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Abstract
Footage from the 1997 documentary “A Life Apart: Hasidism in America” (directed by Menachem Daum and Oren Rudavsky), the first in-depth documentary about Hasidic Jews, members of a distinctive group within Judaism that has roots in pre-World War II Eastern Europe.

Interview with scholar Samuel Heilman. (Part 1)

00:00:03 - Interview with Samuel Heilman: About a renewed Hasidic presence in Eastern Europe, especially by Chabad (Lubavitcher) Hasidim, who had maintained an underground religious network in the USSR.

00:02:22 - About Hasidim who leave Hasidism and what they gain and what they give up.

00:06:32 - About what will happen with the next generation of Hasidim and the differences between their experiences and those of their parents.

00:09:11 - About the centrality of the rebbe in a Hasidic community. An anecdote about the Gerer Rebbe.

00:11:10 - About how non-Hasidim view Hasidic rebbes. About how the rebbes conceive of their role and responsibilities. About how some dynasties haven't survived because sons aren't willing to take on "the hardest job in the world."

00:13:28 - About the separation of genders within the Hasidic world. About the concern that libido is capable of shredding the fabric of society. About how there has been Americanization in this aspect of Hasidic life. About women who work outside the community.

00:16:49 - About how the Hasidim are affected by the surrounding culture and may not realize the ways in which they have Americanized. An anecdote about the differences between American and Israeli Hasidim. About the Hasidim as a voting bloc. A love-hate relationship with America. The use of English. A test of American multiculturalism.

00:20:39 - About generational differences in the view of America. About the confidence of the younger generation and their willingness to be visible.
Collection
Duration
00:27:24 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Rights Declaration:
This recording is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download it. Please contact the Brooklyn College Archives for further information about how you may use this recording.
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PID
njcore:194971