andthe Talmud. This book tells the basic stories ofthe Torah, while also providing an expert analysis that is designed to helpchildren think about moral issues in the Torah and in their own lives (Falkand Nodel, 1993). While it may seem like a failure insocialization to other groups, for the Hasids it ensures that theirchildren are supported in keeping to their moral code and that they are notdistracted by the whole dating scenario and their own hormones. On the other hand, the sectscertainly are successful in preserving much of their culture and tradition,which is the primary intent. Yet, the children are not perfect. For example, Lasky (1998) reports on herexperience teaching in a school for Hasidic middle school children. Mintz et al. An unorthodox portrayer (betrayer?) ofHasidism. Conclusion Hasidic Jews are not a very visible segment of society. The creator is the source of all, and the finalauthority, as expressed through the Torah. (1995). NY: Gina Keyahoff Publications. They are given a process to use to help them navigate many ofthe situations in their everyday lives. When Radcliffediscusses raising the children with fear, she is not talking about raisingthe children with the kind of fear that characterizes an abusive family,likely to mistreat their children. Lasky, K. There isalso a Torah for children, providing them with an introduction to the bookthat will rule all of their lives. and Nodel, N. Johnson, L. The delicate balance: Love and authority inTorah parenting. The intention of Hasidic child-rearing is also to rear children whoknow, and accept, their gender roles within the family and community. Girl children are taught thatthis is their way of contributing to the family and the community. That is theprimary goal. (1998). (1997). Eckstrom, K. According to Radcliffe (1989), the secret to accomplishing Torahparenting is reaching a delicate balance in the household between love andauthority. Gurary, N. Supreme Court rejects 3 church-state appeals.Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 13, p. The result is a community of basically law-abiding and well-orderedcitizens, including the children. NY:Gina Keyahoff Publications. Targum Press. (1997). Its basic premise is that the creator can bestbe understood through action, including ritual observances and theperformance of mitzvos (Gurary, 1997). It is also to be filled with joy andcelebration, and Hasidism is filled with opportunities for celebration andgratitude. In the villageof Kiryas Joel, the consequences for disabled children are negative. The family also teaches its children through controlling children'saccess to outside media. Goodstein, L.. New York Times, April 12, section 2, p. Further, they are generally expected to fulfillthese responsibilities with a sense of gratitude and joy, rather than witha sense of resentment. What it means to be aHasidic Jew is to be a Jew that has firmly established roles, rules, andrituals which are designed to make the questions of life easily answerable(Dalfin, 1997). At the same time, not all ultra-Orthodox Jews remain in thatcategory, as Eisenberg (1995) himself would acknowledge. Home life In general, the homelife of Hasidic Jews is characterized by ritualand celebration. Radcliffe, S.C. (1995). Harrisdescribed them as falling asleep at synagogue services just like otherchildren would do. It is similar to theAmish in that it does not want its children contaminated by the vulgaritiesand irreligious trends of modern culture. There are other aspects of the educational process which make it verydifferent from the norm. They also are a growing andthriving community because they tend to have high birth rates, bigfamilies, and low divorce rates. References Carelli, R. To be chasidic: A contemporary guide. Chasidism: Its development, theology, andpractice. There are problems within Hasidic education systems, however, such asan inability to provide needed services for all children. As noted earlier, this is an insular communitythat prefers not to mingle with the outside world. It is important to be clear about this point. NY: HarperCollins. This is a religion that relies upon a set ofprinciples and guidelines that is constantly being interpreted so thatpeople may more fully understand the meaning of their creator and fulfillthe precepts that have been set forth for them. Orthodox Judaism itself is only one elementof the Jewish experience; in the United States it is a much smaller elementthan Conservative or Reform Judaism, although it is a much strongerpresence in Israel. Background Hasidism is an aspect of Orthodox Judaism, and there are varioussects within Hasidism itself, including the ultra-conservative Pupa andSatmar sects, for example. (1989). For both boys and girls, education was a matter of separate work andprogress. (1994). NY:MacMillan Publishing. It is the creator who is at the center of life and all oflife is lived in accordance with principles, commandments, and guidelinesthat have been long-established as likely to lead the community closer tothe time of the messiah and the beginning of heaven on earth. The Torah for children: SeferBereishis. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.