Hasidism in the Modern Period

The Hasidic movement, founded in the backwaters of Poland and Russia, went through unprecedented changes in the twentieth century: migration from shtetl to large cities, along with ideological challenges of secularization and politicization of the Jewish masses. In addition, Hasidism was utterly devastated by the two world wars and the Holocaust. The survival and eventual revival of the Hasidic movement in the face of these crises was due in no small measure to the role of its leaders – the zaddikim or Rebbes. This session will focus on the Rebbes who played a major role in the development of this movement