The astonishing revival of saint worship in contemporary Israel was ignited by Moroccan Jews, who had immigrated to the new country in the 1950s and 1960s. "The Saint's Impresarios" charts the vicissitudes of four new domestic shrines, established by Moroccan-born men and women in peripheral development towns, following an exciting revelation involving a saintly figure. Each of the case studies discussing the life stories of the 'saint impresarios' elaborates on a distinctive theme: dreams as psychocultural triggers for revelation; family and community responses to the initiative; female saint impresarios as healers; and the alleviation of life crises through the saint's idiom. The initiatives are evaluated against the historical background of Jews in Morocco and the sociopolitical and cultural changes in present-day Israeli society. This title is for readers interested in Israel and Jewish Studies, folk religion and mysticism, cultural and psychological anthropology, and Moroccan Jews.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the charismatic leader of the Chabad Hasidic movement and its designated Messiah. Yet when he died in 1994, the messianic fervor he inspired did not subside. Through traditional means and digital technologies, a group of radical Hasidim, the Meshichistim, still keep the Rebbe palpably close-engaging in ongoing dialogue, participating in specific rituals, and developing an ever-expanding visual culture of portraits and videos. With Us More Than Ever focuses on this group to explore how religious practice can sustain the belief that a messianic figure is both present and accessible. Yoram Bilu documents a unique religious experience that is distinctly modern. The rallying point of the Meshichistim-that the Rebbe is "with us more than ever"-is sustained through an elaborate system that creates the sense of his constant and pervasive presence in the lives of his followers. The virtual Rebbe that emerges is multiple, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized, the epicenter of a truly messianic movement in the twenty-first century. Combining ethnographic fieldwork and cognitive science with nuanced analysis, Bilu documents the birth and development of a new religious faith, describing the emergence of new spiritual horizons, a process common to various religious movements old and new.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson was the charismatic leader of the Chabad Hasidic movement and its designated Messiah. Yet when he died in 1994, the messianic fervor he inspired did not subside. Through traditional means and digital technologies, a group of radical Hasidim, the Meshichistim, still keep the Rebbe palpably close—engaging in ongoing dialogue, participating in specific rituals, and developing an ever-expanding visual culture of portraits and videos. With Us More Than Ever focuses on this group to explore how religious practice can sustain the belief that a messianic figure is both present and accessible. Yoram Bilu documents a unique religious experience that is distinctly modern. The rallying point of the Meshichistim—that the Rebbe is "with us more than ever"—is sustained through an elaborate system that creates the sense of his constant and pervasive presence in the lives of his followers. The virtual Rebbe that emerges is multiple, visible, accessible, and highly decentralized, the epicenter of a truly messianic movement in the twenty-first century. Combining ethnographic fieldwork and cognitive science with nuanced analysis, Bilu documents the birth and development of a new religious faith, describing the emergence of new spiritual horizons, a process common to various religious movements old and new.

Illuminates the life of the mysterious Rabbi Ya'aqov Wazana.

This title surveys past and present research on Israeli anthropology for students and researchers. While Israel is a small country, it has a diverse and continually changing society. As a result, since the 1960s Israeli anthropology has been a fertile ground for researchers. This collection introduces readers to the diverse field of social anthropology in Israel today, pointing to both its rich history and promising future. Drawing upon recent research as well as a few key older articles, editors Esther Hertzog, Orit Abuhav, Harvey E. Goldberg, and Emanuel Marx have selected contributors that highlight different theoretical perspectives and touch on a variety of relevant topics. ""Perspectives on Israeli Anthropology"" begins with an introduction that traces the development of social anthropology in Israel from its beginnings in Palestine prior to Israeli statehood to the present. The essays in this volume are divided into five major thematic sections, including the effects of immigration, the influence of bureaucracies in social life, the negotiation of the social order, tensions between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs, and notions of 'Israeliness' and 'Jewishness'. The essays offer compelling research and a variety of perspectives on changing senses of identity, ethnicity, religiosity, and gender relations in a society deeply affected by war, violence, and dispossession. While the contributors in this volume adhere to various theoretical and ethnographic traditions, they all treat Israel as a complex, modern, and open society with much to offer other scholars. ""Perspectives on Israeli Anthropology"" will provide an illuminating overview of the discipline for students, teachers, and researchers in the field of social anthropology.