When formerly ultra-Orthodox Julia Haart dipped her stilettos into the reality-TV pool and made the Netflix series, My Unorthodox Life, she could not have anticipated that her family’s adventures would spark a lively debate on the role of women in the observant community.
But Haart, who grew up religious in Monsey, New York, married and had four children before she left the fold for a life in the fashion business. She is now CEO of the talent media conglomerate Elite World Group and she designed a line of shoes. Divorcing her first husband, she remarried an Italian businessman and parades her complicated new life on the popular Netflix series, moving her brood among Manhattan, Monsey, Paris and the Hamptons.
The series drew praise for Haart’s outspoken stance against ultra-Orthodox insistence on traditional women’s roles and her success in a demanding field. But it also came in for criticism, with some calling it a kosher Kardashian reboot, with staged scenes and a penchant for glitzy status seeking.
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But detractors and devotees agreed on one thing: Everyone was watching.
And for many women, particularly those who are religiously observant (frum), the oppressive Orthodox life depicted in the series was at odds with their own experiences. Some spoke out, wanting to share the fact that they are able to live fulfilling lives in the Orthodox community. Alexandra Fleksher, cohost of the “Normal Frum Women” podcast and columnist for Mishpacha magazine, called My Unorthodox Life a “shmear campaign” and introduced the hashtag, #MyOrthodoxLife on social media, drawing thousands of responses.
While Haart probably did not expect that her series would inspire so many Orthodox women to share their often positive stories, she is happy that people are talking about her and her series. In an interview with Women’s Health magazine, she said, “Knowing that there’s something you want to do because you feel that it’s the right thing, and you need to share your story with the world because, hopefully, you can inspire others doesn’t mean it’s easy to do, right? So, it’s something I felt I had to do. I felt it was my responsibility to do.”
With all the talk about Haart and the series on social media, it seems a good bet there will be a second season. And Haart’s memoir, Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie will hit stores in March. Those craving their Unorthodox fix until then can join Haart’s 330k (and growing) followers on Instagram, where she posts scenes from her fabulous, un-frum life nearly every day.