10 THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE AMISH:

1. It's wrong to talk about "the Amish." There are many different Amish subgroups (more than 40 different subgroups nationally and at least 12 in Pennsylvania) with diverse practices.

2. The Lancaster Amish are bigger than Lancaster. They have daughter and affiliated communities in 10 other Pennsylvania counties and in six other states.

3. The newest (2010) state to welcome an Amish settlement is South Dakota.

4. The Amish wedding season in November is a unique Lancaster thing. In many other Amish communities across North America people marry between September and June.

5. The national Amish population now tops a quarter of a million (250,000).

6. Although Amish people speak the Pennsylvania German dialect, they typically read and write in English. Church publications, prayer books, bible and historical writings are printed in older German, equivalent to Shakespeare English.

7. No offerings are collected in Amish church services. Twice a year at their communion services, members are encouraged to contribute to the congregation's alms fund.

8. Lancaster Amish leaders in collaboration with the staff of Philhaven medical Center (near Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania) established a state-of-the-art facility (Green Pastures) that provides mental health treatment for Amish patients from several states.

9. Some Amish families go to Mexico for medical treatment.

10. Amish entrepreneurs are developing solar industries and selling/installing solar systems to both Amish and non-Amish customers.

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