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Haredim
Haredi (חֲרֵדִי, plural Haredim) or Charedi is a term used to describe the most conservative form Orthodox Judaism, often referred to as Ultra-Orthodox. Haredi Jews, like other Orthodox Jews, consider their belief system and religious practices to extend in an unbroken chain back to Moses and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. As a result, they regard non-Orthodox, and to an extent Modern Orthodox, streams of Judaism to be deviations from authentic Judaism. Haredi Judaism comprises a diversity of spiritual and cultural orientations. Its historical rejection of Jewish secularism distinguishes it from Western European-derived Modern Orthodox Judaism. Haredim are currently primarily located in Israel, North America and Western Europe. The population is growing very rapidly, due to high birth rate, and double every 12 to 20 years. One newspaper article estimated that there were approximately 1.3 million Haredi Jews as of 2011. According to Nachman Ben-Yehuda, "The Hebrew word Haredi derives from harada – fear and anxiety – meaning, 'he who is anxious about, and/or fearful of, the word of the Almighty'." So Haredi means 'those who fear or tremble', appearing in Isaiah 66:5, "Hear the word of the Lord, you who tremble [chared] at His word" and Ezra 10:3, "Those that tremble [chared] at the commandment of our God". In general, the word "connotes awe-inspired, fearful of God's majesty", similar to the way Quakers use the term. |