There's much more to this powerful Yiddish-language drama than an attack on differing ways of life
For anyone unfamiliar with Chasidic Jewish communities, or indeed any of the varying branches of Judaism, one word is likely to spring to mind when watching Unorthodox: 'cult'. The story begins with 19-year-old Esty's frantic flight from Brooklyn to Berlin, a journey on which she takes only a single envelope stuffed with cash, her passport and a picture of her bubbe (grandmother). Polite greetings of "good Shabbos" follow as she rushes through the streets to the safety of a taxi and finally the airport. The grave fear with which she flees, portrayed unerringly by Israeli actor Shira Haas, can be likened to an escaped victim of kidnapping. Of course, what the viewer's focus is steered away from is the joviality of the other women and the grief felt by Esty's husband Yanky (Amit Rahav), who harbours genuine concern for his missing wife.
What spectators must keep in mind is that this is one person's tale. Deborah Feldman's in fact, whose 2012 autobiography, Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Chasidic Roots, forms the basis for this Netflix miniseries. Feldman was raised amongst the Satmar Chasidim of Williamsburg, the roots of which lie in the former Hungarian village of Satmar (now Satu Mare, Romania), where almost the entire Jewish population was exterminated during the Holocaust. Survivors managed to escape to New York City where, understandably, they placed great importance on keeping their ideologies alive. These are captured beautifully by director Maria Schrader and creators Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski, from the peacefulness of the mikvah to the grand shtreimel (fur hats) worn by the men. It's also worth noting that the dialogue is almost exclusively in Yiddish, as coached by Eli Rosen, who also plays the rabbi.
Regardless of how you choose to accept it, there's no denying that Unorthodox provides an unprecedently accurate window into the Chasidic way of life. In contrast, the show also touches upon the way outsiders view the ultra-Orthodox: with either bewilderment or ridicule. "They're like the lunatic fringe, they don't even get a proper education," scoffs Yael (Tamar Amit-Joseph), the brutally honest Israeli violinist who's part of the musically gifted motley crew Esty meets upon arriving in Berlin. These two sides of the runaway's life – her past and present – flash back and forth to show the path that brought her here – and it's not all doom and gloom. It's difficult to see her cry as her hair is shaved and to discover she's been deprived of the dream of playing piano, but it's also heartening to see the nervous smiles exchanged between her and Yanky at their wedding and even amusing when Yanky first encounters a smartphone and asks: "Where is Esty, telephone?"
One character that’s particularly fascinating is Moishe (Jeff Wilbusch), the thuggish cousin of Yanky who’s been sent to hunt down Esty. It’s revealed that he has recently, and willingly, returned to the community, which suggests there’s something worth returning for.
If you can look past the bones of contention and take Unorthodox for what it is – a very personal piece of art – then you'll see something special. Not just a landmark for being the first Yiddish-language Netflix drama, not an analysis of extreme religious ritual and not simply a means of entertainment, but a moving account of one woman's struggle to find her voice.
By Danielle Goldstein
Unorthodox is available to stream on Netflix. Find more film and TV to stream on the JR Home Entertainment page.