Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim
In 1994 the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson, died leaving no successor. His group split into two groups: messianists who maintained that the Rebbe had not died and was Moshiach, the Jewish Messiah, and the non messianists who agreed that the Rebbe had died. This paper focuses upon a prominent...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-09-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/9/119 |
| _version_ | 1811205838925201408 |
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| author | Simon Dein |
| author_facet | Simon Dein |
| author_sort | Simon Dein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 1994 the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson, died leaving no successor. His group split into two groups: messianists who maintained that the Rebbe had not died and was Moshiach, the Jewish Messiah, and the non messianists who agreed that the Rebbe had died. This paper focuses upon a prominent Chabad practice; the role of storytelling. I propose the question, “Whose interests do these stories serve?” Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Lubavitch, I present a number of narratives pertaining to the Rebbe’s miraculous feats. Following his death, stories surrounding the Lubavitcher Rebbe not only bolster his “charisma” but lead to a sense of his continuing presence. These stories are produced predominantly by the messianic faction of Lubavitch and following his death are published regularly on messianic websites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:37:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7a3cb3a8bac4515a7e5cdb2ba9fd134 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T03:37:52Z |
| publishDate | 2016-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7a3cb3a8bac4515a7e5cdb2ba9fd1342022-12-22T03:49:22ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442016-09-017911910.3390/rel7090119rel7090119Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad HasidimSimon Dein0Academic Department of Psychiatry, University College London, Charles Bell House, 67-73 Riding House St, London W1W 7JE, UKIn 1994 the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson, died leaving no successor. His group split into two groups: messianists who maintained that the Rebbe had not died and was Moshiach, the Jewish Messiah, and the non messianists who agreed that the Rebbe had died. This paper focuses upon a prominent Chabad practice; the role of storytelling. I propose the question, “Whose interests do these stories serve?” Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Lubavitch, I present a number of narratives pertaining to the Rebbe’s miraculous feats. Following his death, stories surrounding the Lubavitcher Rebbe not only bolster his “charisma” but lead to a sense of his continuing presence. These stories are produced predominantly by the messianic faction of Lubavitch and following his death are published regularly on messianic websites.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/9/119RebbeLubavitchnarrativemiracle |
| spellingShingle | Simon Dein Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim Religions Rebbe Lubavitch narrative miracle |
| title | Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim |
| title_full | Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim |
| title_fullStr | Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim |
| title_full_unstemmed | Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim |
| title_short | Miracles, Media, Mezuzot: Storytelling among Chabad Hasidim |
| title_sort | miracles media mezuzot storytelling among chabad hasidim |
| topic | Rebbe Lubavitch narrative miracle |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/7/9/119 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT simondein miraclesmediamezuzotstorytellingamongchabadhasidim |