My Unorthodox Life on Netflix

[Anonymous]

Anyone watching? I find it fascinating so far.

[Anonymous]

What's it about?

[Anonymous]

Not the op, but this interview is a good explainer. https://www.today.com/video/style-star-ceo-julia-haart-talks-about-her-unorthodox-life-116761669824

[Anonymous]

Yup. Love it. Fascinating on so many levels. I want to know who Julia’s sister in France is. How does she live in that castle??

[Anonymous]

I know Julia said she hated being married, but given that her husband was fine with being in the show and having portions filmed in his house, I wonder if he’s actually so extreme. I have no doubt that the town he lives in is, but he did not seem particularly out there (not speaking geographically).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know Julia said she hated being married, but given that her husband was fine with being in the show and having portions filmed in his house, I wonder if he’s actually so extreme. I have no doubt that the town he lives in is, but he did not seem particularly out there (not speaking geographically).

She talked about him on that Today show interview. Apparently he left the community, though it sounds like he’s still religious? She mentioned him actually wearing jeans, which is a big deal and indicates he’s not following Hasidic rules any more.

[Anonymous]

Yep totally watching it. But like what are the chances that someone leaves and their life transforms like hers, especially so quickly?! Also, I know she made a comment about selling life insurance secretly before she left, but does she have any formal education and how is she qualified to run La Perla or Elite? I want to know more about her current husband-how they met and the level of acceptance he had for her and the kids is amazing.

[Anonymous]

She is not chassidic. Her community was much less extreme than she describes on the show. Women were professionals. She had secular education. It still is amazing she created a major company.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Haart
https://jewinthecity.com/2021/07/how-to-answer-the-jewish-issues-raised-in-netflixs-my-unorthodox-life/
https://vinnews.com/2021/07/15/successful-frum-woman-entrepreneur-slams-julia-haart-in-open-letter/
https://vinnews.com/2021/07/15/vinnews-oped-more-than-just-kugelmakers-orthodox-jewish-women-strike-back-at-netflix-miniseries-thisisorthodox/

[Anonymous]

I'm very curious about her timeline. Did she get the La Perla gig because of her 2nd husband or did they meet while she was there.

Also how did she fund her shoe line?

She seems whip smart so I don't doubt she's very qualified to do the job.

[Anonymous]

I started watching this last night and wow, it's fascinating. Does anyone know the community that they came from? Were they in Brooklyn? Prior to moving to NYC in my early 20s, I had never encounter Hasidic Jews and was just so curious about their culture/customs. The scenes of the community look like Williamsburg or somewhere in Brooklyn. Needless to say, I've watched every film/documentary focused on the Jewish Orthodox communities. In a weird way, this seems almost too surreal to be true to go from someone whose has been told her whole life that her whole purpose in life is to have children and please her husband and to go on to become this dynamic, vivacious leader and businessperson. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for Julia and her children that now they really are living their best lives, but I have so many questions.

Julia said she left the community in her early 40s. She was born in 1971 so she is only 50 now. How did Julia from "secret" insurance sales person to CEO of Elite in less than 10 years as a 40 something mom of four without much of a formal education who was also dealing with the trauma of leaving this kind of community? How did she accumulate so much wealth so fast? No doubt, her husband is also very successful, but still. How did her daughter, who also didn't have much of a formal education, get into Stanford? No doubt she's smart and very techie, but lots of very smart, techie kids with excellent credentials don't get into Stanford. This kind of success is just so rare and there are many people who hustle, have the right credentials, have all the "right" connections and it still doesn't happen for them like this. It's endless fascinating and I want to know all of her secrets.

It's also interesting to watch Batsheva, too because she is the most connected to their former way of life. It's the juxtaposition between being so independent/career focused and still needing to have a discussion with husband about him being okay with her wearing pants.

[Anonymous]

I'm obsessed with Julia's closet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started watching this last night and wow, it's fascinating. Does anyone know the community that they came from? Were they in Brooklyn? Prior to moving to NYC in my early 20s, I had never encounter Hasidic Jews and was just so curious about their culture/customs. The scenes of the community look like Williamsburg or somewhere in Brooklyn. Needless to say, I've watched every film/documentary focused on the Jewish Orthodox communities. In a weird way, this seems almost too surreal to be true to go from someone whose has been told her whole life that her whole purpose in life is to have children and please her husband and to go on to become this dynamic, vivacious leader and businessperson. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for Julia and her children that now they really are living their best lives, but I have so many questions.

Julia said she left the community in her early 40s. She was born in 1971 so she is only 50 now. How did Julia from "secret" insurance sales person to CEO of Elite in less than 10 years as a 40 something mom of four without much of a formal education who was also dealing with the trauma of leaving this kind of community? How did she accumulate so much wealth so fast? No doubt, her husband is also very successful, but still. How did her daughter, who also didn't have much of a formal education, get into Stanford? No doubt she's smart and very techie, but lots of very smart, techie kids with excellent credentials don't get into Stanford. This kind of success is just so rare and there are many people who hustle, have the right credentials, have all the "right" connections and it still doesn't happen for them like this. It's endless fascinating and I want to know all of her secrets.

It's also interesting to watch Batsheva, too because she is the most connected to their former way of life. It's the juxtaposition between being so independent/career focused and still needing to have a discussion with husband about him being okay with her wearing pants.

I am not sure whether this community started in Brooklyn, however, they have been in Rockland County for many years. And at odds with the community as well. It has been a very bumpy ride.

The community is out in force today on FB spewing garbage about Julia. Slut-shaming to the max. As a Jew, I am completely annoyed at their response. They are a cult period. No different than a conservative evangelical or ultra Mormon or the Duggars, Bates families on TV.

She is 100% correct that the community does not educate women. While they are claiming online that part isn't true, my cousin is part of this cult. She is very vocal. She did not educate her daughters she married them off at age 18 barely to men through matchmakers. None of her daughters are educated enough to even balance a checkbook. One of her sons who rebelled against the "laws" was sent to Miami to be reprogramed. UGH In my cousin's case she ran away from horrible home life. Parts of being in a community like this made her feel safe. That I understand, however, if one tries to leave they do come for you and try to make your life miserable, that is a cult.

Stanford, homeschoolers get into Stanford. She got in because she is very bright.


You are correct this kind of success does not come easily. Julia spent years preparing to leave. She did not just wake up one morning and decide to leave. She made a plan and executed it.

[Anonymous]

This show is incredible in every sense of the word.

[Anonymous]

I started watching this but her career trajectory depressed me because I have a job I hate and can't seem to get unstuck from so I stopped for now. Maybe later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started watching this last night and wow, it's fascinating. Does anyone know the community that they came from? Were they in Brooklyn? Prior to moving to NYC in my early 20s, I had never encounter Hasidic Jews and was just so curious about their culture/customs. The scenes of the community look like Williamsburg or somewhere in Brooklyn. Needless to say, I've watched every film/documentary focused on the Jewish Orthodox communities. In a weird way, this seems almost too surreal to be true to go from someone whose has been told her whole life that her whole purpose in life is to have children and please her husband and to go on to become this dynamic, vivacious leader and businessperson. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for Julia and her children that now they really are living their best lives, but I have so many questions.

Julia said she left the community in her early 40s. She was born in 1971 so she is only 50 now. How did Julia from "secret" insurance sales person to CEO of Elite in less than 10 years as a 40 something mom of four without much of a formal education who was also dealing with the trauma of leaving this kind of community? How did she accumulate so much wealth so fast? No doubt, her husband is also very successful, but still. How did her daughter, who also didn't have much of a formal education, get into Stanford? No doubt she's smart and very techie, but lots of very smart, techie kids with excellent credentials don't get into Stanford. This kind of success is just so rare and there are many people who hustle, have the right credentials, have all the "right" connections and it still doesn't happen for them like this. It's endless fascinating and I want to know all of her secrets.

It's also interesting to watch Batsheva, too because she is the most connected to their former way of life. It's the juxtaposition between being so independent/career focused and still needing to have a discussion with husband about him being okay with her wearing pants.

I am not sure whether this community started in Brooklyn, however, they have been in Rockland County for many years. And at odds with the community as well. It has been a very bumpy ride.

The community is out in force today on FB spewing garbage about Julia. Slut-shaming to the max. As a Jew, I am completely annoyed at their response. They are a cult period. No different than a conservative evangelical or ultra Mormon or the Duggars, Bates families on TV.

She is 100% correct that the community does not educate women. While they are claiming online that part isn't true, my cousin is part of this cult. She is very vocal. She did not educate her daughters she married them off at age 18 barely to men through matchmakers. None of her daughters are educated enough to even balance a checkbook. One of her sons who rebelled against the "laws" was sent to Miami to be reprogramed. UGH In my cousin's case she ran away from horrible home life. Parts of being in a community like this made her feel safe. That I understand, however, if one tries to leave they do come for you and try to make your life miserable, that is a cult.

Stanford, homeschoolers get into Stanford. She got in because she is very bright.


You are correct this kind of success does not come easily. Julia spent years preparing to leave. She did not just wake up one morning and decide to leave. She made a plan and executed it.

Yep, I grew up in this town in Rockland County, NY (and I was a WASP and a huge minority there). Here's a story about the school district and how it failed (years after I graduated): https://www.thisamericanlife.org/534/transcript