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Monday, January 8, 2018

One of Us (2017)

This documentary has been shortlisted for the Oscars this year, and is streaming on Netflix (I know, I keep saying that, but it is a plethora of riches that exists on Netflix when it comes to quality documentaries).  The bad news is that like many of the critically acclaimed films of this genre, it is very depressing.  This story chronicles the lives of three members of the tight knit Hasidic community in Brooklyn who leave the tribe.
There is zero tolerance for any behavior that does not strictly conform to the communities definition of Jewish law,as interpreted by exclusively male elders. There is no reading that is not religious, schooling leaves young adults poorly prepared to function outside the community, and there is essentially no legal recourse or medical independence, because all of that is done within the religious confines of the community.  So when a man beats his wife, she has no choice but to take it if the rabbi does nothing.  You leave the movie feeling like it is another form of slavery.  Then again, all extreme religious communities bear these same hallmarks.  Same cruel men, different god.

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