Men of silk : the Hasidic conquest of Polish Jewish Society /
Hasidism, a kabbalah-inspired movement founded by Israel Ba'al Shem Tov (c1700-1760), transformed Jewish communities across Eastern and East Central Europe. In Men of Silk, Glenn Dynner draws upon newly discovered Polish archival material and neglected Hebrew testimonies to illuminate Hasidism&...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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New York, N.Y. :
Oxford University Press,
2006.
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| Series: | Oxford scholarship online.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | Hasidism, a kabbalah-inspired movement founded by Israel Ba'al Shem Tov (c1700-1760), transformed Jewish communities across Eastern and East Central Europe. In Men of Silk, Glenn Dynner draws upon newly discovered Polish archival material and neglected Hebrew testimonies to illuminate Hasidism's dramatic ascendancy in the region of Central Poland during the early nineteenth century. Dynner presents Hasidism as a socioreligious phenomenon that was shaped in crucial ways by its Polish context. His social historical analysis dispels prevailing romantic notions about Hasidism. Despite their folksy image, the movement's charismatic leaders are revealed as astute populists who proved remarkably adept at securing elite patronage, neutralizing powerful opponents, and methodically co-opting Jewish institutions. The book also reveals the full spectrum of Hasidic devotees, from humble shtetl dwellers to influential Warsaw entrepreneurs. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource (xii, 384 pages) |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 349-378) and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780198039037 0198039034 019970001X 9780199700011 1281868450 9781281868459 1280844914 9781280844911 1429438347 9781429438346 0199884102 9780199884100 0199785147 9780199785148 9786611868451 6611868453 9786610844913 6610844917 |