The most fascinating branches of a religion are often the most extreme, the most different from the traditional denomination. Two of these groups are the Hasidic Jews and the Amish, a sect of Christianity. By showing a picture of a member of one of these sects, the average person would not be able to identify which group they belonged to. However, although “their shared style of dress does indeed reflect shared values ​​of piety, extreme traditionalism, and separateness,” these groups are extremely different (“A Brief Introduction”). Beyond the obvious ideological difference in that Hasidism is based on Orthodox Judaism and the Amish tradition of Christianity, not to mention the different groups within these separatist umbrellas, there are stark differences in origins, beliefs, practices and in the way each group interacts. with the secular world. Hasidism arose from Orthodox Judaism in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 18th century. It served as a “call for spiritual renewal and protest against the prevailing religious establishment” (“A Brief History”). Hasidim means “the pious in Hebrew. The group formed around a stricter adherence to Jewish law than many of the surrounding religious centers. Hasidism began to migrate to America after World War II as Holocaust survivors sought a new beginning. To a greater extent than many immigrant groups, Hasidic immigrants to America sought to maintain their community and reestablish their former lives. This allowed them to keep many traditions of post-Holocaust Eastern European Judaism alive in the New World. Traditions that in most cases continue to the present day, such as the use of Yiddish as the dominant language. Hasidic communities settled and remained in population centers, particularly… the center of the paper… its unique lifestyle. Works Cited Berger, Joseph. “Dress with faith, not heat, in mind.” New York Times. New York Times, June 28, 2012. Web. November 26, 2013. “A Brief Introduction to Hasidism.” A Life Apart: Hasidism in America. Ed. Dov B. Katz. PBS, 1998. Web. November 26, 2013. Kraybill, Donald B., Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher. The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Dangerous World. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010. Print.Mintz, Jerome R. Hasidic People: A Place in the New World. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1992. Print."A Niche in Modernity." A Life Apart: Hasidism in America. Ed. Dov B. Katz. PBS, 1998. Web. November 26, 2013. .Trollinger, Susan L. Selling the Amish: Nostalgia Tourism. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2012. Print.