The Charedi World through a Secular Lens

The Charedi World through a Secular Lens

Anti-Charedi sentiment is scarily high right now in Israel. A sweeter-than-sweet 12-year-old Charedi girl was even verbally (and almost physically) attacked on a Jerusalem bus this week, just for being Charedi. Heartbreaking and horrifying.

And the cause of all of this hostility against Charedim and the Charedi world: several weeks of non-stop incitement and virulently anti-Charedi news reports by Israel’s largely anti-religious secular media.

So I have chosen today to feature the gorgeous photos of one secular Haaretz photographer who has chosen to go against the stream that his colleagues are swimming in, and instead, has spent several years looking deep within the Charedi world in order to present its multifaceted beauty and charm and far-beyond-black-and-white complexity. These photos appear in his newly-released book Hassidic Courts.

May this book be a much-needed tikkun, helping to replace the baseless hatred tearing the Jewish people apart with newfound mutual understanding and Ahavat Yisrael!

On vacation, Lake Agmon, Hula Valley

Wedding, mitzvah dance, Satmar Chassidut, Bnei Brak

Erev Rosh Hashana, Uman

Wedding, women's section, Shomrei Emunim Chassidut, Mea Shearim 2011

Viznitzer Chassidim harvest wheat for Shemura Matzah near Modiin.

Charedi protester against the desecration of graves, route 6, near Kibbutz Regavim

Tashlich, Nadvorno Chassidut, Bnei Brak

Blessing of the Sun, Karlin Stolin Chassidut

4 comments

  1. these are so interesting and beautiful!

  2. interesting variety of activities! Not what you think of when you imagine ‘chassidim.’ May we learn to live in peace together with each other so that we can merit the ultimate peace of Moshiach!

  3. Very nice..

  4. What a nice way to foster unity. His lens is non-judgemental, only curious and captive.

    Mishpacha featured an article about this photographer.

    The photos are gorgeous, so varied, interesting and insightful. My favourite? the pic of the womens section at the wedding!!!!!

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