All Who Go Do Not Return

All Who Go Do Not Return is a memoir chronicling Shulem Deen's life within and eventual departure from the Skverer Hasidic Jewish sect of New Square, New York. The narrative follows his experiences from his teenage years through adulthood as a member of one of the most insular ultra-Orthodox communities in America. Deen recounts his arranged marriage at age 18, his role as a rabbi and teacher, and his growing doubts about his religious beliefs. The memoir documents his encounters with secular knowledge, technology, and ideas that existed beyond the boundaries of his closed community. The book details the personal costs and social consequences that accompanied his questioning of faith and tradition. It examines the author's navigation between two worlds - the only community he had known and the secular life that beckoned from beyond its borders. The memoir raises fundamental questions about identity, belonging, and the price of individual freedom in conflict with communal bonds. Through its straightforward narrative, it illuminates the tensions between faith and doubt, tradition and change, family and personal truth.

Readers describe this memoir as raw and honest in depicting the author's journey leaving his Hasidic community. Many note its accessible writing style that helps outsiders understand the closed world of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of Hasidic customs and beliefs - Balanced portrayal that avoids demonizing the community - Personal cost and emotional toll detailed without self-pity - Focus on both intellectual and emotional struggles Main criticisms: - Some sections move slowly - Limited insight into other family members' perspectives - A few readers wanted more details about adjustment to secular life Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (850+ ratings) Reader quote: "Unlike other ex-religious memoirs that can be bitter, Deen maintains compassion while being brutally honest about his experiences." - Goodreads reviewer The book ranks among the most-reviewed Orthodox Jewish memoirs on Goodreads.

Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman A woman's memoir of breaking free from her ultra-Orthodox Satmar Hasidic community in Brooklyn reveals parallel struggles with religious constraints and personal identity.

Cut Me Loose by Leah Vincent This memoir chronicles a young woman's journey from her ultra-Orthodox Jewish upbringing to secular life while navigating the complexities of family rejection and self-discovery.

The New American Judaism by Jack Wertheimer This examination of modern Jewish religious life in America traces the evolution and challenges of faith communities transitioning from traditional to contemporary practice.

Mitzvah Girls by Ayala Fader An anthropological study of Orthodox Jewish women in Brooklyn provides insight into the community structures and expectations that shape their lives.

Crossing the Borders of Time by Leslie Maitland A journalist investigates her mother's escape from Nazi-occupied Europe and subsequent break from Orthodox Judaism, weaving together themes of religious identity and family heritage.

🔹 Author Shulem Deen grew up in one of the world's most insular Hasidic sects, the Skverer community of New Square, New York, where internet use and secular education were strictly forbidden. 🔹 After leaving his ultra-Orthodox community, Deen was formally declared a heretic and lost custody of his five children, whom he was eventually forbidden to see. 🔹 The memoir won the 2015 National Jewish Book Award for Contemporary Jewish Life and Practice. 🔹 New Square, where much of the book takes place, is a village founded in 1954 exclusively for Skverer Hasidim, with over 95% of current residents speaking Yiddish as their primary language. 🔹 The title "All Who Go Do Not Return" is a reference to a passage in the Jewish ethical text Pirkei Avot, warning about those who abandon their faith: "All who go there do not return."