Book

Life in a religious community: the Lubavitcher chassidim in Montreal

Holt, Rinehart & Winston of Canada • Toronto, Ont. • Published In 1974 • Pages:

By: Shaffir, William.

Abstract

This work, which is an extension of the author's doctoral dissertation, deals with a community of Lubavitcher Hasidic Jews in Montreal, Canada, and how they have managed to persist in an urban environment. This group, as do other Lubavitcher communities '…define the outside world as threatening to their distinctive lifestyle, but, unlike other Hasidic communities, the members of this group do not attempt to isolate themselves from contact with outsiders. Instead, as the study shows, the Lubavitcher Chassidim actively seek out contacts with the larger Jewish community' (p. vi). The latter portion of this document examines why they do this, and how they manage to cope with the challenges and threats of assimilation posed by such contacts. The proselytizing activites of this group, which is so characteristic of the Lubavitcher Hasidim, although seemingly endangering the community's tenability, actually provide interactional context with a religious base making religion the explicit focus of attention. The data for this study, collected largely by participant observation, covers a variety of topics such as the history of the movement, the Shaffir's methodology, the Lubavitcher religious structure, the religious schools, relations with other non-Lubavitcher groups and with gentiles, the community's proselytization work, and the introduction of newcomer converts to the Lubavitcher way of life.

HRAF PubDate

1996

Region

North America

Sub Region

Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Sociologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle ; 1995

Field Date

began in 1969

Coverage Date

variable

Coverage Place

Lubavitch; Montreal, Québec, Canada

Notes

William Shaffir

Includes bibliographical references (p. 243-244)

LCCN

75316813

LCSH

Jews