Hardal

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Hardal (Hebrew: חרד"ל, חרדי לאומי Translit.: Haredi Le-umi Plural: Hardalim Translated: National Haredi) refers to those Haredi Orthodox Jews who support the State of Israel.

1 History and Groups
2 Leadership
3 Locations
4 External Sources
5 See also

[edit] History and Groups

The term Hardal is part of a broad process of certain groups of Religious Zionist youth becoming more strict in certain observances and more ideologically driven by the thought of R. Zvi Yehudah Kook. In the late 1970's graduates of Yeshivat Merkaz Harav began to reject certain aspects of Religious Zionist and Bnei Akiva life. At that time, some of the graduates were already referred to as "plain clothes Haredim."

According to some sources, the term Hardal was created at a meeting of the youth group EZRA in 1990. (Ezra is the Poalei Agudah youth group associated with Torah im Derech Eretz) In later years, the term Hardal became a group that actually started separating itself from the broader religious Zionist community in order to dedicate itself to leading a life dedicated to strict Jewish practice, without the influence of outside culture. There was stress placed on modesty in dress and early marriage. Rabbi Shlomo Aviner is the major ideologue for this group.

All Hardalim built their thought on the writings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook as interpreted by his son Rabbi Zvi Yehudah Kook. This approach gives a great role for faith, emotions, and messianism in Judaism. They also stress the study of Yehudah Halevi's Kuzari and the writings of the Maharal.

In recent years, it refers to those under the influence of Rabbi Tau, who left yeshivat Merkaz Harav to found the more Hardal Yeshivat Har Hamor. Rabbi Tau rejects secular studies and secular influences. He is also against any academic influence on teacher's colleges, rejecting the influence of modern educational psychology and modern approaches to the study of Bible. Those who follow this approach are called followers of Yeshivat HaKav- "Yeshivot that follow the line."

The term Hardal is sometimes used to refer to those coming from the Haredi world who join Nahal (the shortened army service for Yeshiva graduates) and continue to live within the broader Hardal world. It is also sometimes used for American Yeshivish Jews who moved to Israel and support the state.

[edit] Leadership

Some influential leaders of the Hardal world include former Chief Rabbis of Israel Rabbi Avraham Shapira of the Merkaz HaRav yeshiva.

Other important Rabbis and thinkers of the Hardal movement are:

Rabbi Zalman Melamed, his son Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
Rabbi Elyakim Levanon
Rabbi Dov Lior
David Davidkovitz
Rabbi Shmuel Tal
Rabbi Shlomo Aviner
Hillel Weiss

[edit] Locations

Many Hardalim live in the settlements. The settlement Kiryat Arba, led by its Rabbi Dov Lior, is considered a Hardal stronghold as is the settlement of Beit El, led by Rabbi Shlomo Aviner. They are also predominant in settlements like Ofra, Shiloh, and Hevron. There are yeshivot in Ramat Gan and Yeruham which are seen as Hardal yeshivot. Some Jerusalem neighborhoods are also Hardal strongholds, such as Har Nof and the Jewish settlers in the Old City.