2020-10-052020-10-05197719773873595https://hdl.handle.net/10657/7011This thesis concerns itself with the current phenomena of some Jewish American young adults' rejection of their own form of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, or Modern Orthodox) in favor of a mystical and fundamentalistic approach to Judaism, Lubavitch Hasidism. In this study, 11 males and 15 females were interviewed for the Lubavitch recruit sample (total N=26), and 8 males and 10 females were interviewed for the comparison group sample (total N = 18). The hypothesis that the Lubavitch recruit sample is anti-assimilationistic is confirmed by the finding that the majority of the Lubavitch recruit sample (69 % ) reject what they perceive to be the values and lifestyles of the larger American society. The hypothesis that the well-defined and adhered to guidelines for social and religiuos behavior attract the recruit to Lubavitch is supported by the findings for the female recruit sample, but is not supported by the findings for the male recruit sample in which the majority indicate most often they are attracted to the Lubavitch Jewish educational programs (including the study of Chassidus).application/pdfenThis item is protected by copyright but is made available here under a claim of fair use (17 U.S.C. §107) for non-profit research and educational purposes. Users of this work assume the responsibility for determining copyright status prior to reusing, publishing, or reproducing this item for purposes other than what is allowed by fair use or other copyright exemptions. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires express permission of the copyright holder.Jewish AmericansLubavitch HasidicThesisreformatted digital