Recovering from Religion
Being a woman in ultra orthodox Judaism comes with additional challenges. As a young girl you are meant to serve your father and brothers - groomed to be a good wife. When you get married you relinquish even more of your rights and autonomy. In this "Religion Series" RfRx session we will explore the intricacies of Orthodox Judaism.
ThePeoplesJournalist
A Documentary About Jewish Atheists. Created and Produced By David Shuman
Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
Directed by Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady. With Etty, Chani Getter, Ari Hershkowitz, Luzer Twersky. Penetrating the insular world of New York's Hasidic community, focusing on three individuals driven to break away despite threats of retaliation.
Anna Winger, Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch
Created by Anna Winger. With Shira Haas, Amit Rahav, Jeff Wilbusch, Alex Reid. Story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.
Wikipedia
Humanistic Judaism (Hebrew: יהדות הומניסטית Yahadut Humanistit) is a Jewish movement that offers a nontheistic alternative in contemporary Jewish life. It defines Judaism as the cultural and historical experience of the Jewish people. It encourages humanistic and secular Jews to celebrate their Jewish identity by participating in Jewish holidays and lifecycle events (such as weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs) with inspirational ceremonies that draw upon but go beyond traditional literature. Its philosophical foundation includes the following ideas: A Jew is someone who identifies with the history, culture, and future of the Jewish people; Judaism is the historic culture of the Jewish people, and religion is only one part of that culture; Jewish identity is best preserved in a free, pluralistic environment; People possess the power and responsibility to shape their own lives independent of supernatural authority; Ethics and morality should serve human needs, and choices should be based upon consideration of the consequences of actions rather than pre-ordained rules or commandments; Jewish history, like all history, is a human saga, a testament to the significance of human power and human responsibility. Biblical and other traditional texts are the products of human activity and are best understood through archaeology and other scientific analysis. The freedom and dignity of the Jewish people must go hand in hand with the freedom and dignity of every human being.
Lauren Evans
article
Leah Lax
In Uncovered, Leah Lax tells her story - beginning as a young teen who left her liberal, secular home for life as a Hasidic Jew and ending as a 40-something woman who has to abandon the only world she's known for 30 years in order to achieve personal freedom. In understated, crystalline prose, Lax details her experiences with arranged marriage, fundamentalist faith, and motherhood during her years with the Hasidim and explores how her creative, sexual, and spiritual longings simmered beneath the surface throughout her time there. The first memoir to tell of a gay woman who spent years in the Hasidic fold, Uncovered is the moving story of Lax's journey toward finding a home where she truly belongs.
Deborah Feldman
"A remarkable tale" ("Kirkus Reviews"): in the tradition of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's "Infidel "and Carolyn Jessop's "Escape, Unorthodox "is a captivating story about a young woman determined to live her own life at any cost with a new Epilogue from the author. The Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism is as mysterious as it is intriguing to outsiders. In this arresting memoir, Deborah Feldman reveals what life is like trapped within a religious tradition that seems to value silence and suffering over individual freedoms.
Footsteps
Whether you are considering leaving the ultra-Orthodox community or have already begun a new life in the secular world, there is a place for you at Footsteps. We offer programming and resources for people at any stage of the journey. We also welcome formerly ultra-Orthodox people who would like to help others considering or actively making the transition.
Cultural and Secular Jewish Organization
organization
The Forward Organization
Providing education, integration, and support for people leaving the ultra-orthodoxy.
Hillel
Hillel empowers those leaving ultra-Orthodox communities in Israel to build meaningful self-determined lives.
Off the Derech
A place for formerly religious Jews and Jews who are off the 'frum' derech to socialize and discuss current and past issues related to being OTD.
