Reviews

• A Gripping portrayal of the realities facing hassidim that lose their faith. In his free-flowing writing style, the author is reliving his journey from a mainstream orthodox childhood, through to one of the more cloistered Hassidic denominations, marrying into it only to gradually breach the wall of censorship and blind faith. Confronted with a larger worldview, it leads to a gradual and almost inevitable disintegration of the social structure the system scripted, for the 19 year old him, charted out for the rest of his life. His arranged marriage collapses and in its wake, communally orchestrated moves are driving a creeping but steady alienation from his children as their lifestyles drift further and further apart. Its a harrowing tale of dogma vs human rights, testing the limits of religious freedoms vs self determination for children caught in a cultural cross current. I couldn't help but wonder how such a masterfully live narrative would inform current social thinking, on the general issue of depriving children from a general education and from critical social tools.

• A jornada tortuosa de um homem criado em uma comunidade de judeus ultraortodoxos (Skverer), que descobre já adulto não se encaixar naquele mundo. Em conflito com a fé e com as regras que regem a comunidade, o autor busca aconselhamento com seu rabino, que o instrui a "procurar em seu coração": "I looked inside my heart and discovered there was no truth, anywhere, not inside my heart and not outside it, only the scalding furnace in which my beliefs were now smoldering embers.” O autor segue em sua jornada de autoconhecimento, e seu relato não aparenta caráter de vingança ou de reprimenda, apenas uma constatação de aquele não era seu lugar. Lindamente escrito! Recomendo fortemente a leitura, uma pena que não tenha sido traduzido para o português.

• I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. Fascinating insight into Orthodox Judaism. Wow. Highly recommend.

• This book is the personal story of a very religious divorced jewish husband and father, who suddenly chose to live a normal secular life in New York City. The book offers many helpful insights for a better understanding of the Hasidic communities, although I'm not sure what the author is trying to say. Maybe his message is to warn of the consequences of an ill-considered abandonment of a close community. At least the title is suggesting that, because "those who go, do not return". A more or less sad and very moving story, that made me think about the relationship between secular society and religious communities.

• I enjoyed this book so much. I couldn't put it down, yet I had to because I didn't want it to finish. It made me think about the problems with all religions and the main theme being blind faith and all the problems and issues that it brings to the fore. Plus it was very sad, for a man who was conflicted yet had a family and 5 children and his issues with the faith vs his marriage and family, and being shunned. Why the children have to be punished and all that is associated with that, is just so wrong. So much wrong is done in the name of religion and blind faith. This applies to all fundamentalists ideologies associated with religion. Once again it's a form of control, perpetuated by sheer ignorance. The world has moved on but most religions have not. This is the fault. This and Unorthodox were eye openers. This book was far more superior, but both were deeply shocking. 2 authors I would definitely like to invite to dinner. This is now on the top of my list of exceptional writing.

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