Levine, Stephanie Wellen. Mystics, mavericks, and merrymakers; an intimate journey among Hasidic girls.LEVINE, Stephanie Wellen. Mystics This article or section has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * Its factual accuracy is disputed. * It does not cite any references or sources. , mavericks, and merrymakers; an intimate journey among Hasidic girls. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Univ. Press. 254p. notes. bibliog. index. c2003. 0-8147-5197-0. $17.95. SA When Levine graduated from college, she spent a weekend with orthodox Jewish women and never forgot the experience. Later she decided to spend a year studying the lives of young female Lubavitchers, a sect known for its extreme beliefs, even among Hasidic Jews Jews [from Judah], traditionally, descendants of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, whose tribe, with that of his half brother Benjamin, made up the kingdom of Judah; historically, members of the worldwide community of adherents to Judaism. . Females are considered "innately in·nate adj. 1. Possessed at birth; inborn. 2. Possessed as an essential characteristic; inherent. 3. Of or produced by the mind rather than learned through experience: on a higher spiritual plane than males," which allows them more freedom in school in choice of subjects; ironically, their knowledge of the world is considered a protection from the evils of it for themselves and their future families. Levine found that while the girls in a group all looked more or less alike and shared the same core beliefs, there was considerable difference among individuals and "cliques" of the girls. The book is a thorough introduction to their belief in the coming of the Messiah, which can be hurried through acts of kindness, rituals and holy acts. It also looks at teenage girls with the typical need to rebel, fit in with their friends and "find themselves" even as they embody em·bod·y tr.v. em·bod·ied, em·bod·y·ing, em·bod·ies 1. To give a bodily form to; incarnate. 2. To represent in bodily or material form: a range of modern Lubavitchism as lived by women, at least in Crown Heights, Brooklyn Crown Heights is a neighborhood in the central portion of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Until 1916, the area was known as Crow Hill. The name was changed when Crown Street was cut through. . Although the author does not claim that they are "representative," she does categorize cat·e·go·rize tr.v. cat·e·go·rized, cat·e·go·riz·ing, cat·e·go·riz·es To put into a category or categories; classify. cat , as seen in the title. These girls range from Rochel, who has rejected the traditional life, to Gittel, who is combining marriage with medical studies, and Chaya, who works as a waitress in a strip club and lives nontraditionally. Levine treats all her subjects with respect. At the core, this is a popularly written academic study. Nola Theiss, Sanibel, FL S--Recommended for senior high school students. A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries. |
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