The existence of a Haredi Press is not self-explanatory. In this unique society, any press has always been the object of harsh criticism. During this course, we will discuss the circumstances that led to the development of a Haredi press – first in Europe and later in the British Mandate era and in the State of Israel. We will also analyze the objectives of the Haredi press and describe its different types (daily, weekly and monthly newspapers, journals, etc.). As part of the analysis we will examine its similarities and differences with respect to the common secular press. Finally, we will understand the trends in the development of the Haredi press throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Special emphasis will be placed on how the Haredi press has dealt with various modern topics, including public issues that were important both for the Israeli state in general and Haredi-Israeli society in particular. Among the issues that will be discussed are: the Haredi attitude toward secular Jews; their relation to Israel and the Israeli culture; religious Zionism; the memory of the Jewish Holocaust; the status of women in modern times; military service in the IDF; the integration into the labor market of the Haredi population; the issue of civil marriage in Israel; the issue of abandoned wives who cannot remarry (Agunah) or Mesorevet Get; and other important issues as far as the time permits.