I agree that she didn't listen to him enough in that conversation, but I do think she's right to not give him permission to study at a yeshiva. I may not know everything, but I know ALL people should have the option to make a choice and to understand fully the ramifications to others that their choices will have. I have lived in a conservative hyper-religious home, I am a woman, and I choose to be happy. Am I ignorant to plights of minorities, no. Am I ignorant to how women get treated, no. But your children and women are not property that anybody gets to dictate ideals upon. Parents want a solider that will fight for God after them and carry on religion. I think it is important to showcase to these children both sides and allow them to decide the trajectory of their lives. Often in hyper-religious homes kids move away from religion because of the amount of pressure that following all the rules of religion assert on you. But your beliefs and ideals should not be oppressive to another person. We only have one life and living it in which ever way you want is great. People have shifted from Orthodox Judaism to more modern for of Judaism because it puts less pressure on people. I think that when you do not allow women to be in conversations of interpretation, you end up passing word that is oppressive to women. The way the Torah or “laws” are followed is up to interpretation of the rabbi. It almost is like there are differences in how conservative different sects of the religion are. So I took your sound comment and decided to read a little about the religion. He’s at such an impressionable age, I’m not surprised he’s leaning into family members who offer structure and a community that gives boys & men like him control away from the chaos that the rest of his family are experiencing. I understand that her lived experiences are probably influencing the way she responds to Aron buying into an idealism that left her with a lot of trauma, but I do wish she would listen to him, rather than hearing to speak. From what I’ve seen so far, I love what she’s about in terms of creating more equality for women in religious communities. I think Julia is a very powerful lady with an amazing story. He’s probably seen everything his Mum is going through online etc and is struggling with it, so is leaning into the religion further for support and stability. He said he doesn’t think he’d be very happy without religion being such a centre focus in his life and I think that was a bit of a cry for help that was ignored.

Julia wasn’t listening to his point of view and was just steam rolling her feminist agenda (which I agree with, but I think it was the wrong time to push it). I’ve just finished episode 4 and it’s left me feeling so sad for Aron.

My unorthodox life haart bares more