Deborah Feldman discusses her memoir UNORTHODOX 

I just read your book this weekend- and I was amazed that as a former Yeshivish woman who was thrown into that way off life due to my former marriage- that the intimacy issues in your book was part- of the problems I had in my horrible marriage that lasted more than a decade- you were so right to get out after 5 years of suffering.I wish i had left sooner both my marriage and that level of judasim. But as the saying goes better late than never!! i would love to discuss my experiences with you to know I am not alone with my issues. Thanks for making me feel that way by your book.

Just read Unorthodox. Loved it! Deborah, you are a warrior!

Beautiful story, beautiful woman.

I’ve read and talked to a lot of members and former members of her sect and they actually tell a different story. Her book is highly sensationalized and most of it an outright lie.

I have not seen the Netflix series yet, but I did read the book when it 1st came out. DF sounds very articulate in this clip but her "voice" in the book is MUCH different. I cannot comment on the accuracy of her assertions. But, a memoir is one's own accounting of their life as THEY see it. Although I found the book to be highly sensational & mean spirited, I believe she portrays her life as SHE HERSELF sees it. I believe Ms. Feldman remains emotionally damaged from the dysfunction of her CIRCUMSTANCES. She is not a poster child for the Hasidic community and CERTAINLY not for the Torah Observing community at large. Let's see people as individuals, not labels. DF does NOT disclose some pertinent details in her interviews (I saw many when the book was 1st published). She came from a HIGHLY dysfunctional family & was not raised by her biological parents. But her adopted family was also HIGHLY dyfunctional as was her former husband and HIS family. Dysfunction breeds dysfunction. When mentally & emotionally unstable individuals perpetrate that to the next generation, there is very little chance of emotionally healthy development. As a college educated professional Orthodox Jewish woman I know that her experience was DEFINITELY not typical--even among the Hasidic community. IMHO, if DF really wanted to approach her transition out (of the Hasidic community) in a healthy way, she could have sought out religious education/help/guidance from other factions of the Orthodox community to ascentain if her experience was reflective of Torah in general. There are MANY services, counseling, etc for those who have suffered abuse, etc or EVEN those who simply have questions about faith. Her instincts told her that she needed help & there must be "more to life" than what she was experiencing. But, instead of pursuing a deeper understanding of Torah, she chose to throw it all away. That seems to be a very immature way of dealing with problems. A Torah education is as close as the internet & the public library--certainly in NYC--IF she wanted it. Instead of acquiring knowledge & perspective, she wanted an excuse and support to throw it all away--and clearly she has found it.