Haredi jewish boys choirs and the performance of a secure future
This article investigates Haredi boys choirs, a popular form of entertainment in contemporary American Orthodox Judaism, and the cultural work these choirs perform. I suggest that, in a broader cultural climate that many Haredim believe to be threatening to the continuity of their lifestyle, these c...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
HUC
2020
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| In: |
Hebrew Union College annual
Year: 2019, Volume: 90, Pages: 89-111 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Judaism
/ The Americas
/ Orthodox Judaism
/ The Modern
|
| RelBib Classification: | BH Judaism |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article investigates Haredi boys choirs, a popular form of entertainment in contemporary American Orthodox Judaism, and the cultural work these choirs perform. I suggest that, in a broader cultural climate that many Haredim believe to be threatening to the continuity of their lifestyle, these choirs perform the successful transmission of core beliefs and practices, and thus stage a secure future for their community. Through an analysis of performances by three American Haredi boys choirs, I propose that Zygmunt Bauman's theory of liquid modernity is, in important ways, a helpful framework for understanding Haredi discourses regarding cultural continuity, while I also offer ethnographic data to suggest adjustments to Bauman's presentation of religion. While Bauman suggests that contemporary times are characterized by the melting of formerly stable institutions, I argue that the social ties of the Haredi community can be reinforced through their cultural productions. Seen in this context, children's cultural productions, such as musical performances, perform a powerful function in contemporary American Haredi Jewish life. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Hebrew Union College annual
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.15650/hebruniocollannu.90.2019.0089 |