Becoming Frum

SARAH BUNIN BENOR is an associate professor of contemporary Jewish studies at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. She has published and lectured widely on sociolinguistics, Jewish languages, and Orthodox Jews.

• List of FiguresList of TablesPrefaceAcknowledgmentsTranscription Conventions1. Introduction: Orthodox Jews and Language Socialization2. "Now You Look Like a Lady": Adventures in Enthnographic and Sociolinguistic Fieldwork3. "He Has Tzitzis Hanging Out of His Ponytail": Orthodox Cultural Practices and How BTs Adapt Them4. "This Is Not What to Record": Yiddish, Hebrew, and the English of Orthodox Jews5. "Torah or Toyrah": Language and the Modern Orthodox Black Hat Continuum6. "Just Keepin' It Real, Mamish": Why Ba'alei Teshuva Adopt (or Avoid) Orthodox Language7. "I Finally Got the Lingo": Progression in Newcomers' Acquisition of Orthodox Language8. "A Ba'al Teshuva Freak": Distinguishing Practies of Newly Orthodox Jews9. Matisyahu and My Fair Lady: Reflections on Adult Language SocializationNotesBibliographyIndex

"Benor's engaging and innovative study of language and identity surprises, delights, and educates. Becoming Frum is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand Jewish language and culture today." - Mary Bucholtz (department of lingustics, University of California, Santa Barbara) “Becoming Frum offers a nuanced visual and sound portrait of Orthodox Jewish life, enabling us to hear the way individuals’ identities evolve.”- Samuel Heilman (department of sociology, Queens College, CUNY) "This volume by Benor is a sociolinguistic study of non-Orthodox Jews becoming frum (religious) by returning to the beliefs and practices of Orthodox Jewish life. Nine well-researched chapters underscore the state of hesitation, decision, and action of returnees. Becoming Frum encodes dress change, eating habits, social outlook, and an impressive array of 'dos and don'ts' that will identify the newly observant. Very informative is Benor's investigative scrutiny of frumster speech (religious Yinglish). This is a strong ethnographic study of issues and lessons related to becoming religiously Orthodox observant. Recommended."(Choice) "Benor does a superb job of enhancing our understanding of the complex process of cultural change and language socialization that individuals go through as they become observant." (Jewish Link)