One of the most visible—and one of the most unexpected—trends in the Jewish world in recent years has been the growth of Charedi Judaism, that is, of what is often described as “Ultra Orthodox Judaism”, by Jews who practise the most stringent forms of Orthodox Judaism to the letter, live in what might be termed closed communities, dress distinctively, and as far as possible isolate themselves from the outside world and its secular trends. (The term “Charedi”, meaning God-fearing, will generally be used here, and occasionally “Strictly Orthodox”, as neutral terms. The term “Ultra Orthodox” will not be used.) The…