Orthodox kóser tömegirodalom? : sajtóviták a zsidó ifjúsági irodalom orthodox és neológ értelmezései körül

The appearance of religious mass literature among the Orthodox drew on numerous earlier models. Besides neo-Orthodox adaptations of Christian examples in the wider society, it was also influenced by Western Jewish trends of ghetto nostalgia. The Orthodox Jewish mass literature can be regarded as a new demand of the urban way of life and culture ideal, but it cannot be readily classified among the main trends of community religious life. This is supported by the fact that the press often also resorted to Jewish short stories coming from outside the group or trend, disseminating non-Orthodox publications as books. The reason for this must be sought in the Orthodox con-cept of the experience of religion. Historical narratives, reminiscences of rural life and religious quotations appeared in its columns, but these could never become the main channel of religious teachings. In the view of the paper, the works appearing as Orthodox mass literature could be of interest to women readers, while in the case of Orthodox youth they could only appear as a way of arousing interest in Torah study. This was because the Orthodox paper consistently placed the emphasis on Yeshiva life, on religion in action, and study of the Torah. Contemplative religion has no meaning in the Jewish context. The aim of religious youth literature was to bring the urban strata back to religious life. In this way Orthodox mass literature could only be a tool of secondary importance for the rescue of individuals on the periphery of religious life and the community, bringing them back to religion