Gideon Aran is a professor of sociology and anthropology at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He is the author, most recently, of The Smile of the Human Bomb: New Perspectives on Suicide Terrorism.

An illuminating work... The book's text testifies to the depth of his penetration of the intra-organizational discourse and the thinking guiding its members. The result is a brilliant study that exposes the reader to a new Jewish-Haredi subgroup and its beliefs, customs and rites.

• Preface 1. Hell: The Arena of Suicide Terrorism from a Zero RangePart I: Introducing ZAKA: Roots, Context, Composition, Dynamics2. Fascination with Unnatural death: Past and Present 3. Culture and Personality of Horrific Death Specialists 4. Torah Study vs. Deathwork 5. New Torah: Terrorism-Centered Sacred Norms Part II: Themes in the Anthropology and Sociology of ZAKA6. Strange pairings 7. God-Fearing Acrobats8. The Spell of Tearing the Body Apart; The Magic of Piecing the Body Together 9. Pious Counterterrorism Epilogue: Headhunting, Smiles, and Human Sacrifice EndnotesIndex

Gideon Aran is a professor of sociology and anthropology at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He is the author, most recently, of The Smile of the Human Bomb: New Perspectives on Suicide Terrorism.

An illuminating work... The book's text testifies to the depth of his penetration of the intra-organizational discourse and the thinking guiding its members. The result is a brilliant study that exposes the reader to a new Jewish-Haredi subgroup and its beliefs, customs and rites.

• Preface 1. Hell: The Arena of Suicide Terrorism from a Zero RangePart I: Introducing ZAKA: Roots, Context, Composition, Dynamics2. Fascination with Unnatural death: Past and Present 3. Culture and Personality of Horrific Death Specialists 4. Torah Study vs. Deathwork 5. New Torah: Terrorism-Centered Sacred Norms Part II: Themes in the Anthropology and Sociology of ZAKA6. Strange pairings 7. God-Fearing Acrobats8. The Spell of Tearing the Body Apart; The Magic of Piecing the Body Together 9. Pious Counterterrorism Epilogue: Headhunting, Smiles, and Human Sacrifice EndnotesIndex

Gideon Aran is a professor of sociology and anthropology at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He is the author, most recently, of The Smile of the Human Bomb: New Perspectives on Suicide Terrorism.

An illuminating work... The book's text testifies to the depth of his penetration of the intra-organizational discourse and the thinking guiding its members. The result is a brilliant study that exposes the reader to a new Jewish-Haredi subgroup and its beliefs, customs and rites.

• Preface 1. Hell: The Arena of Suicide Terrorism from a Zero RangePart I: Introducing ZAKA: Roots, Context, Composition, Dynamics2. Fascination with Unnatural death: Past and Present 3. Culture and Personality of Horrific Death Specialists 4. Torah Study vs. Deathwork 5. New Torah: Terrorism-Centered Sacred Norms Part II: Themes in the Anthropology and Sociology of ZAKA6. Strange pairings 7. God-Fearing Acrobats8. The Spell of Tearing the Body Apart; The Magic of Piecing the Body Together 9. Pious Counterterrorism Epilogue: Headhunting, Smiles, and Human Sacrifice EndnotesIndex