What You’re NOT Supposed to Know About Hasidic Jews | Unpacked

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In Jerusalem’s alleys and Brooklyn’s streets, they’re seen as relics of the past — black hats, long coats, and a life that looks untouched by time. But the Hasidic world didn’t emerge from tradition. It rose from revolution. In 18th-century Ukraine, amid violence and despair, a mystical rebellion upended the rabbinic elite with joy, dance, and devotion. Preaching spirit over scholarship, Hasidic Jews were mocked, exiled, even jailed. But they endured — and reshaped Judaism as it’s known today, from the margins. And today, their descendants are still dancing. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:44 Origins of Hasidism 04:40 The Baal Shem Tov 06:59 Alternative avenues to God 09:16 Female leadership in Hasidism 10:40 The Misnagdim 12:51 The memory of Shabbatai Zevi 14:14 Excommunication, book burnings, & reporting to authorities 17:21 The Haskalah: The Jewish Enlightenment 19:48 Post-H0l0caust Hasidic & Litvish counterculture Sources: -Wodziński, Marcin. Historical Atlas of Hasidism. Princeton University Press, 2018. -Abramson, Henry. Personal interview. 28 April 2025. -Katz, Doniel. Personal interview. 24 April 2025. -Petrovsky-Shtern, Yohanan. "Ba‘ale Shem." The Yivo Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. -Kohler, Kaufmann and Ginzberg, Louis. "Ba'al Shem." The Jewish Encyclopedia Online. -"Hasidic Movement: A History." My Jewish Learning. -"Thirty-Six Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov." Chabad. -"Vilna Gaon." My Jewish Learning. -Ratzabi, Hila. "What Is Herem?" My Jewish Learning. -Nadler, Allan."Misnagdim." The Yivo Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. -Abramson, Henry. "Who Were the Cossacks?" My Jewish Learning. Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads! https://www.youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1 Recommended video—Meet the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Judaism’s Most Impactful Rabbi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij0LR0ymqzA&list=PL-DNOnmKkUabBNl0Aee06VGSKbeJkrI6F&index=25 We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch Let’s connect: Website — https://www.Unpacked.media Instagram — /unpackedmedia Twitter — /unpackedmedia TikTok — /unpackedmedia Facebook — /unpackedmedia ----------- Image and footage credits: NETFLIX A24 DREW BINSKY GETTY IMAGES BRITISH PATHE The Music Theatre International (MTI) United Artists Foreign Cinema Arts Inc. Barwood Films Ladbroke Entertainment MGM/UA Entertainment Warner Bros. Pictures Ghost House Pictures North Box Productions Embracer Group Walt Disney Television United States Holocaust Memorial Museum BBC AP EB FILMS yes. Maymon Films Inc. ----------- Executive Producer: — Barry Skolnick Co-Executive Producer: — Shmuel Katz ----------- Translation credits: Portuguese: Saymon Pires About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion. Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. We’re asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?”, and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?”, and everything in between. About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking. #history #people #revolution