The Pious Ones by Joseph Berger

The Pious Ones by Joseph Berger

As the population of ultra-Orthodox Jews in the United States increases to astonishing proportions, veteran New York Times journalist Joseph Berger takes us inside the notoriously insular world of the Hasidim to explore their origins, beliefs, and struggles--and the social and political implications of their expanding presence in America.

Though the Hasidic way of life was nearly extinguished in the Holocaust, today the Hasidim--"the pious ones"--have become one of the most prominent religious subcultures in America. In The Pious Ones, New York Times journalist Joseph Berger traces their origins in eighteenth-century Eastern Europe, illuminating their dynamics and core beliefs that remain so enigmatic to outsiders. He analyzes the Hasidim's codified lifestyle by telling the story of some of its followers, revealing the religion's fascinating secrets, complexities, and paradoxes. Berger provides a nuanced and insightful portrayal of how their all-encompassing faith dictates nearly every aspect of life--including work, education, food, sex, clothing, and social relations--sustaining a sense of connection and purpose in a changing world.

From the intense sectarian politics to the conflicts that arise over housing, transportation, schooling, and gender roles, The Pious Ones also chronicles the ways in which the fabric of Hasidic daily life is threatened by exposure to the wider world and also by internal fissures within its growing population.

For the past thirty years, Joseph Berger has worked as a writer, columnist, and editor for the New York Times. Displaced Persons: Growing Up American After the Holocaust, a New York Times Notable Book; The World in a City: Touring the Globe Through the Neighborhoods of the New New York; and The Young Scientists: America's Future and the Winning of the War He resides in the county of Westchester in the state of New York.