Unorthodox

🎬 Unorthodox – Behind the Scenes

Unorthodox is a German-American drama miniseries produced by Netflix, based on the memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots (2012) by Deborah Feldman. The series follows a young woman’s journey as she leaves her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York, to start a new life in Berlin.

• 📍 Filming Locations: The series was primarily shot in Berlin, Germany, while scenes depicting the Hasidic community were filmed in Brooklyn, New York, capturing an authentic portrayal of the Satmar sect.

• 🎥 Production: Unorthodox was the first Netflix series primarily in Yiddish, adding to its realism. The production team worked with former members of the Hasidic community to ensure linguistic and cultural accuracy.

📝 Who is Deborah Feldman?

Deborah Feldman was born in 1986 into the Satmar Hasidic Jewish community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Raised in a strictly religious household, she struggled with the community’s rigid rules and lack of personal freedom.

• 👰 Arranged Marriage: At 17, Feldman was married through an arranged union and had a son by age 19.

• 📚 Breaking Away: Seeking independence, she secretly pursued an education and eventually left the community in her early 20s.

• ✍️ Memoir & Life in Berlin: Her book, Unorthodox, details her escape and the challenges of integrating into secular society. Today, Feldman lives in Berlin, where she advocates for women’s rights and religious freedom.

📌 How Accurate is Unorthodox?

Although inspired by Feldman’s true story, the series takes creative liberties, particularly in the second half.

🔹 Real or Fiction? → The early episodes closely follow Feldman’s life, while later episodes are largely fictionalized.

🔹 True Figures vs. Fictional Characters → The protagonist Esty Shapiro (played by Shira Haas) is loosely based on Deborah Feldman, but many supporting characters are fictional.

🔹 Events & Dialogue → The portrayal of Hasidic customs, family dynamics, and religious rules is highly accurate, but Esty’s journey in Berlin is largely fictionalized.

✅ What’s historically accurate:

• The portrayal of Hasidic life in Williamsburg, including language, clothing, gender roles, and arranged marriages.

• The strict religious education and limited access to secular knowledge for Hasidic women.

• The wedding rituals and family expectations shown in the series.

❌ What’s fictionalized:

• Esty’s escape to Berlin and her pursuit of a music career did not happen in real life. Feldman left her community gradually and stayed in the U.S. before moving to Germany later.

• The characters she meets in Berlin, including the music conservatory students, are entirely fictional.

• The high-stakes chase by her husband and cousin is dramatized for storytelling purposes.

📢 Final Verdict: A True Story or Just Inspired?

Unorthodox offers a deeply authentic look at the Hasidic Jewish community but fictionalizes much of the protagonist’s escape and Berlin storyline. While the emotional journey mirrors Feldman’s real-life experience, the events are not an exact retelling.

💬 What do you think? Did Unorthodox capture the essence of breaking free from a restrictive world? Share your thoughts below! 🎥