The process to get here is awful. The journey out is horrific.

Most people don't have the stamina to do this. I don't want people to go through this pain.

I wish I could help people not be born into that in the first place so that they don't have to leave.

Hello, I've got a special episode today. I know I say stuff like that and it can sound a little insincere I suppose but that's

because every episode is special but this one in particular it's heavy

Weisberger who is just what a story she has what an amazing person I'm a huge

fan and I've wanted to get her on the podcast for quite some time and heavy grew up in the A I should say a Hasidic

Jewish community she rightly corrects me I suppose in a sense well you're gonna hear and I think this is something I always

struggle with with not so much cults but religions and the extreme ends of

religions and I remember when I had Yasmin Mohammed the ex-Muslim on the podcast

she berated me for because I kept saying oh remember everyone it's it's not just Islam there was plenty of extremism in other

religions and she was like why do you keep because she's Canadian why do you keep saying

that you know it's not you wouldn't say that for another religion you know and

basically she was annoyed because she's like you should be able to criticize Islam

and a similar thing happens today.

Havi's very polite and nice, but it's a difficult one because I've done bits about

Hasidic Judaism before and some people from milder parts or happier parts of the community have been upset with me for sort of putting

them all under one umbrella.

And as Havi explains at the very beginning, there are so many different groups within the community.

So to speak of the community doesn't even make much sense.

Her particular one, as she'll explain, was founded by her own grandfather.

And it's just the most extraordinary thing.

...