36 pages • 1 hour read
Deborah FeldmanUnorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism refers to a conservative and insular sect of Judaism that was popular in Eastern Europe. After many of these communities were decimated in concentration camps during WWII, the survivors began to set up enclaves in various locations, including New York City, and focused on growing their communities through reproduction. As Deborah explains in her Note from the Author, the Satmar community is a form of Hasidic Judaism. “Satmar” derives from the name of a small Hungarian town from where its rabbi fled after WWII before coming to New York and forming a Hasidic community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Kosher
Kosher refers to the dietary and food preparation rules in Judaism. Within Judaism, there are different strata of kosher, a lesson that Deborah learns at a young age when she accepts candy from a Jewish girl, only to be told it is not the correct form of kosher. One of Deborah’s defining moments in her account is trying non-Kosher foods with her new friend Polly. After this dinner, she announces that she no longer wants to be Hasidic.
Mikvah
The mikvah is the bathhouse that the Hasidic women must attend to purify themselves before sexual intercourse. Traditionally, women are expected to visit the mikvah before their wedding night, and at the end of their menstrual cycle, to ensure they are “clean” for their husbands. Attending the mikvah is a source of anxiety for Deborah: on her first visit, she is told to remove her clothing when she is not prepared to do so, and she learn afterward there were cases of sexual assault at this location. Deborah stops attending mikvah in Airmont as she gradually sheds her former way of life.
Shabbos
Shabbos (also known as Shabbat or the Sabbath) is the weekly day of rest in Judaism. During this time, many tasks, such as working, cooking, and driving are not allowed. For Deborah, Shabbos is associated with the weekly dinners where she sees her family and learns more about herself and her community.
