All Who Go Do Not Return
A Memoir
-
-
4.8 • 12 Ratings
-
-
- $13.99
Publisher Description
A moving and revealing exploration of ultra-Orthodox Judaism and one man's loss of faith
Shulem 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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When Deen, a former member of the Skverer Hasids, realizes he has lost his faith, he must admit that he no longer belongs in the only world he has ever known. Deen's parents were returnees" who came from secular upbringings and educations, raising their children in an observant but also more enlightened household than those in his Brooklyn community. Deen seeks out the Skverers for his studies, but early on there are signs of the troubles to come: a rebellious attitude that leads to a physical altercation with a teacher and two expulsions. Back on the straight and narrow, he enters into an unwelcome arranged marriage at 18 and struggles with typical concerns like loving a stranger and getting a job. He raises doubts and questions and needs to know what's outside the strict confines of his sheltered and scrutinized existence. Consumed by paranoia at being found out a fraud, he continues with pretense and deception. When he is branded a heretic, he finally must decide what path to take. It is a heartbreaking read as Deen fights to reconcile his identity and love for his family with his loss of faith in God. But it is also one of great courage and hope as Deen aspires to live openly and without fear for the first time.
Customer Reviews
Insightful and touching
You do not have to be a banished Hasid to understand the feeling of alienation and loneliness Shulem Deen exposes in his beautifully written memoir. Any person who has experienced divorce or resettling in a different country or the loss of loved ones will at once relate to his experiences.
A brilliant writer.