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Ashkenazi Haredim (Hebrew: חֲרֵדִי אשכנזים) Haredi Ashkenazim (lit. pious of Germany) are ultra-orthodox Jews of european descent. Being that, Ashkenazi Haredi tradition is the dominant tradition as after the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal in 1492 many Sephardic communities of the time fled to Central and Eastern Europe seeking refuge in Poland, Galicia, and Lithuania. As Sephardic Judaism struggles to rebuild itself[1], due to high fertility rate among all Haredim the Ashkenazi Haredim will continue to grow with rapid expansion.[2] A vast Majority of Ashkenazi Haredim were wiped out during the Holocaust and the worldwide Haredi communities struggle to rebuild themselves. The Baal Teshuva movement has helped rebuild orthodox communities worldwide and will continue to grow. Secularization however, does not help the effort.[3] However this is combated by a number of Secular Jews adopting an Orthodox lifestyle.[4]
Ashkenazi Haredim have a very strict observance of the Torah and its surrounding texts the Talmud, Midrash, Shulchan Aruch (based off the teaching of Moses Isserles however), etc. The Following and study of the Torah is central to Judaism as a whole and so much more to the Haredim. Jews in general are encouraged to study the Torah whenever they can yet, the Haredim actually practice it. The minimum time for a Jew to be studying Torah is once in the day and once at night.[5]
Ashkenazim influence the lives of Modern Jewry today and the lives of many Jews, inside Israel and all over the world. Influential Haredi leaders such as Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (Lithuanian Jewry) and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (Hasidim) have helped progress the advancement of Ashkenazi and World Jewry and observance of the commandments. [6][7]
History
editBibliography
edit- ^ Elazar, Daniel J. "Can Sephardic Judaism be Reconstructed?" Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. http://www.jcpa.org/dje/articles3/sephardic.htm
- ^ Nathan-Kazis, Josh. "Orthodox Population Grows Faster Than First Figures in Pew #JewishAmerica Study". Forward.com. http://forward.com/news/187429/orthodox-population-grows-faster-than-first-figure/. November 12, 2013.
- ^ Zuckerman,Phil. Book:Strife in the Sanctuary. Hamilton.edu. https://hamilton.edu/documents/Joshua%20Yates%20Levitt%20paper.pdf
- ^ Israeli Judaism: The Sociology of Religion in Israel. Šelomo A. Dešen, Charles Seymour Liebman, Moshe Shokeid. Secular Jews adopting Haredi Lifestyle. https://books.google.com/books?id=aBOTrPILb9YC&pg=PA28#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ^ Chabad.org. Source: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/697324/jewish/Torah-Study.htm. "A Jew is always studying Torah—24/7/365. We take breaks to eat, sleep, pray, make a living and reenergize. The remainder of the time we connect to G‑d through studying His wisdom."
- ^ Chabad.org Source: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/32812/jewish/Our-Mission.htm. "Everything in this world was created for a divine purpose. All forms of modern technology can and should be harnessed to make the world a better place and, in the case of Jews, to spread Judaism in the widest possible manner."
- ^ Aish International Source: http://aishinternational.com/mission-statement/