Leaving the ultra-orthodox – Jews seeking a new life in Germany | DW Documentary
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Published 2021-02-16
More than 1.3 million Jews live in ultra-orthodox communities worldwide. It’s a kind of parallel universe — in which only God’s laws count. Every aspect of everyday life is clearly regulated: The women are responsible for the home and for looking after the children while the men devote their lives to religious study. But some ten percent of ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel go on to quit their communities - and that figure is growing. The majority are young adults and, surprisingly, many come to Germany. Akiva Weingarten was one of them. He grew up in an ultra-orthodox Satmar community in New York State but made a radical break in 2014. He left his wife and children and started a new life in Berlin - without a credit card, a bank account or a job, or any relatives to fall back on. He is now surrounded by a free community of former ultra-orthodox Jews - who turn to the rabbi for practical and religious advice. Moshe Barnett and David Lamberger have only been flat mates in Dresden for a few months now. They are not just seeking a new life, but a new relationship with God.
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All Comments (21)
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18 children. That is mind blowing. No wonder his wife didn't want to appear on camera; the filming gave her few minutes alone! At least, I hope for her sake.
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If you say "we're the most upstanding people that exist", then you're probably extreme.
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how can someone so devoted to God say that there's nothing to see in the world, His own creation?? that makes no sense
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The most upstanding people that exist - on welfare provided by the rest of us animals.
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His family lives for donations, he has 18 children... The fact that he believes people without religion live “like animals... without purpose”. Is this normal?
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Jewish people leaving Israel for Germany because Israel is somehow oppressive to them only makes me think how rich human history can be.
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Did that ultra orthodox man even read the same Torah as me? Superstition is strictly forbidden. They're meant to be working to the best of their ability, giving to charity and donating, no matter how little they can afford, not living off charity and donations if they don't truly need to. I'm a modern orthodox Jew but we have the exact same book. I don't understand.
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He looks down at us while telling that we look down on them. Projection at it's "best".
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Eighteen kids and no job.
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This is insanity! How do you take care of 18 children on donations. Why have so may children for someone else to feed?
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It seems Hasidic descendants from Holocaust survivors have such a trauma (understandable) they haven’t worked through it in a healthy way but completely focused, nay obsessed on the fact that they lost so many people in the holocaust and making up for that by having this unsustainable amount of children instead of having a few kids but being able to give them a better life with more amenities but esp more attention and love as it is impossible to give equal love to all these kids while living in basically chosen poverty (not working). Obviously that society is also extremely misogynistic relying on the women to work and raise all these children at the same time while not receiving equal respect and rights. I just feel bad for the children being born into this as I do with any cult children.
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Having 18 children and no means of supporting them is highly irresponsible. Shunning the world, yet using them to finance your family while one prays 24/7 shows the blatant contradictions of religion. Regardless if it is Islam, Christianity, or Judaism, religious fundamentalism is toxic and destructive for those who follow irrationality. I congratulate these individuals for their courage.
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i am fascinated with the hasids. my sister went to high school in israel one semester many years ago and that was all she wrote. she became hasidic had 5 kids got divorced and converted back to normal. my father had to support her and her kids for many years because all her husband wanted to do was pray all day. i hope to track down this guy in dresden and do what ever i can to help support those who want to leave the hasidic community.
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we have ultra orthodox communities in all religions... it is a "bug" shared among all religions but they call it a "feature".
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I'm not Jewish nor am I the religious type but I like what Rabbi Weingartner is trying to do. It's good to know that there are people out there who are trying to walk the middle path without giving up on their spiritual lives. I don't think it matters how godly you are, but it matters more how much of god you see in others and your self, and how you treat that god. With kindness and respect? Or with hate and cruelty?
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So God doesn't expect you to earn your own keep, but instead live off others? Religious Extremism is evil.
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😲18 children how many people did a double take.😁
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«Jews seeking a new life in Germany» I'll take «headlines I'd never thought I'd read» for 200$, Alex.
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"We're the most upstanding people that exist." What arrogance.
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"I can tell you now, there is nothing to see" = the words of someone who has never seen anything
