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Izzy Posen Profile picture
Izzy Posen
@PosenIzzy
Yiddish translator/consultant. Maths/physics/philosophy tutor. Research associate @HasidicU • Ex-chassidic. Master's in Physics and Philosophy. 🇬🇧 🇮🇱
Oct 28 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
We shall measure volume in units of olives and eggs.

Will these olives be the size of olives and the eggs the size of eggs, sir?

No. The olives shall be a random volume much much larger than an olive and the eggs shall be an even larger random volume. Image Will we all agree on what the size of this olive and this egg is, sir?

We shall have different olive sizes and different egg sizes, which different people shall use.
Aug 13 • 35 tweets • 10 min read
It's Tisha B'Av - a day when Jews tell sad stories about their history - so here's a thread of some disturbing factoids about the Holocaust, in no particular order, that I've come across in my research. 🧵1/

Image: "Transport form Theresienstadt East" by survivor Leo Haas Image 1. Uniqueness:
Neither mass murder nor genocide are unique in history. What's unique about the Holocaust is its coordinated, orderly and industrial nature. It was a modern state-run project: bureaucratic and executed through the chain-of-command, according to a blueprint. /2 Image
Jan 13, 2023 • 15 tweets • 2 min read
I say it all the time, there are genuinely many really beautiful things about the chassidic community. But it also lacks self-awareness of its religious hypocrisy and about how much of its social structure has nothing to do with Torah or Judaism. No community is perfect, but chassidim view their way of life as the authentic, unadulterated form of "True Torah Judaism", when in fact its society revolves around social pressure, stigma and groupthink, as well as authentic religious devotion.
Dec 30, 2022 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
When I talk about benefit fraud, I'm talking about the systemic, institutionalised nature of it. The fact that it's not individuals who choose to do it (which happens in all communities), but that people are coerced into it and set up for it. When I was a teenager I asked my mentors why I will support my family as an adult, given no career-path preparation and no secular education. The answer was "benefits".
Dec 30, 2022 • 8 tweets • 1 min read
Comparing public critique and journalism in a democratic society, to explicit calls to annihilate you by Der Sturmer shows a gross ignorance of what the holocaust was actually all about. The NYT writing about chassidim is not 1930s Germany. But then it is also true that the NYT wouldn't do this to other ethnic minority communities.
Dec 29, 2022 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
I believe in the rule of law, in democracy, in transparency of public administration. Those are foundational values of Western democracies - arguably the most successful societies. No one is special. If you abuse the system then others will too and it'll work for no one. The way to make the system work for you, is to fight for your rights within it, not by abusing the system. Cynicism only leads to nihilism. There is no alternative other than the "system". There are no "system-less" societies.
Dec 28, 2022 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
I really appreciate all the helpful comments I got and those who messaged me privately. It made me think a lot about the theory of social critique and change and how that applies to different communities. In wider Western societies there is a certain mechanism of social critique and evolution. This is roughly how it works:
1. A concern/critique is voiced by a critical mass of the populus.
2. It is theorised by cultural critics/public intellectuals/experts.
Sep 12, 2022 • 29 tweets • 5 min read
I've been fascinated to my TV screen the last few days watching the transition of monarchy and power. It has been history in the making in our country. A real eye-opener to the uniqueness of our constitutional monarchy. It's been 7 decades since we've seen these rituals, and for the first time so publicly. I can imagine many people interested in politics would be quite surprised by how seriously we take the monarchs' power and legal supremacy.
Jul 19, 2022 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
Yesterday I finally had my graduation ceremony for my Master's of Science, in Physics and Philosophy, from the University of Bristol.
#BristolGrad I knew little about the world growing up. I remember having a discussion at the age of 17 with a close friend of mine - one of the brightest boys of the class - and he didn't know that earth was round, rather than flat. I had to go and study physics to know the world I live in.
Jun 16, 2022 • 16 tweets • 3 min read
That's my grandfather, my zeidy, the one leading the prayers against government interference in charedi education. His grandson, myself, took his education in his own hands and got himself a stellar secular higher education. Zeidy hasn't spoken with me for 7 years The protest is in response to the Bill introduced by the UK government which will make it easier to regulate Yeshivas. Currently Yeshivas are unregulated and they teach no secular education for boys above the age of 13
thejc.com/news/news/hand…
Jun 1, 2022 • 18 tweets • 4 min read
The UK government is introducing new legislation to make it easier to regulate educational institutions outside of the mainstream school framework. This will have massive implications for charedi yeshivas and the charedi establishment is freaking out. A thread: 🧵 Yeshivas are where charedi boys go between the ages of 13 and marriage (usually 18-20). They teach exclusively talmudic and rabbinical subjects and no secular education whatsoever. For chassidic communities, this is considered a fundamental matter of faith. 2/n
Feb 18, 2022 • 32 tweets • 7 min read
Yesterday I expressed my pain about being estranged from family for leaving orthodoxy. It reached a wide audience and garnered a large response. So here I want to expand a bit on the issues raised.

It's my birthday today, so be extra nice - but don't withhold fair critique. Firstly, thanks so much for the outpouring of sympathy and well wishes. I really felt that people believe my pain and agree that what was done to me was not right. Thank you!
Feb 17, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
This week's front page of the charedi @Mishpacha_M magazine. For too long it has been accepted in charedi society to kick out non-religious kids from home and cut them off from family. This rabbi says: "Shame? To estrange a child that you gave given birth to is far moreshaneful!" Image When I lost my faith 7 years ago I begged my family not to estrange me and that I'd respect their sensitivities and will not break any religious laws around them. That didn't help and the advice of the rabbis was to kick me out and ban me from talking to my siblings.
Jan 9, 2022 • 46 tweets • 10 min read
There has been a bit of a discussion about Yiddish in the community recently, so it's time for a thread on the subject. Buckle up! THREAD: Yiddish - a historical overview and contemporary use.

Preamble: I'm a native speaker of chassidic Yiddish (more below) and a chassidic Yiddish researcher. I work on the first and only research group in the world dedicated to the study of chassidic Yiddish: @HasidicU. 1/
Jan 7, 2022 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
Chassidic Jews don't learn Torah on Christmas (in Yiddish: Nittle). As many chassidim heil from Orthodox Christian countries, many observe this practice on the 7th of January, the Orthodox Christmas. 1/ Chassidic boys are expected to dedicate every hour of the day to prayer and Torah study. For many, Nittle is the only day in the year that they can do other things, such as play board games (pictured). The reason for this practice is given as follows: 2/
Dec 30, 2021 • 25 tweets • 8 min read
THE CHAREDI #METOO MOMENT: ANALYSIS
If you've been living under a rock, see a summary of the tragic events of this week in the thread attached. In this thread we'll try to understand what happened since and why they unfolded in the way they did. /1
No community is immune from bad actors who will exploit the circumstances for their own harmful desires. But the way in which it happens in a given community is unique. In charedi society there are unique factors that shape how abuse happens and is dealt with. /2
Dec 27, 2021 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
Master charedi educationalist and children's author commits suicide following numerous sexual abuse allegations: a concise THREAD 👇 Image Chaim Valder was a towering figure in the charedi education scene. Few charedi child haven't heard his name. We will grew up on his books, which spoke to us about the struggles of childhood and the dangers of the world. One of his stories is about being aware of predators. Image
Dec 16, 2021 • 22 tweets • 6 min read
Male chassidic garb, a THREAD, part II: 👇👇

In part I we looked at general features of male chassidic garb. You can read that thread here:

In this part we'll be taking a deep dive into the specific items of clothing. Buckle up! /1 Image 1. Let's start with underwear. Yep, there is chassidic underwear. It is called גאטשעס\גאטקעס, gatshes/gatkes. It is white and airy and long. Why? So that it shouldn't press or rub onto your penis and cause erection or arousal. /2 Image
Dec 16, 2021 • 26 tweets • 6 min read
I'm on the train to Beautiful Bristol for the first time since graduating in July. I'm so excited! Ain't no Omicron getting in my way.

And I have a treat for you! I will use my time on the train to put together a comprehensive thread on chassidic male garb, pics n' all! Image Chassidic male garb, a THREAD: 👇👇👇

Chassidic male garb is very unique and beautiful, a product of centuries of history and cultural evolution. This comprehensive thread is an introduction to everything you wanted to know or ask about male chassidic garb. /1 Image
Dec 12, 2021 • 20 tweets • 5 min read
What's life like after leaving one of the most insular and religiously-controlling communities in the West?
#ThisOTDLife: a THREAD 👇👇

Pics: me in 2015 vs me now. The Chassidic community is one of the most insular and fundamentalist religious communities in the West. I use those terms descriptively, not judgmentally. It has a unique, rich and beautiful culture and family life, with charitable social services to be envious of. /2
Dec 9, 2021 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
I just spent three full days in family court (through video conference) interpreting between Yiddish/Hebrew and English. Below is a short THREAD with some insights and things I've noticed: 👇👇 2/ First a note on language: chassidic language is strongly gendered. Men speak mainly Yiddish and read/write a lot in Hebrew*. English is often used in business. Women use mainly English for talking, reading and writing. They understand Yiddish but not Hebrew (generalisation).