The Other Hasidim: The Lost Jewish Movement That Rejected Joy

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What happens when a Jewish community lives through mass trauma and turns inward in search of meaning? The Hasidei Ashkenaz were a radical medieval movement known for extreme piety, fasting, penance, and mystical teachings about sin, suffering, and the will of God. Their ideas were controversial, sometimes disturbing, and unexpectedly influential. Jonathan Schwab introduces Yael Steiner to one of the strangest and most fascinating stories in Jewish history.

Sources and summary: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eNcEJ28D5CcnwsFWSti-9EIibk2q-lKJ8wsrgTmbPfM/edit?usp=sharing

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