Rebecca Segall's article on Hasidic Jews' sexual activities seems to be a direct result of her fatigue from writing about arranged marriages. One such couple in an arranged marriage finally manages to get the wife off, years into the marriage, and all of a sudden Segall pronounces that Hasidic Jews are hot! hot! hot! This is despite the fact there was only one orgasm achieved in all the marriage by the wife, and despite the fact that other Jews in the community think it's complete rubbish that Segall is trying to find anything positive about Hasidic Jews' sex lives! Whatever good sex is happening in the community is apparently going down in S/M shops, where the men can get over their sexual guilt by eagerly being "forced" into liking it. The next time Segall tries to branch into the Salon Sex column, perhaps she can find a more legitimate area of research, please?
-- Laura Hershey
Extraordinary article! As a Jewish woman, it was amazing to read such intimate conversations with such very private people who usually do not have their "real voices" represented. Usually Hasidim (and frequently other Jews as well) are just depicted in the media as the stereotypes the public is familiar and comfortable with. But Rebecca Segall avoided this and gave us real people. Just excellent. Brava.
-- Lily Loring
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