This Mom Lost Custody Of Her Children After Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Community | Megyn Kelly TODAY 

here after watching unorthodox and then one of us on netflix

I hope her children grow up and decide to have a relationship with her. She is a worthy mother.

Again, with freedom of religion, it makes me angry that she isn't allowed to contact her kids. Every Mother, who is not endangering her kids physically or psychologically, should have a custody rights to their children.

26 and 7 kids!!!!! so sad and such a vile abuse of women, ironically in the name of god. no God would want this.

I totally understand her pain. I lost custody of my son in an abusive situation because the father's parents have a lot of money and are willing to spend it, but I don't have the resources or support to protect my son or myself. My 4-year old is growing up without a mother who loves and adores him with all of her heart because of the abuse. I haven't seen him in over 2 years. I have nightmares every single night about this, and I wake up to continually find that the nightmare is real. There is nothing that I can do to save my son becausee my hands are tied. I know he is growing up in an abusive situation, and that abuse is normalized in his upbringing--but I can't save or protect him, I tried to, but that just made the abuse worse. I even went to jail for standing up to abuse. I know that I'm not alone in having a child in abusive circumstances, and that I'm not the only victim of legal child custody abuse, and I appreciate those who are able to come forward to bring light to these situations. Whatever criticism and backlash that this fellow mom receives, I understand what she's going through, and I know it's not her fault. If she or I could open a magic door and make everything right, I know that we both would.

The worst part of this is ,that is happening in NYC. We only have eyes for Afganistan or Saudi Arabia .

Poor woman and poor kids. She didn’t give up her kids they were taken.

Freedom is the best thing a person can have. Nobody must feel that life is a jail.

Spitting image of Mayim Bialik!!

I am sorry to all girls, women and children suffering from this horrible abuse...

How is this even legal? the judge should be investigated

This type of abuse should be illegal. These children are deprived from a proper education, and the tools needed to live full lives. This happens with the Amish too. It should be illegal. A right to religious freedom should not overpower the right to the pursuit of happiness. Without education and tools, and being forced to stay there, there are no choices. The options are not there. To me, this functions as a cult. It should be outlawed. It also gives a bad name to Judaism, which is a beautiful religion when not used to basically inflict trauma into new generations.

She needs to write a book ASAP!!! Her life story is amazing

Absolutely heart breaking, hope she's doing okay and her children are safe

She looks a lot better from the documentary "one of us" was made. Good for her. Wishing her all the happiness and best as her life and she continues to grow.

I saw the documentary. No one should lose their financial security, their ability to take care of their children, and be so browbeat that they give up, nor should they be abused by the husband and the community. The courts need to not favor a religious type cult over a mother or father. Having 7 children from 18 to 26 is harmful to the body, she probably suffered from post partum depression.

He was out of the home--learning. Nice life for the men in her former world.

Wow she really looks like the actress on the big bang theory. You are very courageous for sharing your story.

Sending out so much love to Etty! She is so brave and strong!

Woman of all faiths must ban together to protect and defend each other.

I don’t understand how the US family court works. Where is the voice of the child in all of this? Do the children not have their own solicitors? How can she have supervised contact when she has not abused the children? What is in the best interest of the children??

I am chasidik and ettys story is shocking to me. i am married for 8 years and from the day I got married we said "I love you" and yes! marriage was and still is about love.

Etty, I hope you live a healthy, full, happy and satisfying life. You deserve it! We support you!

I have so much empathy for her. I wish her healing and happiness.

Write a book beautiful lady! Mayim Bialik could play you in the film!

Umm.. Excuse me if I'm wrong but I don't think a snowman has anything to do with Christianity 😑

How can we help Etty and others escaping such extremism !We can't allow a mother to lose her children because she will not submit to a life she does not want!Is this America!? How can this happen in the land of the "free" ?! Can't any lawyer help this mother out? This is a Travesty and this judge should resign!

The consequences sound like that squirrelling crap they do to people in Scientology 😨

Etty you are so brave, strong and courageous to tell your story publicly. Thank you for sharing. Your babies will always be your kids - whatever happens. One day they will know how much you love/d them and fought for them. With a heart full of pain and hope too. Lots of love xxxx from a mum who had her baby girl taken away too from the Hasidic community in the UK but eventually got her back.

You have seven children and he’s never kissed you?!!! I would have stabbed him the second time he tried to enter me.

Just watched One of Us and this woman was absolutely treated unfairly by the courts. Clearly, patriarchy and misogyny are rampant in the Hasidic community. I hope when each of her children turn 18, they return to her!!

As an Orthodox Jew this is disgusting , horrifying, I’m so sorry for her this should have never happened, it’s not always like this I’m so sorry for her.

The Brooklyn court system is one of the most corrupt in America, if not the world. So many judges, law guardians and clerks are paid hoards of cash under the table to render favorable judgements for the paying parties. In the case of Hasidic community, they are very strong and have a lot of pull in the “in-justice” system and courts rule in their favour without any regard for the pain it inflicts. In this woman’s case, although she completely left the ways her children grew up with, the harassment and bullying she had to endure are precisely what pushed her out

" because the community power and financial POWER they have in the Court ". as a result. she lost the custody of her children.. so where's the law ?????!!!!!!!!!!!!... sleeping ?, or the law only applies to certain People/Cases ??!!.

What a traumatic story. My heart goes out to her. I can’t imagine how hard it was and still is for her. She would be a great mother and deserves her kids back. What a disgusting story.

One of Us is an AMAZING documentary that I encourage everyone to watch.

I had the same situation only I got full custody of my children.

7 kids by 26 years old 😬 I’m glad she’s doing better now

I'm 18, and I just left the Hasidic community by leaving to go to college. It's been a real struggle and stories like Etty's are so common to me unfortunately. It makes me cry watching this and realizing that I am out and lost a whole community and world and everyone I knew. Many of my former friends look at me like a pity case and completely shunned me from their lives. It hurts but freedom is worth it for me. I am so lucky that I managed to get out before I was married off- I was terrified out of my wits of that happening.

wow such a powerful story. I hope you find the happiness you deserve Etty

She is such a beautiful and very brave young woman who just wanted to get out of an abusive marriage. I really don't know how you can treat someone like that. It's really a good thing that she got out of there before he killed her. I really wish her nothing but the very best her the rest of her life.

Such a hard life and too take children away is so sad

The community paid that judge, so sad. I’m so proud of her, God bless her always 🙏🏻

Brave lady.God Bless.😍 her.l hope she gets her children back.

Etty you are really brave first to get help when you were struggling with mental health and then leaving him. You would fight cancer so it's ok to fight for your mental health. Stay strang!! We are praying for you and your children.

this is to the ex husband and his laywer,,,,,,,I BELIEVE HER,,,,,,

My heart goes out to this women! All those years of abuse no doubt affected her! Praying for her because we all deserve peace which can only come from God!

I am sorry this is happening to you Etty....most of us recognize that you were overwhelmed, depressed....there appears that you were not treated with love and respect in your marriage, at 18 yrs old a person is still a child, and to be forced into a marriage with a stranger, that is what he was, a stranger who you only met twice.....I offer you my prayers

Etty, all the power to you. Blessings!

Anyone who has been in a verbal/physically abusive relationship knows how it feels. It's stay and think of self harm everyday or break free.

I pray that she gets her children back and the help to keep those monsters away from her and the children. She's a beautiful, brave young woman to talk about this terrible thing that she's going through. Please will someone help her get her children back and away from them

The interviews on this show seem to be very shallow and short. Never in-depth.

The movie is a great documentary. Hopefully you find happiness. God bless you.

26 yrs. Old with 7 kids...dayuummm...

I worked for an orthodox psychologist in my internship. She was suppose to pay us with a stipen at the end of the internship. She totally stiffed all of us and got away with it and moved to Israel. She used the orthodox community against us so we couldnt get her. Gods people, my @ss.

she looks like Mayim Bialik?

Etty, you're one of us! I'm so sorry to hear your story. I can't put it out of my mind. What happened to you and your family is terrible. What you experienced in not Judaism. Unhappy marriages that are purely based on reproduction is not a Jewish value. Not everyone is the Hasidic community experiences Judaism the way you did. I wish you a happy life and inner peace!

Usually in these abusive situations you are cut off financially and they have unlimited finances. You have no way to provide for your children.

The judge has a lot to answer for. 😢 Shameful

We deal with similar stories in the community where I live, Colorado City Arizona, home of the FLDS.

Is this in Newyork? I would expect this story to happen in somewhere there is no law. Where is the support System? Who protects this woman? Or do we close our eyes for the sake of religion?

A strong, powerful and courageous woman. Thank you for sharing your story.

This is a very strong woman who did the absolute right thing and I wish more woman in those communities step forward.

So ridiculous that the judge ruled in that way

This documentary is amazing

I was born and raised in NY. Ever since I was a child, I always heard these horendous stories about the Jewish community in Brooklyn. Not only from regular folk but from Hasidic residents that left the community. It's sad. I don't think they're bad people but there's definitely something not right within this religion. It does have similarities with cult's.

This comment section is half ultra-orthodox trolls, half people who notice a resemblance with the big bang theory girl.

Snow men are Christian?? I missed that part of the New Testament.

the music is too loud it makes it difficult to understand what she is saying

Saudi Arabia is right here in NY and you’re fighting it overseas. LoL I can’t believe this is happening right here !!

IMAGINE A WORLD... WITHOUT RELIGION!

Love Etty. She's such a strong woman. I have so much respect for her. Growing up in that community, how COULD she know anything about ... well, anything really. The Hasidim live such a sheltered life for the most part. And with Etty, she spent her first 18 years learning about nothing, more or less, and her next 8 years being reduced to baby factory. But it's obvious how strong she is when you see her talk now.

My immediate thought when I saw the thumbnail was why is Blossom losing her kids...and why are they calling her "this Mom?"

The more stories like Ettys I hear, I dare say religion often turns one person into an abusive sadistic monster against another. The more religious the group is, the more likely the group will build a fort like wall to keep themselves safe and free from legal intervention. This has to change in the US. Maybe the freedom of worship right has to have considerably more stringent dos and don'ts, more checks to protect everyone. I wish Etty a good life.

As the great Christopher Hitchens used to say “With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil - that takes religion.”

Bless you Etty.. and your children!!!!!

The courage of Etty is so inspiring. She's becoming a light in her children's mind that they will pass to their own children. That's how you make this world a better place.

How can this go on in nyc? I can’t believe they took her kids. I just watched the doc she was in on Netflix and it’s heartbreaking to see the way those that choose to leave get ostracized. Those in most need of support have none. What did she do that warranted having her children taken from her??

Wow this woman is very brave!!! Wish her the best!

The documentary 'One of us', is one of the best and most interesting documentaries I have ever watched. It is not just about Etty, but also about a man who wanted to be an actor and a boy who was molested. The best thing about this documentary is, is that it is made with respect for the Hasidic community.

My heart goes out to her. I wish her the best outcome that possibility can be.

What a cool, articulate woman.

I wish this lady the best and that she wants for nothing. She needs truly benevolent care and support.

Thank you for covering this story! As an orthodox woman I am so happy you are shedding light on the more extreme and abusive parts of our community! We need change

I felt on this documentary a few months ago and was hoping for an update and now coincidentally found this video and immediately recognised her (even tho she changed looks). I'm so happy for her and seeing her moving forward. -coming from a former Hasiddic jew with a similar story.

And we thought slavery was over in America.

My heart goes out to this woman, it sounds like she went through such a rough patch. She is not mentioning how her childhood was, if she was depressed then too. I can see how some individuals will go all out because she went out but this personal definitely does not define chasidim or Orthodox Jews as a whole

That judge ought to be investigated. Eddy you are a strong woman. Good luck to you.

They did to her what the Nazi did to her people. Does anybody see the total madness of that community and cult?

heartbreaking what this beautiful lady went through

Same story of a girl from the UK..Her husband from Vienna did everything to destroy her+take her children away from her.Heartbreaking!

Can't believe she lost in the courts! Courts overwhelmingly favour mothers over fathers. It's such a sad story! Hopefully she will see her children when they are older and can understand!

Snowmen are NOT secular, that is just a real stretch of the imagination. I feel so bad for this woman but at the same time I so admire her strength. She needed to leave all she knew to save her own life. She really is a rockstar!! I wish her so much peace, love and happiness in her future. If she looses her bid to have contact with her children, I hope that someday her children understand why she had to do what she did and they give her a chance at a relationship with them, even if it’s when they become adults. It’s never too late to connect with family. ❤️

Doppelganger of Mayim Bialik. 👭

Good luck to you. I do hope your children will understand and love you as much as you love them. Hope you have a good life.

Thank you Megyn Kelly for this report. I think you are doing a great job at Megyn Kelly TODAY. I watch you on RU-vid and I subscribed today. I wish the best to this young woman that has been through so much suffering.

Wow 7 kids that young how scary this must have been for you

The Hasidic Community is powerful because they’re united. Any community WOULD be powerful (i.e., have resources, an abundance of moral support etc.), if they remained united. It’s unfortunate, but I am sure that her ex (didn’t only use her decision to “terminate the marriage” against her), used her sexual orientation, the fact that she saw a therapist for depression & anxiety, and her lack of income as a result of the way they’re raised, to his advantage. Such a sad story. 😔 BTW, “26 years old with 7 children?”: Any woman would be experiencing “BURN-OUT”! I hope (for her sake, but especially for the sake of the children) that she will eventually begin to play a more vital role in their lives.

7 kids and not even getting kisses from your husband? That makes me so sad.☹

The way she was abused and the way the children were taken from their mother they will never recover from that trauma of separation. This shows me that the hasidic religion has a very dark side and it really damages people. Many of the extreme religious groups are more to do with power and control than they are about love and religion.