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The word Haredi is often used in the Jewish diaspora in place of the term ultra-Orthodox, which many view as inaccurate or offensive, it being seen as a derogatory term suggesting extremism; English-language alternatives that have been proposed include fervently Orthodox, strictly Orthodox, or traditional Orthodox.
- Overview
- The Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox
- Shas and the Sephardi underclass
ultra-Orthodox Judaism, any of several groups within Orthodox Judaism that strictly observe Jewish religious law and separate themselves from Gentile society as well as from Jews who do not follow the religious law as strictly as they do. Ultra-Orthodox communities are found primarily in Israel, where they form about 13 percent of Israel’s population; North America, particularly in New York City; and western Europe. Described as “isolationist,” ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods are generally composed of only Haredi Jewish families. Such communities are highly family-oriented with a high birth rate and a near absence of interfaith marriage, and they have their own synagogues and schools.
The ultra-Orthodox are often referred to in Hebrew as Haredim, meaning “those who tremble” in the presence of God (because they are God-fearing). Unlike the Orthodox, the ultra-Orthodox continue to reject Zionism—at least in principle—as blasphemous. In practice, the rejection of Zionism has led to the emergence of a wide variety of groups, ranging from the Neturei Karta (Aramaic: “Guardians of the City”), which does not recognize the legitimacy of the State of Israel, to the political parties of the Haredim in Israel, which occasionally determine which of Israel’s major parties is able to form a government. In Israel, Haredi Jews have traditionally been exempt from military service on the condition of religious practice, though increasing the number of Haredi Jews in the military remains a highly contentious political issue.
The Ashkenazi Haredi political parties in Israel have concentrated primarily on obtaining funding for their communities and on enforcing strict conformity to their interpretation of Jewish religious law concerning issues such as observance of Shabbat, conversion, kosher dietary laws, and, in their view, the desecration of the dead by archaeologists...
Another major form of Jewish fundamentalism in Israel is represented by the Sephardi ultra-Orthodox and their political party, Shas—Shas being a Hebrew acronym for Sephardi Torah Guardians. The Sephardim, in the broad sense of Jews of Middle Eastern origin, are, by and large, less well-educated and less prosperous than the Ashkenazim, and many of t...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Haredim are perhaps the most visibly identifiable subset of Jews today. They are easy to spot — haredi men in black suits and wide-brimmed black hats, haredi women in long skirts, thick stockings, and headcoverings — but much harder to understand.
- Raysh Weiss
Sep 3, 2018 · In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some Orthodox Jews sought to modernize somewhat by accepting modern technologies. Those Orthodox Jews who continued to adhere tightly to established traditions became known as Haredi Jews, and were sometimes called "Ultra-Orthodox." Most Jews of this persuasion dislike both terms, however, thinking of ...
The Soloveitchik dynasty of Lithuanian Haredi Judaism is known as one of the most elite scholastic dynasties in all of Orthodox Judaism. The dynasty split into two groups in the 20th century, as parts of the Soloveitchik Rabbinical family veered away from their anti-Zionist tradition set by Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik of Brisk, and adopted views ...
Oct 29, 2019 · Everything You Always Wanted to Know About ultra-Orthodox Jews — Explained in a Couple of Hours. After this two-and-a-half-hour tour through central Jerusalem, you’ll be an expert on the different Haredi sects’ garb. Then comes the talk about sex.
Haredi Judaism consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict interpretation of religious sources and their accepted halakha and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating or modern values and practices.
