NEW YORK (CBS) ? The overwhelming majority of men and women in New York’s Hasidic Jewish community are strictly pious and scrupulous in their religious observances. But in the course of a three-month investigation CBS 2 HD found something hidden — secrets kept not only from the outside world, but from each other.
Some Hasidic men and women are straying far from their beliefs and breaking their marital vows. CBS 2 HD gained exclusive access into this rigid, ultra religious world, and spoke to Hasidic men and women who broke the rules by sneaking on to the Internet. They betrayed Jewish law and their spouses.
On the Internet there are postings in chat rooms and on Craigslist. One posting advertises a husband and wife, who describe themselves as "frum" or observant. They claim to be from Flatbush and want another Orthodox Jewish woman to join them for sex.
"I know of swingers in the ultra orthodox community, which shocked me to hear it … just the way it would shock anybody else," said "Yossi" of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Yossi said he knows adultery is taking place because he said he had affairs with several Hasidic women.
YOSSI:
The 36-year-old was raised strictly Hasidic and was in his teens when a bride was chosen for him.
"I met my wife for just very brief period and then months later we got married and we hadn’t seen each other. I never felt committed to her in any way," Yossi said.
He was not physically attracted to my wife, "But given the culture I was raised in I did not think it an appropriate response to say I don’t want this marriage arrangement because I do not like the way she looks. I did not think that would be an acceptable thing to say."
He said he only had a vague idea what sex was until his wedding night.
"I didn’t know what sex was until the day I got married. There is someone who teaches you the specifics. They teach you the basic function of sex, the nuts and bolts, what goes where," Yossi said.
As the years went on Yossi said he felt trapped with a woman he did not love, with five children and a job he hated. He went on the Internet, looking for answers and for people who felt as alone as he did.
FROM MY LIVE CAM CHAT:
FischelXTeitelbaum: Craigslist is to the frum what alcohol is to the Irish
FischelXTeitelbaum: I mean the frum are using the Craigslist to do all kinds of sinning
Roflcopter: no, the frum are using "xtube" for all kinds of sinning.
FischelXTeitelbaum: If they had no craigslist they would be living frum lives, just as the Irish would be writing their stories and poems if they were but sober
