Hasidism: The Basics

Hasidism: The Basics offers a clear and accessible introduction to one of the most influential socioreligious movements shaping Jewish religious, social, and cultural life from the eighteenth century to the present. The book outlines Hasidism as a dynamic movement that profoundly transformed spirituality, leadership, identity, and communal organisation of the world’s Jewry, and continues to be one of the most recognisable forms of contemporary Judaism. It covers topics including:

• Inception and development in eighteenth-century Eastern Europe
• Expansion, institutional consolidation, and crises
• Diverse developments in Europe, North America, and Israel
• Central religious ideas and practices
• Key religious ideas such as spiritual devotion, charismatic leadership, and the sanctification of everyday life
• Interactions with other religious formations
• Modern revival and contemporary expressions of Hasidism

Drawing on the latest scholarship while remaining free of technical jargon, Hasidism: The Basics provides the first concise, academically grounded overview of the history, ideas, and culture of Hasidism for a broad readership. This important book will be relevant to students of history, philosophy, literary studies, ethnography, sociology, and religion.