Among Righteous Men: A Tale of Vigilantes and Vindication in Hasidic Crown… (edition 2011)

This was not a particularly enjoyable read. The so-called "righteous men" are members of competing Jewish vigilante gangs wrapped in cloaks of clanish self-righteous orthodoxy.

This was an interesting book, in the sense that it provides insight into the Lubavitch Hasidic community in Brooklyn. I appreciated the explanation of the religious customs of the Lubavitchers, a group I knew nothing about. I thought the schism between more moderate (a relative term) Lubavitchers and the messianist Lubavitchers was fascinating and also reveals that the community is somewhat fractured despite outward appearances to the contrary. My issues with this book are twofold:

1.) The story itself (the trial of the six Shomrim members) is not actually that interesting. The Shomrim were put on trial for allegedly assaulting several messianists. The assault itself and the subsequent trial aren't really that fascinating, as crime and trial dramas go. I suppose one could argue that the content of the trial isn't relevant; the fact that they went to trial at all (given the fact that intra-community squabbles are supposed to be addressed by the Jewish court and not secular court) is the cogent point. But if you're looking for a compelling courtroom drama, you definitely will not find that here. And even the infighting between the Shomrim and the Shmira won't leave you breathless with anticipation - they essentially chase each other around, and their juvenile harassment of one another is borderline comical to the outsider.

2.) I thought the author seemed to be siding with the Shomrim. I know they were vindicated in trial, but it did seem as though the author's reporting was a little one-sided. I suspect he didn't get a lot of cooperation with the bochurim, but I finished the book feeling as though I didn't get the other side of the story.

All that being said, if you want a brief overview of the Hasidic community, this is a good book to read. Just do not go into it expecting a good cops-and-robbers story or a Law & Order-style courtroom drama. ( )