Journal Article

Characters in Search of a Script: The Exit Narratives of Formerly Ultra-Orthodox Jews

GREIL, ARTHUR L., DAVIDMAN, LYNN

2007

Overview

We use a case study of individuals who leave ultra-Orthodox Judaism to illustrate that essential characteristics of the institutions they leave, such as their degree of encapsulation, shape both processes and narratives of identity change. Through examining the narratives of these exiters and comparing them to the literature on conversion into strict religious groups, we find that there is more institutional support for conversion into a group than for disaffiliating from a group. In conversion, recruits are provided with institutional scripts that shape their narratives; those who leave strict religious communities have no parallel ready-made accounts. Those that leave ultra-Orthodoxy state that they did not have a language to guide them in their transition into secular society. Nevertheless, despite their presentation of themselves as \"scriptless\" they also present themselves as brave individuals who are proud of their ability to leave a community that had encompassed all aspects of life.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Inc,Blackwell Publishers, Inc,Blackwell,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: Case studies / Communities / Conversion / Encapsulation / Haredim / Hasidism / History and sciences of religions / Identity / Institutional aspects / Israel / Jewish people / Jewish peoples / Jews / Judaism / Men / Modern and contemporary Judaism / Mothers / Narrative modes / Narratives / Orthodox Jews / Orthodoxy / Recruits / Religion / Religious beliefs / Religious change / Religious communities / Religious congregations / Religious Conversion / Religious cultural groups / Religious Orthodoxy / Religious studies / Scripts / Secularism / Sociology, ethnography / U.S.A