Unorthodox The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots: Deborah Feldman

My thoughts as I read this book is how amazingly strong this woman must be to leave her community knowing there will be backlash from not only the extremists in her community but her family as well. I checked out her blog and was so happy to see how she is not bitter about the hate mail she probably receives, but that she uses her intelligence to point out that her Hasidic community will collapse and she just wants to better life and provide opportunities for those trapped. Her book was eye opening and inspiring about all cult like religions who shun education knowing the educated will leave. It starts with her childhood and how she came to be raised by her grandparents then moves through her life as she realizes door after door is closed to her by religious restrictions. The section with her marriage and how she is blamed for not consummating it was so primitive it was laughable, yet irritating. I am proud of her for making a better life for her son and hope she finds the peace and happiness she has lived without.