Sociologists say the ultra-Orthodox group is smaller, but it is growing.

The practices of the more observant Orthodox fall somewhere between those of modern Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox groups.

Berman has also done field work among ultra-orthodox religious groups in Israel.

To the contrary, the ultra-orthodox group is withdrawn from the secular world and mainly instills personal passivity.

Some once-neutral ultra-Orthodox groups sided with Mr. Netanyahu, as did more than 90 percent of religious voters.

Several ultra-orthodox groups such as the Wahhabis, in turn, see themselves as the only truly orthodox groups within Islam.

Instead the food was sold to ultra-Orthodox groups and the arrested are suspected of pocketing those funds.

In the months that followed, the ultra-Orthodox group with the unorthodox beliefs received threatening phone calls at its synagogue.

The ultra-Orthodox group, which traces its roots to Satmar, Romania, represented a large population gain for the town.

Most of the larger colonies that still exist are operated by Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups.