There are thousands of religions in this world, and among them, Hasidic Judaism is the most conservative. Throughout history, Hasidism has not strayed from the rules and rituals of the 18th century. From clothing to food, everything about Hasidic daily life is geared towards getting closer to God. There are numerous Hasidic groups around the world, and the largest population is found in New York. Hasidic people live in small towns full of members of the same group, and they all look to their rebbe for guidance. The rebbe or rabbi is the teacher of his followers and is responsible for inspiring his people. Hasidic people must live by the 613 commandments of the Torah every day. Hasidic history, scholarship, clothing, food, and communities demonstrate that Hasidic Judaism is the most conservative and orthodox branch of the religion for its time. Hasidic Judaism came into the world around the 18th century. During this period many Jews sought a new approach to their Jewish life. Baal Shem Tov is the founder of Hasidic Judaism. He encouraged uneducated and disadvantaged people to focus on mysticism and be more emotional. One must be: “Less focused on gaining knowledge and more focused on feeling exhilarated” (http://judaism.about.com); this was one of Baal's primary objectives. From this, Hasidic Judaism was created; the successors of Baal or a rebbe/rabbi headed different groups or courts, which derived from the original form of Hasidism. The United States was introduced to Hasidism through immigration. During the 1940s and 1950s Hasidism flourished, bringing more and more Hasidic courts. The rapid growth of Hasidic courts made New York known for having one of the largest populations of Hasidic Jews in...... middle of paper......S. PBS and Web. March 12, 2014. .PBS. PBS and Web. March 13, 2014. Robinson, George. Essential Judaism: A Comprehensive Guide to Beliefs, Customs, and Rituals. New York: Pocket, 2000. Print. Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish literacy: the most important things to know about the Jewish religion, its people and its history. New York: W. Morrow, 1991. Print. “The Jewish Outreach Institute.” The Jewish Outreach Institute. Np, nd Web. March 14, 2014. “Ultra-Orthodox Judaism.” About.com Judaism. Np, nd Web. March 12, 2014. .>."What is Kabbalah?" - The soul of Judaism. Np, nd Web. March 13. 2014. .