The Fascinating World of the Amish | Steven Nolt

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

See here for Steven Nolt’s book ‘A History of the Amish’ amzn.to/3WqFcVW

[@sizzlinbacon9718]

Frieda, I am becoming addicted to your interviews! What I enjoy the most is that unlike corporate media hosts, that I have severely limited watching, you ask the question and then you SHUT UP and listen! What a novel idea, eh? Too many hosts interrupt, cross talk and try to dazzle us with their brilliance. Once again, thank you for your dulcet tones, your non judgmental approach. Peace.

[@fran4636]

This is a great conversation! My husband grew up in central PA. There was an Amish family nearby who provided part-time daycare to local families, so my husband and his siblings were sent there a few times a week as kids. He has memories of being physically tied to hay bales in the barn while the cattle were moved (this was to keep children safe). He remembers yummy apple dumplings, making friends with the Amish kids (we're still in touch via letters), and being put to work on the farm - he never wants to shuck peas again for the rest of his life! Good memories for him.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Thank you for an excellent report. I felt it! Regards to your husband, I hope he never has to shuck another pea again.

[@debrapaulino918]

​@@FriedaVizelBrooklynI corresponded briefly with an Amish man to learn how they still managed off grid. He was very gracious and informative. Non judgemental. I found him by calling their clerk of courts to ask if they knew someone to help me. I had a book and I think the publisher or something? was located there. Idr. I watched a video today by a man in central Wales who bought an abandoned 12 acres.

[@TheKobaltBlue]

I live in NYC. Im mostly know the Amish for being skilled wood workers and house builders. After Hurricane Katrina Amish folks volunteered to help rebuild houses in Louisiana and Mississippi.

[@mariekatherine5238]

Having spent a total of about five years living with the Amish in New York, Ohio, and Tennessee, when, a decade later, I spent time in Hasidic communities in Brooklyn, I felt culturally, right at home. The mindset and ways of looking at the world are very much the same. Pennsylvania Dutch which is a Germanic dialect, is similar to Yiddish. I found I could understand a good deal of the Yiddish I heard in conversations, on the streets, in stores, and in people’s homes.

[@debrapaulino918]

Interesting.

[@genjulie3703]

One thing Mr. Nolt did not mention is that each small community has a bishop that ultimately decides what the members of that particular group can or cannot do. Or the elders of that community ultimately decide what you can or cannot do. Example: one of the members wanted to use a chain saw in his business but the bishop said no. The member tried to work out a compromise with the bishop and elders but the rule stood. So the member moved to another community that did permit chainsaw use in a business.

[@kateruch7196]

I'm not quite done watching this, as I had to go to bed last night, however I am finding this extremely interesting. I feel that your questions are different than questions someone who did not grow up in a closed community would ask, and because of that, we get a "next level" insight into both communities.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Such a kind comment. Thank you! I loved learning from Steve.

[@tlowenbraun]

Would love a part 2. Very well done!

[@tarahogan9570]

I could listen to another 2 hours of your conversation with Prof. Nolt. I really appreciated the connections he made between theological principles (e.g., the individual's autonomy to decide to join the church, or to living in the world but not of the world) and how that plays out in community traditions, such as the relative independence of youth and how technology is integrated.

[@laurencantrell7631]

I love your channel. I've always been fascinated about religious faiths that "dictate" rules. I would love to know why the Amish women don't cut their hair, and Hassdic women shave their hair. As I remember, you asked Pearl (such a wonderful woman), but the answer was it's that what we do.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

My belief is that head shaving is a borrowed custom from a pagan Marriage ritual that the very pious Jewish women of Eastern Europe adopted. There are several interesting ways in which Amish restrictions are quite different from the Satmar restrictions.

[@larascott4808]

As someone who’s not religious but still fascinated by conservative/high-demand religions, this was a great video! There’s a young Hutterite (one of the other old-order anabaptist sects) woman who posts snippets of her life on KZbin. I think her channel is “My Hutterite Life” or similar. She talks about their customs and you can sometimes hear her speaking Hutterish with her family. I’m curious about how much a Yiddish speaker and a Pennsylvania Dutch or Hutterish speaker would be able to understand each other!

[@dsquared1950]

Yes, that’s Gisele Waldman. The roles and possibilities in her community are almost always gender-based. Her community builds fire engines; they use the latest technology in some aspects of life while also holding no individual property and cooking and eating every meal together.

[@kleineroteHex]

I worked with the Amish communities in our area for a few years and I asked about their language differences. I was told it varies where they originated. Our local people have difficulties understanding other Amish in other States if their origin country is different. They sort of keep the old home language which over time gets infused with English and the church services are in the old German (no one speaks anymore) I had the privilege of reading to an older Amish gentleman from one of their church books and there are words here and there I have never heard (I speak German as my mother tongue). So there are similarities but holding conversations from one group to another about abstract things I doubt. There are tons of dialects in Germany and Switzerland.

[@Sparrowdean]

From a historical perspective, because I am not religious, I found this talk very interesting. I like learning about different cultures. Thank you.

[@janesheridan5632]

Freda, what a great interview. I learned so much and very much enjoyed this learning experience. THANK YOU!!!

[@MichaelRe-c7q]

I really appreciate this a lot! I was born in a frum jewish community but left in my 20s. Interestingly enough though I lived with an Amish community for a few years and i feel like i have a fair perspective of both. Both are beautiful and there are a lot of similarities. Sadly, I miss the community i was raised in.

[@mariamd2243]

Me too. Do you think of going back

[@devorahanatolia8999]

I grew up in Pennsylvania and learned so much from this interview. It clarified some things for me and gave me new information. Very interesting and informative.

[@curiousman1672]

I live in central Minnesota near a lot of both Amish and Mennonite folk. The Amish are of the Old Order type. Very segregated by choice, and usually only seen at the local feed store and hardware store. Courtship and courting behavior are very conservative. I've never heard of a pregnancy out of wedlock. Very skilled furniture makers and builders. Watching a legitamate barn being raised in a matter of hours is impressive. The women are skilled in all the domestic arts. Fantastic cooks and bakers, and maker's of the most beautiful handmade quilts you'll ever see. We always feel bad watching the children navigate going and coming from school in these most harsh winters. Rosy cheeks is a big understatement. The Mennonites have very similar courtship practices and gender defined roles. However, they drive and are business owners. Frequently the women and young ladies deal with the customers and run the checkout line. Both of these groups are VERY polite, courteous, and helpful. Both communities are very faith driven, and the Mennonites are quite musical.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

what an excellent comment. Thanks for sharing, and for the lovely mental image of those rosy cheeks in the winter.

[@michaeldunetz90]

Does LGBT problem exist with the Amish and also within the Hasidic community's? I am not Gay . But I am just curious but I mean no harm against anyone

[@michaeldunetz90]

I am very glad that people like my coment. But it would be very nice to have a answer to my question 🙋 or coment.

[@curiousman1672]

@@michaeldunetz90 I can't speak to the Hasidic side, but in the Amish community, there are no recognized LGBT individuals. They may well leave the community if that were the case, but given their semi-segregated lifestyle, it would be difficult for an outsider to know. Outwardly, all men marry women and vice versa.

[@heatherwhite2788]

@@michaeldunetz90 Definitely there are people who are gay who leave the Amish because there is a problem with acceptance.

[@sherrieshatzen3801]

Thank you for diving into a subject I have been intrigued with for a very long time. My first experience with the amish was when I was about 14 & a group of us decided we wanted to go to an amish community not very far away to see what kind of horses they might have & how much they would sell them for. We arrived just as it was getting dark & pulled into the driveway of an Amish farm. We were met by a man carrying a kerosene lantern & a rifle who told us in no uncertain terms to leave. We left. But now my curiosity was aroused & I have read about the Amish, including some books written by people who had been Amish & had left their communities. I have watched programs about the Amish & a few movies whose main character might have been Amish. This was a great interview. One of my questions has always been about some of the similarities & some of the differences between extremely Orthodox Jewish communities & the Amish. I hope you will do another interview with this professor. I learned a lot from this video.

[@smj3921]

This was so interesting!! An incredible example of nuance indeed. I love that he avoided sensationalizing or romanticizing the Amish, so we get an idea of what normal typical Amish life can be like.

[@janispope4295]

I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this, grateful for the time and effort put in. Would be very happy if there were any follow ups. Thankyou

[@TheIndividualChannel]

This was such a wonderful interview, my community is similar to these groups, we are from the same founder and the outside world doesnt understand the different groups, as people know little of the Hasidoch Bal Shem Tov, they don't know of Menno Simons. Thanks for this interview. You’re great at interviews.

[@TheIndividualChannel]

This was the first of your interviews I watched. I loved it. Today was a special holiday in our community. I preached and put my name forward for Bishop. If I become an overseer I'll put forward concerns to make women's state more important. I have 5 daughters, I don't want them to suffer. Oldest daughter is getting married soon, have put off wedding date to mature kids and educate them. Working on a trip in solidarity with Jews and telling our crowd the Israel is a good country and the media lies about a complex situation. People say we want to visit Isreal soon, I told them we must go to Brooklyn first. I am going to write to some Rebbes and invite them to visit , and to encourage their folk to visit the rural Ammish/Mennonite communities. I would love to welcome a Titlebaum in Lancaster, and I'd lead many friends to sing a lovely psalm in Deutsch for an honorable guest. Thank you for teaching us so much. We have many differences but we can be friends in a major way. Long live the Jews, from a conservative and traditional Amish Mennonite preacher.

[@suchamaven]

So very interesting. I'd really like to see/hear a talk like this about the Hutterites. I'm fascinated by their collective way of life.

[@nancya8262]

Brilliant interview!!! I watched with great interest through till the end. Great work, great guest, he was very informative, I learned so much I did not know. As always Frieda, thank. you for working to expand our horizons and strengthening our human connections. God bless you. Be well.

[@debisantikian6718]

Hi Frieda 😊 thank you for your great videos , always very interesting !!

[@jonathanpetteys7383]

Thank you for such a positive broadcast

[@rachel-po5rm]

Loved this interview as I always do with your interviews

[@sherylsantoro]

This was extremely interesting.

[@T_WC123]

Such a wonderful interview!!! You really have a gift for this!

[@dorothealorenz9624]

Thank you very much for this information. I was always interested in Amish since I looked after two amish handicapped ladies as a Camp Counselor in the 90s in Ohio. Many greetings from Germany.

[@claudik.3816]

Thanks a million for this fantastic interview! Very well explained - especially the nuances regarding the different groups. I'll definately will be looking through some more of your videos, as I am simply interested in history and the historical development of different faiths in general. Thank you again! Warmest wishes from Germany!

[@johaquila]

Outstanding interview. I think this really gives the keys required to properly understand, and sometimes correct, all the popular information on the Amish that is out there. As a German whose mother grew up in a village with an Anabaptist minority (in one of the red core areas on the map), I feel a strong connection to non Old Order Mennonites and to some extent find myself in them, even as an ex-Protestant atheist. I was surprised when I understood how many values I share with these people that are not standard in modern German society. Now I understand much better why that is the case. The approach to the mixing of genders among these groups didn't surprise me, because they are simply continuing what has been normal in rural German society practically forever, probably inherited from Germanic tribes. (I once read that in the Middle Ages there was even a tradition of young people leaving their village to work in a different place, where they had a chance to meet other young people they were guaranteed not to be related to. Apparently this had to do with sometimes absurdly strict anti-incest laws of the Catholic Church: no known relation was allowed, no matter how remote.) It appears that generally speaking these groups haven't degenerated into control for control's sake. Somehow this was always the picture I got between the lines, despite the misinformation that seemed to suggest the contrary. Was there an allusion to a potential continuation of the interview? That would be fantastic.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

I'm hoping to do more on the Amish!

[@maril1379]

Watching now so interesting. There are different orders and groups of Amish and Mennonites. There are differences in terms of use of electricity, clothing and dealing with the outside world I'm going to sign off now it's 12:30am bedtime and I'll watch the rest tomorrow. Great idea and guest. Looking forward to the rest of the video. Thumbs up.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Hope you got a restful sleep!

[@jillclark6076]

That was fantastic and so informative. Thank you for taking the time to share this interview with us. After listening to the interview, I would say that there are more differences between the Amish and the Hasidic community than one might assume. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (often referred as "Mormons"). I can see some similarities between our community and the Amish. We join our church as well through baptism. There is an emphasis on fun but appropriate interaction between both male and female teenagers through organized weekly activities at our church houses, but there are also strict guidelines against intimacy before marriage. Anyway, very interesting to compare and contrast different faith traditions. Thank you for your time. I have enjoyed learning so much from you!

[@itabrennan7420]

Thank you for sharing your views. Very interesting.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

I think the comparison to the Mormons (who many come on my tours and are wonderful!) is also interesting if not only because so many make connections in their minds between various conservative religions.

[@remycallie]

@@FriedaVizelBrooklyn Well...with all respect to Mormons, many of whom are wonderful people, the Mormon religion is actually as unconservative as you can get (in the sense that "conservative" means conserving what came before). It was pretty much invented from scratch by Joseph Smith. They reject the concept of the Trinity, they teach that Jesus is Satan's brother, God was once a human who developed into a god, there are many gods and men can become gods themselves. They used to teach that having multiple wives was a requirement for reaching the "highest" heaven. They created an entire new book of the Bible that says that Native Americans are actually the lost tribes of Israel, and that Jesus visited North America after his resurrection. They "baptize" people who have been dead for hundreds of years. And on and on. Their theology has no similarity to any historical or present day Christian group.

[@viviennedunbar3374]

@@remycallie this is true, I have met lots of lovely Mormons but their religion is not considered Christian by any ancient Christian tradition, such as the Catholics, Orthodox, Copts or the conservative Protestant denominations that developed after the reformation. For example their baptism is not considered a Christian baptism by Catholics or other classical Christian communities. A

[@remycallie]

@@viviennedunbar3374 No Trinitarian church in the world accepts Mormon "baptism" -- not Protestant, Catholic, Eastern, conservative, progressive, or otherwise. I should say that the Episcopal church in Utah and a few places with large Mormon populations, will, so as not to insult the Mormons, baptize ex-Mormons using the "conditional" form ("if you are not already baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit") where they are basically leaving it up to God to make the call. But most ex-Mormons who join Christian churches actually want to be unconditionally baptized because they themselves now don't consider their Mormon "baptism" to have been a Christian baptism.

[@VioletACordy]

😊THANK YOU ~ FRIEDA❤WE LOVE ALL YOUR BRILLIANT INTERVIEWS💥Historian + “In Conversation with Steven Nolt on Amish Society” 🌈💥💥💥Shalom to you and your beloved Family🌳🦚🌲🌳🌳🌳🌳Violet (Toronto) My Cousins in Australia ADORE YOU🐕🐕

[@ohhai9221]

I hope yall get to do a second interview!

[@elsafischer3247]

This was great I live in Zürich and where I live they have a church and some children go to the schools with my granddaughter. Thank you for this so I could understand

[@joanmaxine1]

Wonderful interview.

[@jillm7061]

Very interesting! I'm really enjoying this channel, please keep up the awesome work!

[@michellemassaro2227]

Your videos are amazing! Love Pearl! Rumspringa is a well known time of teen life where they taste the “freedom” of English life so that joining the church is a conscious decision and not simply a ritualized follow through. They dress for the occasion of parties, etc. as English would, redressing when they go home in respect for their parents.

[@LVSHeiman]

Thanks!

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Wow, an oldie, thank you!!!

[@pyenygren2299]

Thank you for an interesting interview.

[@gabriellef651]

Thank you so much for conducting this exploration.

[@dorisporch2733]

I eagerly await your youtube postings Frieda ... very interesting and beautifully presented. Thank you

[@TonyThomas10000]

I have been in some Amish communities in Ohio and the teens can be pretty wild during "rumshpringa". Drinking and driving around in buggies with boomboxes. I have also heard stories where some Amish dress in "English" clothing and go to bars and then change back to their Amish clothes before going home. However, they are expected to conform to the local church rules before joining the church. Some communities are more liberal than others. For example, Holmes County, OH is much more conservative overall than Geauga County, OH. Ultimately, it is up to each local bishop. BTW, some Old Order Amish who leave the church sometimes join a Mennonite sect that are more inclusive and less insular. As for technology, they are more open to using it for work than at home. I have been in Amish stores where they don't have electricity but may use batteries or even solar power. One of my former editors at SCENE Magazine (who is no longer with us) left and bought a newspaper called "The Budget" that was communication link between the Ohio Amish communities.

[@debrapaulino918]

Yes great interview .

[@sshhlisten]

Hi Frieda! Ot would be awesome to see you make a video of you visiting an Amish community and just hanging out, spending time, being shown around and maybe even comparing dialects yiddish and theirs

[@glenpeterson5321]

Wonderful exchange. Thank you.

[@debrapaulino918]

The Amish man who wrote me said they still cut ice in winter and store it underground with hay. It would last till the next winter. I love the simplicity and quiet life.

[@stephenfisher3721]

In an old joke, a secular Jew sits down on a park bench next to a man with a large black hat and a long black coat. The secular Jew turns to the darkly garbed man and says, “What’s the matter with you Hasids? This isn’t the Old Country-it’s the modern world. You people are an embarrassment to the rest of us.” The man turns around and says, “Hasid? I’m Amish.” The secular Jew immediately replies, “It’s so wonderful the way you’ve held on to your traditions.(Quoted from New Yorker Magazine.)

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

this is one of my favorite jokes. Jokes that poke fun at secular Jews are very indulgent.

[@blessings42]

This is not a joke. It's a true story recounted by the venerable Rabbi A.J. Twerski, of blessed memory, a world famous Rabbinic author and psychiatrist who specialized in the treatment of addictions. If I remember correctly his autobiography (where he tells this story) is titled, "Generations."

[@jackleaf8474]

I suppose like a lot of these roots level religions, the lifestyle is fine for those who fit the mold. Similarly I admire the lifestyle of my frum family and friends, which is wonderful because they fit the mold. But even growing up in mainstream UK Jewry, as a gay man I’ve always struggled to find myself fit in - it’s a culture I love but I often feel like an outsider looking in. Thank you Frieda for your many revealing and fascinating programmes.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

I relate to this a lot. Some of us just don't fit in the molds that give so much joy and meaning to those who do fit.

[@lacharmer441]

Great interview but what makes an interview more interesting is when the one being interviewed is an actual or former member.

[@RachelStern-pb8tr]

Freda - that was fascinating. Thank you for doing that. I come from a similar background to you, and from that perspective - If you do another episode, perhaps you could discuss: their core beliefs (I would be interested in how they differ from mainstream Christians), what their 'rabbinic' structure is - ie do they have influential scholars, who makes the rulings, their approach to scriptures and holy books, their approach to science vs literal biblical statements, what can a man do that a woman cannot, LGBT issues, how do they deal with medical issues that may need cutting-edge interventions, you mentioned fertility issues - but would they pursue IVF and other technologies if needed, would they adopt etc, how they celebrate their festivals and holy days, have they been historically persecuted, how do they interact with the state and local government - would they ever join the local council - and i am sure there any many more issues that could go on for hours.

[@charlotter6865]

Can’t wait to listen! One thing I’ve always found interesting about the chassidim i know (chabad mostly) is that they won’t actually admit that separatism is even one of the underlying reasons for their very strict rules, kosher rules in particular. Even though to the outsider it seems very obvious. I think the Amish embrace their outsider-ness in theory more

[@mtgela]

Great presentation.

[@gaillarsen7863]

I enjoy watching your videos and learning about other religious groups.

[@jeanbellinger9770]

Culturally fascinating. Very well done. Thank you.

[@user-ob1vt3xj8i]

Thank you so much for this interview!!! I've read that the Nebraska group is the most strict, so maybe they have more similarities with Satmar than the ones located in Lancaster County. Just an idea if there's a part 2... But thank you so much it was very interesting!!!

[@Jo81562]

Excellent talk thank you.

[@nancykirk2650]

Boy, I enjoyed the he'll out of that! Thank you Frieda.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

me too :)

[@plainandsimple2576]

My ancestors were martyrs in Switzerland, as an Anabaptist Minister he and his wife died for their faith. Many Mennonites and Amish in my family. It’s ironic, I knew none of this until I did my DNA. I had joined the Holderman Mennonite Church years before knowing I was descended from them!!! Crazy stuff! I’ve always believed our DNA carries memories. I also own many of His books! Started studying the Mennonite and Amish back in the 90’s. ❤

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Fascinating!

[@MarcoBolandini]

This was really informative.

[@Paula-of5nf]

Super interesting. Thanks!

[@michellemassaro2227]

I live in Wayne County/Holmes County, Ohio, one of the largest communities of Amish in America. There are ex-Amish “jump fence” kids and young adults that will often join a non-denominational church and pursue a more typical Christian life. In my area, there are churches who are focused on evangelizing Amish to a more traditional Christian understanding without the cultural underpinnings. We have the whole gamut here from super conservative Swartzentruber Amish to Mennonite churches that would resemble baptist or Methodist worship forms. The bishop of the traditional sects is the person who decides clothing, transportation forms, etc.

[@michellemassaro2227]

For instance, Swartzentruber Amish use straight pins to fix clothing-no buttons, zippers, collars, whereas, Mennonites might be free to use all of those closures and choose a piece of cloth as a head covering as opposed to the traditional black bonnets.

[@NarnianLady]

That's interesting. I have read and heard testimonies of former Amish, and how they came to their own personal faith in Christ. Sadly, there has been quite a lot of sexual abuse in *some* communities, without proper consequences to the perpetrators.. shaming the victim instead. So thankful to know that many people are coming from under the legalism, and finding the loving, compassionate God, who cares for the weak and the abused.

[@hannahyoung3533]

I love all your videos! I've listened and re-listened to the interviews with Pearl - such wisdom! I took notes ;) I'm Christian but so much of what she said resonates so strongly with me. I live in the midwest and in a community that has a large Amish and Mennonite population. I am friends with several Beachy Amish ladies. The conversation about technology is one that I have talked to them about because on one hand they are forbidden to have televisions but on the other they all have cell phones with no filters or regulations on use as far as I know. So 50 years ago, not allowing television would have been a huge deal but you can have tv/movies on your phone now, no need for television...so it doesn't make much sense to me to keep forbidding television or movie theaters. In the Hsaddic Jewish culture- are televisions allowed? If not, are cell phones or are there rules/filters places on their use? The contradictions are always interesting to me. Thanks again for your channel.

[@charlotterouchouze5004]

The Amish have cell phones?

[@kleineroteHex]

5 miles from me, well aware of the center, just never went there. I live near and used to work with the Amish . I also was part of a newer Mennonite church and my husband was the biggest Anabaptist history buff for a past time. But that Augsburg, Germany had a hub of early Anabaptists is totally new to me, I grew up there, that was never mentioned. Steve forgot to weave in that many farms, before cell phones were a thing, had a landline in the barn. This gave them access but would limit unnecessary talking. Many young people told me they do not have phone conversations, they only text on their cell phones, that was allowed.

[@Nancy68fromNJ]

So informative. I know the Amish will not take any government money and are self supporting. I also know that after Hurricane Sandy, groups of Amish carpenters came to my state of NJ and offered their help (free) to many communities.

[@MsSherryjh]

This is fascinating. But then all of your interviews are.

[@lcs8967]

Just got to watching this. Fascinating as always. There are definitely similarities to the chasidish community, although not theological. I find the idea that latest is not the greatest is the same by us. We have a reverence when the elders talk about der alter heim, and how much better old fashioned way of life seemed to be. Also the way he explained about the many bishops made me chuckle how we have the same with the term 'Rabbi' and how the outside world thinks of a Rabbi in such grandiose terms vs the ppl inside the community etc. I was wondering what happens to someone who defies the shunning and let's say sits down with someone who was excommunicated or does business with them. What would happen to them, would they be excommunicated as well? Also, Are there any families for instance that are not accepted into the Amish schools for any reason? Do they still utilize barter systems or do they use American currency between themselves? What about politics, do any of the Amish members ever run for office or have lobbyists to help their causes?

[@lynnleipold2617]

Some people in my background were Dunkards (Church of the Brethren), or Mennonites. My great grandmother ( Susan Good) was Mennonite, the Rittenhouse side my mother’s side also were Dunkards. They all came from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and then to northern Indiana. I am trying to trace them back to Pennsylvania.

[@ediereay7507]

That's my background too. Drunkards to C of Brethren. I do have line to PA. My maiden name is Miller, very common Brethren name.

[@janthoman5725]

Really kool

[@destinydeems]

I am interested in communities that require extreme discipline; thank you for going into the details and reminding us: each individual is of their own interpretation. Excellent! beverlyalexandermartin of "Destiny Deems"

[@dudeonthasopha]

I do think it's interesting both hasidic and amish communities speak a German language offshoot and develop a distinct, perceived as antiquated, dresscode but aren't related.

[@Historian212]

Hasidism first developed in parts of what’s now Ukraine in the mid-1700s, and spread to parts of Poland, parts of Hungary, Russia, etc. So it’s really an eastern European phenomenon that, in its earliest era, had much in common with forms of Orthodox Christian mysticism, in a Jewish context. They happened to speak Yiddish because, centuries earlier, Jews who were expelled from German lands and spoke Judeo-German, a variant of Middle High German, migrated eastward. Eastern European Yiddish eventually incorporated many loan words from Slavic languages. So Hasidism was a distinctly eastern European development among Jews who brought Yiddish with them centuries before.

[@lynnleipold2617]

Amish speak a dialect of low german.

[@jiltedjohn9294]

Love you Frieda

[@IleneJarv]

Fascinating!

[@jmj5388]

7:50. The married Amish men grow their chin whiskers but not mustaches because the soldiers who historically oppressed them wore mustaches but not beards.

[@ellalella1]

This is an explanation given but most suggest it is a later guess of the reason and it is actually more correct to say "it's tradition" as he did.

[@MangoPM15]

Shunning is absolutely real if you choose to leave. So sad…

[@suzis5767]

I find it so interesting that anyone compares these groups. Jewish life is so radically different from committed Christian life, and ultimately Hasidim are just a specific Jewish community.

[@viviennedunbar3374]

I think there are some cultural similarities; strict gender roles, traditional clothes, modesty, focus on family life, separate education systems, large families, structured courtship and assumption that most will get married young etc. also being organized separately from the rest of society and a strong emphasis on community life, with roles for everyone and rituals, prayer and services celebrated communally. The Amish are obviously more rural and self-sufficient, while the Hasidim are urban, within walking distance of the synagogue and kosher businesses and the community tightly clustered in close city blocks and streets. It’s very interesting that America provided a constitution and society that could welcome some unique and uniquely persecuted religious groups.

[@suzis5767]

@@viviennedunbar3374 Your description applies equally to most Orthodox Jews who are not Hassidic - even many Modern Orthodox Jews - as well as to a great many Evangelical Christians and religious Moslems in this country. I don't think that the Amish and Hassidim have much uniquely in common besides for distinctive dress. The hassidim are also not more persecuted than other visibly Jewish groups.

[@calebalton2084]

​@@viviennedunbar3374it's thanks to America's separation of church and state, which allows religious freedom.

[@nancymcquaide8867]

I would love to hear more about women, their lives, and the power structure in the community. To me eight children is overwhelming. Can women refuse to have that many babies.? Can women use technology like washing machines.

[@lynnleipold2617]

Depends on their bishop. Many use gas washers and dryers as electricity is forbidden.

[@clivemilner]

The Amish and Mennonites seem, more Flexible than Orthodox Jews. Thank you for such an insightful interview. 😊

[@stephenfisher3721]

In Orthodox Judaism, there is a legal system to reason out what is allowed or not but Amish seem more varied and inconsistent. Amish bishops differ from district to district as to what is prideful, too modern or too English.

[@heatherwhite2788]

WRT your question about medicine to address infertility. I believe I have heard of surgery to address endometriosis to address infertility, as well as various approaches to adoption.

[@andreaskye2396]

i missed a few bits of the interview but i believe the old order does separate the males and females on different sides of the room, with church and school.

[@billducker7404]

Thank you once again for another interesting video. Children should be trained up yes using their scriptures to think for themselves. HaShem gave us a brain. But I think shunning members of your own family is a drastic thing to do. Have a good week Frieda and finish young Purim food Enjoy. Bill Uk

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Thank you dear bill. I’m still enjoying Purim foods.

[@yvonnetitus2]

I imagine a difference of rules for male/female interaction of Amish vs Hassidic might be that Hassidic is very urban and Amish is rural. Everyone would need to pitch in for the sake of the farm in Amish community. Education is high priority for Hassidic for 12 hours a day and less needs of the children to depend on one another in mixed company.

[@yitzchakkatz5362]

Frieda Hi, I wonder, in Chassidic schools, do children actually learn WRITING in Yiddish (“penmanship”), or is it only used as a spoken language? Do they learn writing Hebrew, or even basic grammar, and/or “speaking” the Hebrew of the bible?

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Yes, the children learn to write in Yiddish. The girls don't really learn Heberw at all (they can write it because it is the same alphabet as Yiddish) but the men learn to write to a pretty high level biblical Hebrew. No one in Hasidic Williamsburg for instance learns modern Hebrew.

[@antjeschubert1848]

Watch "Breaking the silence" and get in touch with Mission to Amish People. Those folks are great and will be happy to explain from their own experience!

[@mollypapazian4423]

I know Prof. Nolt well, originally from PA myself.

[@marymurray5059]

I may have missed it but how is he qualified to discuss this? Was he brought up Amish? An insight into his early life , if so, would’ve been good.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

I believe he is of a more modern tradition but he’s one of the foremost “experts” on the Amish. So it’s a scholarly angle, not personal experience. I’m looking to interview Amish or ex Amish ppl directly.

[@5fingerjack]

From following some ex-Amish I have learned that the Amish are extremely patriarchal, often resulting in sexual abuse. I know women have little agency in ultra conservative Jewish culture, ie, gatekeeping a "get" (divorce), etc. Both, along with evangelical Christianity, teach that women should serve their husband's sexual needs (can't say no). So it would be a good idea to address some of the patriarchal abuses that are known in these ultra conservative cultures.

[@remycallie]

Sorry, I'm not evangelical (neither are the Amish, BTW), but there is no Christian teaching whatsoever that says "women should serve their husband's sexual needs and can't say no." Please provide any source. St. Paul says of *both* partners that they should not stay separate from one another for long periods of time but this is more in the vein of "this is what a healthy marriage looks like." And it's coming from someone who says that staying unmarried in order to serve the Lord is the highest calling.

[@LadyLeda2]

Never ever heard that from any Christian Church.

[@patticarpenter2001]

I believe there are young men who leave and spend time with non-Amish family during Rumschpringe, but this is less common with 16+ y/o girls. Most come back to the community. I used to live near their communities

[@mono7891]

I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Farmer Boy" and I was so enamoured with little Almanzo (the Farmer Boy in the story) that I went to Lancaster Pennsylvania to see them. This comminity is very insulated. They are little reserved when meeting people, and after that incident in 2006 (a movie called "Amish Grace" was made on that incident), I thought they were suspecious, as well. Great discussion, learned lot about the Amish people. Thank you... Regards

[@sshhlisten]

🦋

[@sshhlisten]

🌼

[@cathyfink5284]

Before this interview I would've thought that the Amish are much stricter than the Hasidic in practically every way. After the interview it seems to me like the Amish are more relaxed about many things. I think an ex Hasidic would have an easy time assimilating into Amish culture (except for the christianity part obviously) LOL

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Ha ha. I think there must be a culture of demureness among the Amish that some hot-headed ex hasidim would have a really hard time with. We do have more urban energy than I feel like the Amish have.

[@juliancohen9561]

I actually know of a woman who grew up Amish and became Hasidic as an adult. Her mother was, in turn, a Jewish (not sure how observant) woman who fell in love with an Amish man and raised her Amish.

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

@@juliancohen9561 her story sounds so interesting.

[@dsquared1950]

The most objectionable part of Amish practices is their puppy mills. The recent news about George Santos writing bad checks to an Amish puppy mill, as reported by the puppy mill breeder, shows the evil side of everyone involved.

[@lynnleipold2617]

Agree!

[@electric_spacecats]

RE: Divorce, is the state involved at all in the marriages (Do they get a marriage license from the state?) Would love to ask the expert! Also, I'm wondering about the people who "never join the Amish church" (never undergo the rite of baptism)--do they majority become atheists? Do they go to different Christian denominations? Also, do the people who have been baptized and later leave usually become atheists or agnostics? Why would they want to leave, another words. What is the draw for them.

[@NerfHerder909]

One thing that I don't think came up in the interview is that aside from not allowing divorce, the Amish don't allow remarriage, either (unless the former spouse is deceased). I think Anabaptists generally don't- if you join the Beachy Amish, for instance, and were previously married and divorced as a nonmember, that's won't exclude you from membership, but it will prevent you from getting remarried for as long as your ex is alive. As far as Amish who leave, from what I've seen a lot of them seem to wind up in evangelical Christian churches- there is an active effort amongst the evangelical community to evangelize the Amish and get them "saved," which is where at least some of the cases of people leaving post-baptism come from. They end up with theological beliefs that are deemed incompatible by their Church leadership and ultimately leave or are pushed out.

[@remycallie]

@@NerfHerder909 As I pointed out in a previous comment, all Christians churches teach that Christian marriage is indissoluble except by death. This means that a Christian married to another Christian in a Christian ceremony (meaning they are married in the name of the Trinity) can obtain a civil divorce but cannot enter into a second Christian marriage because they're considered still married to their first spouse ("until death do us part"). (Although some Protestant churches permit remarriage in the case of infidelity, based on a somewhat ambiguous statement by Jesus about this). A Catholic, for example, who marries another baptized Christian in a Christian ceremony (Catholic or otherwise) and obtains a civil divorce cannot remarry in the Church unless they obtain an annulment (which is another story altogether) and if they remarry civilly they are automatically ex-communicated which, by definition, means they are not to receive the sacraments. This is because they are considered to be committing adultery, since they are still married to their first spouse. (Note that whether or not a given priest will actually refuse the sacraments to a civilly remarried Catholic varies greatly.) If the second partner dies or they separate from that partner, they may then return to the sacraments. Jackie Kennedy did not receive the sacraments throughout the time she was married to the divorced Aristotle Onassis because she was considered to be living with a married man. She returned to the sacraments when he died. Note that Christians may validly marry non-Christians in a Christian ceremony, but there is a whole different set of rules about this, and such marriages may be dissolved in certain circumstances.

[@dsquared1950]

Reasons someone might leave: desire for education beyond 8th grade; desire for a profession other than those readily available; study which leads them to question the underlying tenets of the faith; desire to live outside a patriarchal society in which gender determines most everything; desire to live an uncloseted life as a gay person; falling in love with someone non Amish accepting the partners faith. The only formerly Amish person I know left because he is gay and because of his harsh upbringing and because he wanted more education and a career of his own choice.

[@user-eg8pv2om7j]

The Plymouth Brethren are an interesting group.

[@maril1379]

To force people to stay in an abusive situation is cruel regardless of a religion. In addition to prevent people from remarrying is cruel too. This is similar in Judaism when women cannot receive a get and suffer because of it. People are then only married in name- again this goes for any religion. The limitations of technology is understandable. There should be a balance in life. More time is focused on people and in person relationships - that's a good tbing.

[@LadyLeda2]

To you it may be cruel but to the Amish, it is God who they said their vows to, and not to man. They do not have to live together. So the abuse will stop when one moves out to go live with a sister or brother.

[@concetta842]

Hello Frieda. Can you do something on converts?

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

Hi! I don't know many converts to the community I work in (Williamsburg). I know one woman and I'm trying to find her, but I doubt she'll be open to speaking online.

[@ericgoldfarb4870]

Is it a coincidence that anabaptist and hasidic movements both began in Europe within a few same generations?

[@stephenfisher3721]

Some academicians have theorized that both movements were influenced by the same greater forces but on a micro level, similarities are probably coincidental.

[@mariavictoria7829]

Sounds like the Amish, now a days, are better educated in the basics… math, English, Social Studies, etc…than most kids are today!

[@Jazzidoodle]

from other you tubers the old orders don't allow mixed play

[@FriedaVizelBrooklyn]

can you link?