One of Us

You must first watch "Unorthodox" if you don't have ANY idea about the ultra orthodox Jewish community. What I always say is that the holocaust was the worst thing that EVER happened to this planet. I'm obsessed with that . I watch all the films , read a lot of book of survivors and also visited Auschwitz. Everytime my heart is broken. The most heartbreaking event made by people . I'm a Greek Orthodox Christian but i love all people no matter of their religion. We are all people. If im giving my view on the ultra orthodox Jewish community is that it's too much. It seems they can't leave behind what happened. I not saying to forgot , no one will EVER forgot what happened, but to live the future with no fear and no hiding. I'm really sorry .. this is what I see. People afraid to live like they used too because they fear the more they involve in the modern world then more chances are that something horrific will happen again . But then I remember the holocaust.. Can anyone blame them ?

My heart goes out to these people. As a mother my heart breaks for the mother and her children. I also feel sad for what happened to the young man who was raped. It so sad to feel that you have no voice. That you cannot speak out against oppression for fear that you would lose everything. You're the victims and yet you are outcast. My heart goes out to you all. Very moving show. Thank you for sharing your truths. I know it must've been very hard. I pray that your children come to you when they grow up, and know that you did everything you could to be with them and keep them safe.

I thought I knew enough about Hasidic Judaism before watching this documentary, but it turns out I was very wrong. I cannot understand how the state of New York allows children to be provided with an inadequate education that is solely religious and leaves them so ignorant they are entirely unable to provide a living for themselves so that they become reliant on welfare as adults. This should never be acceptable. It makes breaking free all but impossible, which as far as I'm concerned, makes this particular religious community a cult. It leaves those born into it without choices and without the human rights guaranteed under the U.S. constitution. I also cannot understand how these people can be allowed to have their own civil courts so that children can be handed over to an abusive parent who had his estranged wife run down by someone in a car who had been stalking her for months! Her only crime was that she was no longer willing to put up with the physical abuse of her children and herself by her husband and had him removed from her home with a restraining order. And who taught him to be physically abusive? No doubt it was his parents...it seems that physical abuse of children is what goes on in these communities. And sexual abuse of children is allowed to happen with impunity and the victims are never given or permitted to seek any kind of treatment or therapy, even as adults...they are left to think of it as their own fault and suffer in silence. I think this documentary was long long overdue and I commend the three subjects for having the courage to tell their stories, especially Etty. As a parent and grandparent, I cannot even begin to imagine how painful her experience was to go through. I wish she could have sued the community in a state civil court on behalf of her children to protect them from their father's abuse. They deserve better. Children are nobody's property! They are human beings deserving of kindness, respect, and above all else, love!

"One of Us" is a documentary about some folks who have become disenchanted with the Hessidic Jewish community...a group in which blind obedience is expected. For example, one lady was horribly abused by her Hessidic husband...but the community has banded together to fight her in her attempt to retain custody of her kids. Another was raped at a Hessidic camp as a child...and left because the community refused to take any action and the pedophile is still apparently in this position! Another discontended man is shown...a man who had to literally walk away from his wife and kids because he was not willing to blindly follow the group's every requirement...such as not reading books, using the internet or having anything else to do with the outside world. The way the community work together to suppress these folks and disempower them is frightening...especially since local government (New York City) seems unwilling to deal with the physical and sexual abuse and the abuse of custody laws. Overall, a very sad and depressing documentary that should be seen...as it shows a side of America that seems, well, un-American.

Straight out cult controlling the information in and out. Just like many cults it seems the womens rights are non existent. Its outright criminal to control any human being , deny education and basic living freedoms. USA is the heart of backwards in many ways. This cult should be shut down as it is not any part of multiculturalism.

That the answer is never going to be "out there", but within themselves. They have certain obstacles to overcome from the religious brainwashing, but it will only be harder if they keep looking to the outside world or other people for happiness. That is the key to integration into modern society and just being plain old happy, realizing it's within you and not some random community you were assigned to at birth. Kind of a downer that no one in the documentary told them this and they would go on going in wrong directions.

Great look inside stories that should be heard. However,it is very incorrect in basic facts which for a documentary are real make it or break it. It is a beautiful look into the lives of those who are struggling inside and out some of the most ultra hasidic communities. However the information provided about the hasidic world,sectors,groups and all aspects of their lives, Religion views of each of these groups and so on are simply not correct. Aside from this influencing the stories of those who should be heard,it also gives a very unrealistic vibe for anyone with knowledge about the Jewish world. Wrapping up dozens of different hasidic communities into the the term "hasidic world" "views" or even "religious laws" is poor reasearch and/or understanding at best if not tendentious. And that's what makes a dacumentry good or bad. Seeing as this is a documentary,well,it's pretty bad. Perhaps calling it "Leaving the Satmar world" (a cult like hasidic sect) Which according to the stories they all indeed were part of,would make this a 10 star review.

Firstly, this documentary had excellent music in it... I grew up in a Pentecostal Christian Church which is kind of the equivalent of Hasidism. I know EXACTLY what these people are going through and their stories need to be told. This documentary captures the lack of humanity when an insulated community isolates people who break their rules.

I have read several books on this topic, and each time I start "one of these books" (With two notable exceptions) I close it in sheer disgust. The story-line can always be summed up as "my excuse for leaving and why it's all your fault". A reasonable person might wonder why I cannot resist reading such books, and apparently watching this movie at 2:00AM. The simple answer is, that I am half a generation older than the authors, yet quietly, before it became popular to rebel, walked my path in silence and anonymity, away from the hell of my youth, to the lonely abyss of my adulthood. (Unfinished business) To be clear I was not raised a Chosid. just a simple "Yeshivish Jewish man". Several have suggested I pen my story. I do not intend to, as I do not think myself capable of an unbiased presentation. I love my creator, yet I struggle to keep some of the mitzvot. Daily I make an effort to turn my will and my life over to god, but can never entirely shake some of the chains of my youth. Religion still leaves a sour taste in my mouth… getting better daily... Enough about me!!! The reason for this review is that in my opinion, this movie is FAIR, presenting both the beauty of the orthodox community life, and the underbelly of abuse that permeates through our society, made all the worse, by the "god complex" of SOME rabbis. Most importantly the movie does not make excuses. Even Ari who was clearly traumatized by being molested, does not use this childhood occurrence as an excuse for his future choices. One must be a fool not to realize the obvious correlation, as a reason for his life choices, yet his character conveys strength and indicates that the betrayal of youth need not be permanent. An important lesson for all from any walk of life. Orthodox Judaism is a great privilege and in my mind, produces many of the greatest people on the face of this earth. Most religious Jews are kind, many are very generous, some are super honest, with a few acquiring extreme intelligence. The system is not broken, but it does require adjustments. Halacha has always been based on majority opinion. A majority of one only works for God. Absolute power corrupts, and no man should have that kind of power over any group of people. (We are a religion not a cult) The second perhaps more important lesson I took from this movie is that we ought to love "Hitlers Jew". The fuhrer, may he continue to suffer in extreme pain for all eternity, did not dismiss any Jew based on how religious they were or were not, and neither should we. I choose to try and support and love all Jews (All people really) and always avoid judging the individual. (Actions can certainly be judged) This is an important story with excellent lessons and I highly recommend watching it. Wishing success, and serenity to Luzer, Etty and Ari!

It will be difficult for me to find the right words to express my anger and dismay at Grady & Ewing and the message they sent with this film. While everything in the film is 100% truth, the lens through which these facts are presented was so narrow that it completely skews the realities of life and relationships in the many and varied Ultra Orthodox communities. For starters, what exactly does "ultra" Orthodox mean? There are so many unique and different movements within the general category of Hasidim, yet none of that is explained in the film. Satmar, Bostoner, Haredi, Chabad...the list goes on. Some ostracize members who leave or stop leading a halachic life, but most do not and to use so few examples, like the story of Etty, whose husband was undoubtedly mentally ill, as an implied baseline of "this is what to expect" is just irresponsible. I was shocked to find that almost 100% of the court paperwork and appearances were not here. The decision from the judge (as presented in the film) flies in the face of almost all New York State Court decisions. Something weird that was not in the film must have occurred for her to not get custody. This was completely cut. I personally have at least a dozen friends who have abandoned their Hasidic upbringing with none of the issues brought up in the film and most still quite close to their families. As a Jew that was brought up Reform, has lived in Israel and New York and now aligns with the "ultra-orthodox" Chabad movement, (the largest of all the Hasidic groups,) I can tell you quite matter of factly that the ostracization and evil behaviors portrayed in this film are not anything you will find in 95% of orthodox communities. I am not saying it does not happen, but compared to lets say Catholics or Mormons, there are a much greater percentage of happy families. I've made my point. Thanks.