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Friday, February 1, 2019
Trading Cards as a Messenger of Hasidism Today - Cards of Vizhnitz, Anti-Zionism and Satmar
In the 18th century, Hasidism spread via it's legendary Maggidim and Miracle workers, throughout Eastern Europe. The world though, has changed drastically in the interim, and so have the methods of promoting and advancing Hasidic Movements by it's followers. Following my previous post on Shomrim Cards, I have come across three different sets of cards produced recently, with different subjects and backgrounds, all with the intention of winning over the youth to their specific brand of Hasidism.
The first, is part of a fascinating development in the Vizhnitz Hasidic sects, centered in Bene Berak, Israel. Recently, a break-off of the movement, with several hundred member families, was founded, under the leadership of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager. The movement is known as Mekaz Haside Vizhnitz, and it's teachings are based on a radical new understanding of Hasidut, focusing on the complete obedience to the Rebbe and Self-deprecation in order to devote yourself to the will of the Rebbe.
The general philosophy is known as השיטה הקדושה Hashita Hakedosha, translating as "The Holy Method". The hasid is instructed to be שוואנצעס, a word which literately means a tail in Yiddish, but is meant to convey that he is subjugating himself to the leadership of the Rebbe. The hasidim are warned to stay away from anything that implies באטשי'ס which in Hungarian mean landowners, used here as a general term to independent minds and people.
Some of the characteristics of the movement include a new holiday the Rebbe founded, on the 12th of the Hebrew month of Shevat, named the New Year for Hasidut, being the day that the Rebbe, M. M. Hager assumed leadership. Another notable feature of the group, is their enthusiastic singing of a new song composed by the Rebbe, titled Hashitah Hakedosha, or שוואנטצאנעס which can be heard being sung at all occasions of members of the Hasidut.
The Rebbe singing his song השיטה הקדושה
The song being song at a wedding of the group
Children singing the song at a graveside of one of the former Vizhnitz Rebbes
As part of the instructional methods of this new group and as a way to convey the message to the youth, a series of trading cards was produced, highlighting the methods of the group, their new holidays, their books, the particular religious utensils the rebbe inherited from the previous rebbes, their teachings and history.
trading cards of the new Hasidic sect, Merkaz Haside Vizhnitz
trading cards of the new Hasidic sect, Merkaz Haside Vizhnitz
trading cards of the new Hasidic sect, Merkaz Haside Vizhnitz
trading cards of the new Hasidic sect, Merkaz Haside Vizhnitz
A second set of cards I acquired, intends to promote the superiority of the Satmar group under the leadership of Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, as opposed to the competing group, under the leadership of his brother, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum.
Each of the cards highlights a specific real estate location that houses an institution of the group. Each card states the year of purchase, the square footage, amount of rooms, number of people it serves and other such relevant information, all in Yiddish.
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
Cards featuring institutions of the Satmar Zalman Sect
A third series I came across is intended to teach the children the basics of Religious Anti-Zionism, titled חנך לנער translating as "Educate the Youth". Each card features either a prominent person, or a quote from a Jewish text supporting their Anti-Zionist beliefs. Supporting beliefs, such as the importance of Yiddish and Hasidic Education are promoted as well.
What's the difference between Williamsburg Satmar (Zalman) and Palm Tree (Kiryas Joel) Satmar (Aaron)? Is one of the two more extreme than the other or close to Neturei Karta (besides for the ideological similarity deriving from a shared anti-Zionist worldview)?
I notice that Amram Blau and Aharon Katzenelbogen (founders of NK according to Wikipedia) are pictured in the חנוך לנער על פי דרך לא דרך cards. And if the other egregious photos aren't enough, there's a card depicting the lynching of a religious soldier–חרדק in the sinful parlance–as though they're the embodiment of Haman!
It seems like the race is still on as to who can convey himself as the more extreme Anti-Zionist. Here are quotes from each, you can try to determine for yourself who is the more extreme:
From Zalman: referred to the State of Israel as "this generation's Amalek" and said that "the Zionists came from the seed of Amalek. There has never been such a sect that caused so much damage to the Jewish people."
From Aaron: In June 2014, contemporaneous to the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Israeli teenagers, Teitelbaum blamed the parents of the dead teenagers for their murder, proclaiming
"During the funerals, the parents eulogized their sons, but I think it would have been preferable if they had done tshuva [repented], if they had said viduy [confession] with tears, in the nusach [style] that is used on Yom Kippur, to repent for their decision to live and learn Torah in a place of barbaric murderers."
Where does one purchase these cards ? Several years ago I bought a ser of Chacham OvadyA Yosef cards with pictures of the Rav Zt"l I will post them as soon as. I locate them
The Satmar Real Estate cards were given out to donors at a dinner. The Vizhnitz cards, I assume can be obtained in Bene Berak. Not sure about the Anti-Zionism ones.
From which sect of Satmar does the חנך לנער anti-zionist cards originate?
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between Williamsburg Satmar (Zalman) and Palm Tree (Kiryas Joel) Satmar (Aaron)? Is one of the two more extreme than the other or close to Neturei Karta (besides for the ideological similarity deriving from a shared anti-Zionist worldview)?
ReplyDeleteI notice that Amram Blau and Aharon Katzenelbogen (founders of NK according to Wikipedia) are pictured in the חנוך לנער על פי דרך לא דרך cards. And if the other egregious photos aren't enough, there's a card depicting the lynching of a religious soldier–חרדק in the sinful parlance–as though they're the embodiment of Haman!
It seems like the race is still on as to who can convey himself as the more extreme Anti-Zionist. Here are quotes from each, you can try to determine for yourself who is the more extreme:
DeleteFrom Zalman: referred to the State of Israel as "this generation's Amalek" and said that "the Zionists came from the seed of Amalek. There has never been such a sect that caused so much damage to the Jewish people."
From Aaron: In June 2014, contemporaneous to the 2014 kidnapping and murder of Israeli teenagers, Teitelbaum blamed the parents of the dead teenagers for their murder, proclaiming
"During the funerals, the parents eulogized their sons, but I think it would have been preferable if they had done tshuva [repented], if they had said viduy [confession] with tears, in the nusach [style] that is used on Yom Kippur, to repent for their decision to live and learn Torah in a place of barbaric murderers."
You can see some additional gems from the new Vizhnitz cult's Rebbe, here
ReplyDeletehttps://bshch.blogspot.com/2018/11/blog-post_3046.html
Where does one purchase these cards
ReplyDelete?
Several years ago I bought a ser of Chacham OvadyA Yosef cards with pictures of the Rav Zt"l
I will post them as soon as. I locate them
The Satmar Real Estate cards were given out to donors at a dinner. The Vizhnitz cards, I assume can be obtained in Bene Berak. Not sure about the Anti-Zionism ones.
DeleteWe have been bombarded with anti Zionist rhetoric lately... As for me the only Zionist propaganda I read is the Bible
ReplyDelete