New book: A Well-Worn Tallis for a New Ceremony by Nurit Stadler

A Well-Worn Tallis for a New Ceremony. Trends in Israeli Haredi Culture
By Nurit Stadler
ISBN 9781936235827 (cloth) $79.00 / £37.50
174 pp., June 2012

A Well-Worn Tallis for a New Ceremony by Nurit Stadler is a study of contemporary ultra-Orthodox religiosity in Israel. This book analyzes the on-going reconstruction of Haredi culture in Israel, a process which has been spurred on by the challenges of modernity, the worldwide resurgence of religion, and the strong sway of Israeliness. Over the course of her extended research on this community, Stadler has discerned changes in several key areas: religious life; the family structure; and the community’s interface with government authorities and the rest of the populace.

Series: Jewish Identity in Post-Modern Society
Topic Areas: Orthodox Judaism, Haredi, Israeli Studies, Sociology, Anthropology

Author: Nurit Stadler (PhD Hebrew University) is a senior lecturer in Sociology and Anthropology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her book Yeshiva Fundamentalism: Piety, Gender and Resistance in the Ultra-Orthodox World (2008) explored the changes in Haredi male piety within the Israeli ultra-Orthodox community. She lectures on sociological theory, the anthropology of religion, fundamentalism, charismatic groups, and modern forms of worship. Stadler has merited research grants from a number of organizations and is the editor of Eshkolot, a series of books on Israeli society published by Hebrew University.

Review for A Well-Worn Tallis for a New Ceremony:
“Stadler begins her book with a thorough review of the literature on religion and modernity. She then discuses her research findings on haredim. Stadler’s fascinating work illustrates the interaction between fundamentalist beliefs and way of life within the context of modernity.” —Roberta Rosenberg Farber, Yeshiva University