We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
Unorthodox is a popular drama series on Netflix and it follows a 19-year-old Jewish woman called Esty, who runs away to Berlin for a fresh start. Throughout her life, she has been forced to abide by strict customs and follow her Hasidic roots. Viewers have been wondering whether it is based on true events, and there is a fascinating story behind the series.
Is Unorthodox on Netflix based on a true story?
Yes, the series is loosely based on the autobiography by Deborah Feldman called Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots, which came out in 2012.
This is a Netflix first as the series is mainly in Yiddish, a historic form of the German language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews.
Deborah Feldman lives in Berlin and she is a German-American writer who grew up as a member of the Hasidic Satmar group in New York, much like Esty (played by Shira Haas).
Even when she was a child she did not believe in the strict rules, and she entered an arranged marriage when she was 17-years-old.
READ MORE
-
Unorthodox cast: Who is Amit Rahav? Meet the Unorthodox star
In 2006 she moved with her husband out of Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, and started to study literature at the Sarah Lawrence College.
She had a child two years after marrying her husband, and in 2009 she took her son and left her husband, cutting all ties with the Hasidic community.
She became a blogger and in 2012 published her autobiography, which became one of the most popular books of its time.
Feldman moved to Berlin in 2014, like the character of Esty, and she carried on her work as a writer there.
Viewers very much get a taste of Feldman’s life in the series as a young Esty runs away from her arranged marriage in Brooklyn.
She moves to Berlin, which is the home of her estranged mother, and she tries to get a scholarship and start a new life for herself.
Her husband Yanky Shapiro (Amit Rahav) travels to Berlin to try and find his wife after he discovers she is pregnant.
The series uses three different languages, switching between English, Yiddish and German, as the use of English was frowned upon within the community.
DON’T MISS…
Unorthodox on Netflix: Who is Deborah Feldman? [INSIGHT]
Unorthodox on Netflix: Big change made to Deborah Feldman’s story [EXPLAINER]
Unorthodox on Netflix cast: Who is Shira Haas? Meet Esty actress [INSIGHT]
Netflix has also released a short documentary, called Making Unorthodox, which explores the filming process and the creative thinking behind the series.
The show was produced by Feldman’s friends, Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski, and Feldman said they were the best people for the job.
In Making Unorthodox, Feldman said: “I realized that if anybody is ever going to be able to grasp what this story is about and execute it in a way that is going to have a positive cultural pact, it’s these women.”
Much like Esty, Feldman’s parents were not always around during her childhood and she was raised by her grandparents. As her father was mentally ill, he could not raise her on his own.
Her mother, who was originally from England, moved out of the community.
READ MORE
- Ozark cast: Who plays Charlotte Byrde in Ozark?
The four-part series focuses on two main aspects of Esty’s life – her time in Brooklyn and the life she makes for herself in Berlin.
Feldman says the first part of the series, when Esty is in Brooklyn, is based on her real life but she wanted Esty’s life in Berlin to be completely different.
In the trailer, Esty makes a number of friends in Berlin, who may not understand her background but they act as a safety blanket and watch out for her.
All the while her husband and his cousin are on a mission to find her and bring her back to the community at the request of the Rabbi.
One fan said on Twitter: “Unorthodox on Netflix. WOW. What a phenomenal piece of art! No words can do @shirahaas
performance justice. In complete and utter awe. #Unorthodox.”
Unorthodox is available to watch on Netflix now
Source: Read Full Article