Comments on: Netflix’s ‘Unorthodox’ degrades Chassidic Jews into caricatures

By: Tim Lynk

Tim Lynk — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:19:07 +0000

Hi Ben.
Thank you for your informative message.
I’m utterly astounded to learn from you that the community in question are actually a branch of Chassidism!
I have heard of the Satmar community, but in Australia I’ve yet to come across them personally.
I had no idea that Chabad is seen globally as more of a fringe group amongst Chassidic communities.
Here in Melbourne if someone is visibly attired as frum, they will most often come from a Chabad or a Lubavitch background.
We do have a fairly small Adass Israel community, who are Hungarian in origin and are quite different from our local reference point of what is a Chassid.
The Adass community from amongst Melbourne Jewry most resemble the lifestyle represented in this mini-series.
I am aware that Vilna is in Lithuania – my mother-in-law came from there.
Thank you for teaching me something new.
🙂

By: Tim Lynk

Tim Lynk — Tue, 05 May 2020 03:45:14 +0000

In reply to Eva Gross. I heartily agree with you Eva, and it is only by calling a spade a spade (as in accepting this frighteningly disturbing portrayal as representative of the way that some of our people actually live) that we stand a chance of maybe reaching a solution to all the problems, which you have so eloquently described.

By: Tim Lynk

Tim Lynk — Tue, 05 May 2020 03:41:20 +0000

In reply to Rabbi Chaim Ingram OAM. Rabbi, with all due respect may I ask how this story, which is written and produced by Jews, based on true events and is sadly a glaringly realistic and meticulous example of a Hareidi community could possibly be anti-Semitic? It may be a an aspect of our people that we find disturbing or even opposed to, but to just label it anti-Semitic is not only inappropriate but is of itself misleading.

By: Ben Joseph

Ben Joseph — Tue, 05 May 2020 02:59:40 +0000

In reply to Tim Lynk.

They most definitely are chassidic, the community of Williamsburg are predominantly Satmar Chassidim (who originally came from Hungary)
Chabad is one OUTLIER in the wider chassidic community and is no way the typical chassidic group.
Talmidim of the Vilna Gaon (as should be quite obvious) originate from Lithuania not Hungary

By: Michael Barnett

Michael Barnett — Mon, 04 May 2020 05:29:09 +0000

In reply to Leon Poddebsky. The series is based on a true story. What more research could one need than real life experience?

By: Michael Barnett

Michael Barnett — Mon, 04 May 2020 02:00:23 +0000

In reply to Eva Gross. Well said.

By: Tim Lynk

Tim Lynk — Sun, 03 May 2020 05:59:04 +0000

I don’t want to appear needlessly argumentative here, but there is a plethora of clear indications that the religious community featured in this series ‘Unorthodox’ were Hareidim and not Chassidic.
Their Yiddish had a clear and distinctive Hungarian accent and they were completely insulated, protected and isolated from all other people (including other Jews) who did not follow their own particular code and come from their own exclusive clique and were also virulently anti-Israel.
The community, which was depicted in this series were Hareidim – ‘Misnagdim’ if you will, who trace their origins back to the Vilna Gaon and are the complete antithesis of the Chassidic ethos.
The entire way of life depicted here is completely foreign to Chassidism in appearance, customs, taboos, dress, world view or accent.
The Chassidic movement traces its’ origins back to the Baal Shem Tov and unlike the Hareidim is typified today by Chabad, whose reputation has been established by reaching out to all others with love, warmth, respect, encouragement and non-judgemental acceptance.
I challenge you to find a Chabad House or a Lubavitch Kihila whose lives are structured in the appallingly ultra-narrow fashion, which is portrayed so clearly in this mini-series.

By: Leon Poddebsky

Leon Poddebsky — Sun, 03 May 2020 01:45:03 +0000

In reply to Michael Barnett.

On the contrary: the author of this review wonders why the makers of this film did not bother to research the reasons that some Jews actually choose to live the Chassidic life. This is a criticism of the film makers’ professional shortcomings, not an attempt to promote religion.
The reviewer’s observation that some non-observant Jews’ hostility to religion stems from a need to justify their own departure from the observant life path, is a valid hypothesis.

By: Rabbi Chaim Ingram OAM

Rabbi Chaim Ingram OAM — Sat, 02 May 2020 09:16:38 +0000

Let’s call this out for what it truly is. Anti-Semitism!

By: Eva Gross

Eva Gross — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:45:24 +0000

Very surprised at this writer”s views
and perspective. This unorthodox orthodox community is in my view very realistically portrayed. The men pray and study all day, with everything else, including earning
an income, in the main left to women. The Torah and other religious scriptures actually talk about men working and the
different types of work, men having to satisfy
their wives sexually etc Instead
they have set up a patriarchal society where women are subjugated, a shtremel is more
important than feeding your family and because
children are cut off from any knowledge
or experience of the outside world, they have no choices, the Hassidic life is forced
on them, to me child abuse. Defining
a woman as unclean when she has her period is irreligious – what Hashem has designed, set up
should not be denigrated and excusing things like domestic violence in terms of pesenting it as Yetzer Hara in inexcusable. Unorthodox actually is mild and restrained as a critiq
of that community AND LET US NOT FORGET
IT IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY.