 |
| Shulem Deen: photo courtesy of Pearl Gabel |
Often, well-grounded organizations and religions give rise to splinter groups. These tend to consist of members who wish to carry principles to a deeper, more stringent degree than do their fellow members. While such separatists can prove successful, they have no means of ensuring their offspring will accept their demands and decisions. This struggle is illustrated with gripping candor in Shulem Deen's memoir.
Born into a highly orthodox branch of Hasidic Judaism (Skveres), Shulem was expected to conform, without question, to rules set forth by rabbinic leaders. Their restrictions permeated every area of his life; even the list of books he was permitted to read was extremely limited.
Inquiries which implied the slightest doubts as to any edicts held by the sect could result in expulsion from his Yeshiva School. This fact alone contributed to Deen’s conflict between his wish for intellectual exploration and the principles meant to govern his life. His acceptance into a Yeshiva school was viewed as an indication of high intelligence. Further signs of dissension could mean ostracism, and even being disowned by one's family.
As Deen recounts, fear of exclusion from the sole framework he had known from his birth impelled him to marry a young woman chosen for him. Their wedding took place after seven minutes of being allowed to sit alone in a room, with authorities outside its door, eager to perform the solemnities. Gitty, the bride selected, while not unattractive, held little appeal for him. All he had been told about her was her adherence to views which had begun to make him feel suffocated.
In time, though tenderness developed between them, Gitty’s dedication to orthodox views created an endless chasm. An early example of this was shown by her horror when she heard Deen listening to a radio. Possessing or utilizing of any medium from the world beyond their sphere was completely prohibited.
Indeed, when in 1997, news of the death of England’s Princess Diana absorbed most of the globe, neither Shulem nor Gitty had any idea as to who she was, or that she had ever existed.
A further plagued consisted in their all but inescapable poverty. Knowledge acquired in the Yeshiva School did not qualify Deen for what he felt to be worthwhile employment. As a girl, Gitty’s education had been largely confined to preparation for domesticity.
At the same time, birth control was nearly always prohibited. Thus, despite mounting unpaid bills and ceaseless requests for extensions on rent, the number of children grew.
The remainder of this book explains Deen’s wrenching but definite need to evaluate Hasidism in terms of various other avenues of thought. He was forced to accept the dangers of compliance when his father, based on dedication to beliefs, died when his otherwise healthy body gave way, due to years of near self-starvation.
Although I have read many memoirs, Mr. Deen’s book proved especially gripping in that it allowed me to learn of a wholly unfamiliar manner of thinking and living. Mr. Deen takes the reader through his gradual, often wrenching process of reaching a decision as to the way he would live the rest of his life, as well as the consequences of his choices.
