All Who Go Do Not Return

Posted on 26 January 2018 by Shulem Deen

2015 National Jewish Book Award WinnerA moving and revealing exploration of Hasidic life, and one man s struggles with faith, family, and communityShulem Deen was raised to believe that questions are dangerous As a member of the Skverers, one of the most insular Hasidic sects in the US, he knows little about the outside world only that it is to be shunned His marriage at eighteen is arranged and several children soon follow Deen s first transgression turning on the radio is small, but his curiosity leads him to the library, and later the Internet Soon he begins a feverish inquiry into the tenets of his religious beliefs, until, several years later, his faith unravels entirely Now a heretic, he fears being discovered and ostracized from the only world he knows His relationship with his family at stake, he is forced into a life of deception, and begins a long struggle to hold on to those he loves most his five children In All Who Go Do Not Return, Deen bravely traces his harrowing loss of faith, while offering an illuminating look at a highly secretive world. Read All Who Go Do Not Return – kino-fada.fr I got a sneak peak It s pretty good.Shulem Deen might be the star of OTD writers, but what struck me in this book was how little of it can actually be said to be the telling of an OTD narrative It read so muchlike a Chasidic coming of age story, the story of almost every boy or girl growing up in such community There s not one element of the story that any average Chasidic man over thirty can t identify with Every single part of it And can perhaps be applied evenuniversally, although I have little knowledge or expe Shulem Deen might be the star of OTD writers, but what struck me in this book was how little of it can actually...The author of this book would probably be flattered to know that he shook my faith in G d a little bit and because of that, I consider his book somewhat dangerous I have no doubt that it is being banned in many Orthodox Jewish circles, and I can understand why But I think it s worthwhile to hear the criticisms of people who left the path, and since this book is quickly gaining a reputation as the most eloquent ex Orthodox memoir around, I figured it was a good one to start with Aside from tha The author of this book would probably be flattered to know that he shook my faith in G d a little bit and because of that, I consider his book somewhat dangerous I have no doubt that it is being banned in many Orthodox Jewish circles, and I can understand why But I think it s worthwhile to hear the criticisms of people who left the path, and since this book is quickly gaining a reputation as the most eloquent ex Orthodox memoir around, I figured it was a good one to start with Aside from that, I was curious because I know the author s mother.The author s parents were like me baalei teshuva They were raised in assimilat...Inside the American Shtetl Captivating Most people outside of New York City will not know anything about the various Orthodox Jewish communities that thrive there and in its hinterland And even most New Yorkers will not know that the primary purpose of these communities is not just to re create the physical mode of living of the Eastern European shtetl culture which was annihilated by the Holocaust, butimportantly to re create the essential ethos of this culture the continuous recognit Inside the American Shtetl Captivating Most people outside of New York City will not know anything about the various Orthodox Jewish communities that thrive there and in its hinterland And even most New Yorkers will not know that the primary purpose of these communities is not just to re create the physical mode of living of the Eastern European shtetl culture which was annihilated by the Holocaust, butimportantly to re create the essential ethos of this culture the continuous recognition of and submission to the Almighty in every detail and nuance of one s lif...I wondered about that circle of hippies and my odd attraction to them, and I realized, after a time, what it really was what I longed for was not the tisch of my past but a return to a time and place when ideas moved me even if th...This book is heartbreaking Shulem is in a league of his own He s funny and emotional and well spoken Or rather, written, throughout A worthy read.I m a bit concerned about writing this review because I don t want to cause any further harm to the author on the off chance he s actually reading this and if you are Shulem, know that as I was reading your story, especially the period when you were newly alone and broken, I wanted nothingthan to offer my friendship and support my criticisms are not personal they are directed at the way certain facts were presented but here it goes I will tread cautiously.About two years ago, I read I m a bit concerned about writing this review because I don t want to cause any further harm to the author on the off chance he s actually reading this and if you are Shulem, know that as I was reading your story, especially the period when you were newly alone and broken, I wanted nothingthan to offer my friendship and support my criticisms are not per...All Who Go Do Not Return will be read two hundred years from now, just as Solomon Maimon s memoir is still readthan 200 years after its publication Its value lies in its honest portrayal of struggle posing the question most are too afraid to ask themselves what do we do when we exercise the right we are told we have to ask questions, and when do we do when we find that right denied us And what do we do when the stakes of asking those questions are so high Asking those questions will All Who Go Do Not Return will be read two hundred years from now, just as Solomon Maimon s memoir is s...This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers To view it, click here One of the most highly anticipated memoirs in the OTD sphere, All Who Go Do Not Return is a memoir by celebrated blogger, heretic, and all around righteous dude Shulem Deen For many years, Shulem has been a fixture in the nouveau boho exChusid scene, which auxiliarly includes formerly Modernishes such as me.My first exposure to Shulem was an article in the Village Voice, The Sharer of Secrets This was in the summer of 2003 I was working a McJob working a concession stand at Giant s Stadium fo One of the most highly anticipated memoirs in the OTD sphere, All Who Go Do Not Return is a memoir by celebrated blogger, heretic, and all around righteous dude Shulem Deen For many years, Shulem has been a fixture in the nouveau boho exChusid scene, which auxiliarly includes formerly Modernishes such as me.My first exposure to Shulem was an article in the Village Voice, The Sharer of Secrets This was in the summer of 2003 I was working a McJob working a concession stand at Giant s St...This autobiographic account of an Orthodox Jewish man s crisis of faith and his subsequent departure from his culturally isolated Hasidic community was fascinating to me as I possessed virtually no knowledge of this community Deen does a fantastic job painting the picture of his upbringing, relationships within the community, inclusion in the extremist sect that he personally chose, and eventual questioning and departure from it all The most prominent notes what struck me the most was th This autobiographic account of an Orthodox Jewish man s crisis of faith and his subsequent departure from his culturally isolated Hasidic community was fascinating to me as I possessed virtually no knowledge of this community Deen does a fantastic job painting the picture of his upbringing, relationships within the community, inclusion in the extremist sect that he personally chose, and eventual questioning and departure from it all The most prominent notes what struck me the most was the community s insistence on not asking questions all questions have already been answered and that faith was not something that was possibly attained by logic but was instead, a virtue While as a youth, Deen was swept away by the...

English
26 January 2018

Shulem Deen