Books by Uriel Gellman
P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s P r i n c e t o n a n d O x f o r d •
Books Editing by Uriel Gellman
Papers by Uriel Gellman
history, thought, reality, 2024
Zion , 2024
and, primarily, the intellectual life of the Jewish communities of Solkhat. The study includes id... more and, primarily, the intellectual life of the Jewish communities of Solkhat. The study includes identi cation of the community institutions, leaders, scribes, and practices associated with book consumption, as well as an assessment of their bookshelf. I also trace selected patterns of interaction between Rabbanites and Karaites as well as the transmission and exchange of texts among the Jewish communities in the Crimean Peninsula and between them and other communities.
Jewish Social Studies, 2024
This article delves into human responses to pandemics, with a specific focus on the religious pra... more This article delves into human responses to pandemics, with a specific focus on the religious practices and folk rituals employed by various social groups in Poland and the western regions of the Russian Empire throughout the nineteenth century. Employing a unique microhistorical case study, it unveils the intricate relationship between these popular religious traditions and the ongoing processes of modernization. Through this example, alongside examinations of rituals practiced within both Jewish and Christian communities, this research sheds light on the dynamic interactions and mutual influences between these groups. Additionally, it highlights the pivotal role of women in revitalizing folk rituals, offering broader insights into cultural transformations during tumultuous and challenging times. This exploration encompasses cross-cultural encounters with magical practices and folk beliefs, providing a nuanced examination of how these practices contributed to the delineation of social boundaries and the ever-evolving landscape of cultural diversification amid the rapid currents of modernization.
Religion, 2024
Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic lead... more Marital strategies are of significant importance in socio-religious
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
European Journal of Jewish Studies, 2024
This article contributes to recent discussions regarding the reliability and modes of historical ... more This article contributes to recent discussions regarding the reliability and modes of historical usability of Shivḥei ha-Beshṭ-the earliest Ḥasidic hagiography about the Baʿal Shem Ṭov, the alleged founder of Ḥasidism, and his circle. It considers the biographical portrayal of one of the members of the Beshṭ's circle as an example for the narrative construction of early Ḥasidism. An unknown text is then presented as external evidence for one of the legends, enabling insight into the prolonged formation of this hagiographical compendium from the recounted events until its publication in 1814. This test case contributes to inquiries such as the place of historical events in sacred narratives, the cultural contexts for the composition of such legends, and the significance of their apparent reliability as the narrator's agendas towards audience's appreciation.
Throughout its history Hasidism has faced various challenges, including frequent internal controv... more Throughout its history Hasidism has faced various challenges, including frequent internal controversies that augmented its ramified social and cultural frameworks. Many of these controversies have revolved around competition and political antagonism rather than ideological or theological incentives. This article addresses a harsh controversy that erupted between the Belz and Munkács Hasidic groups after the First World War. This feud reflects the profound challenges that Jewish lay leaders and rabbis faced during this period, clarifies the socio-political considerations of the Hasidic rebbes, and affords readers a better understanding of the idiosyncratic anatomy of intra-Hasidic controversies. The reconstruction of the drama of the Belz-Munkács controversy, which has thus far attracted no scholarly attention, reveals an important and unfamiliar chapter in the evolution of interwar Jewish fundamentalism.
Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry , 2020
Studying Hasidism: Sources, Methods, Perspectives,, 2019
The Hasidic story is an impor tant dimension of Jewish folklore and modern Jewish lit er a ture. ... more The Hasidic story is an impor tant dimension of Jewish folklore and modern Jewish lit er a ture. Alongside the Hasidic homiletic lit er a ture, which holds the main religious and spiritual messages of Hasidism, the Hasidic story pre sents the most impor tant inner-Hasidic foundation for understanding its social and ethical worldview, and perhaps its history. This literary corpus encompasses hundreds of compilations containing thousands of Hasidic stories, legends, and tales, mainly in Hebrew and, to a lesser degree, in Yiddish, written or printed over the last two centuries. The development of the Hasidic tale as an impor tant genre in the movement's literary production must be studied as part of modern Jewish lit er a ture written from the eigh teenth through the twenty-first centuries.
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Books by Uriel Gellman
Books Editing by Uriel Gellman
Papers by Uriel Gellman
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.
movements with dynastic leadership. This article investigates
marital strategies among the leaders of Hasidism, arguably the
most prominent socio-religious movement of modern Jewry. The
study is based on complete documentation records of all
marriages by Hasidic leaders from the inception of Hasidism in
the 1700s until today: 2,375 marital unions, mostly in 122
dynasties. The data demonstrate a tendency among Hasidic
leaders to marry off their children to other Hasidic dynasties,
thereby forming a pattern of inter-dynastic connections. We also
demonstrate that Hasidic leaders have avoided upward mobility
and preferred to marry their children to dynasties with a similar
social status. Most importantly, the ultimate gain of such
marriages is not material or political gain but rather the
maintenance of religious charisma. These findings explain how
Hasidic dynasties emerged, expanded, eroded, and negotiated
their status within the network of dynasties.