Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots

Unorthodox is a memoir by Deborah Feldman about her departure from the Satmar sect of Hasidic Judaism. Growing up in this strictly religious community, Feldman was subject to extensive rules governing her clothing, social interactions, and reading materials. Despite these constraints, she developed independent thinking, finding inspiration in literary characters from Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott and imagining a different life in Manhattan. As a teenager, Feldman was placed in a marriage to a man she barely knew. The marriage was sexually and emotionally unfulfilling, creating tension between her personal desires and her expected role within her community. After giving birth at nineteen, she decided to leave her religious sect and build a new life for herself and her son. The memoir includes a new epilogue by the author.