Template: Featured article 06 20

From New World Encyclopedia
Featured Article: Rumspringa

Two Amish girls in traditional attire
Rumspringa, translates from German dialects into English as "jumping or running around." It is a rite of passage during adolescence, used in some Amish communities. The Amish, a sub-sect of the Anabaptist Christian movement, intentionally segregate themselves from other communities as a part of their faith. The rumspringa experience allows teenagers to spend some time to experience life outside their community. It is also a time during which courtship occurs, often leading to the decision to marry. For Amish youth, the Rumspringa normally begins at age 16 and ends when a youth chooses either to be baptized in the Amish church or to leave the community.