Beyond Belief: Tales of Religious Exodus

Malka: Former Hasidic Jewish

Malka grew up as one of twelve children in a Hasidic family in Borough Park, in a childhood she describes as largely happy and loving. But even as a young girl, she was d

Yoily: Closeted Former Hasidic Jewish

Yoily is still visibly and socially embedded in the Hasidic community - but internally, he no longer believes. In this episode, he describes what it means to live between

Shayna: Former Modern Orthodox

Shayna Sragovicz grew up in a family that became Orthodox when they were seven, moving from a largely secular Jewish childhood into Chabad schooling and eventually Modern

Daniel: Former Religious Zionist

Daniel grew up deeply embedded in the religious Zionist world, raised in Efrat and moving through religious schools, yeshiva, a pre-military academy, and service as a tan

Sara: Former Orthodox Jewish

What does it mean to build a spiritual life grounded in the body rather than in fear? Sara joins Shalom to explore her journey through an Orthodox upbringing, marriage an

Bonus Episode: Zionism, Tribalism, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

In this bonus episode, Shalom sits down again with his brother Mike for a wide-ranging conversation about Zionism, Hasbara, and the psychological mechanisms that can make

Suri: Former Orthodox Jewish

Suri Robinson grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community in Baltimore, where she learned to suppress her needs, protect her family’s image, and strive for religious perfecti

Chantal: Exposing Abuse in the Episcopal Church

In this episode of Beyond Belief: Tales of Religious Exodus, host Shalom interviews Chantal, an Episcopal priest from North Carolina who grew up with both traditional chu

Gabi: Former Yeshivish Jewish

Gabi shares his experience growing up in New York’s Bukharian Jewish community, becoming deeply committed to Orthodox Judaism, and eventually building a life outside reli

Ilana: Former Zionist

On Beyond Belief, Ilana describes growing up in a strongly Zionist Jewish environment shaped by her Israeli father, her conservative rabbi stepfather, and Zionist youth p

Zalman: Former Chabad Jewish

In this episode of Beyond Belief, Shalom interviews Zalman, who was born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania, where his parents opened a Chabad center and Jewish school as "

Noor: Former Shia Muslim

This episode of Beyond Belief introduces Noor, an ex–Shia Muslim from an Iraqi family who grew up mostly in New Jersey. Noor describes performing prayers out of fear of

Mark: Former Irish Catholic Monk

In this episode of Beyond Belief, Shalom interviews Mark about leaving fundamentalist religion, focusing on Mark’s cradle-Catholic upbringing and later shift into mental

Adina "Flatbush Girl": Orthodox Jewish Activist

In this episode of Beyond Belief, Shalom speaks with Flatbush Girl, an Orthodox Jewish advocate working for change from inside the community. Rather than telling a story

Kevin: Former Catholic Christian

In this episode of Beyond Belief: Tales of Religious Exodus, Shalom speaks with Kevin Bolling about growing up Catholic, coming out as gay, and gradually leaving organize

Aysha: Former Sunni Muslim

In this episode of Beyond Belief we hear from Aysha, an ex-Muslim woman who shares her personal journey of leaving Islam. Raised in a moderately conservative Muslim famil

Sammy: Former Sunni Muslim

In this conversation we meet with Sammy, creator of Haram Doodles, as she discusses the significance of Ex-Muslim Month and shares personal experiences growing up as a So

Rachel: Former Ultra Orthodox

In this episode we talk with Rachel about her journey out of the fundamentalist Jewish community she was raised in. Rachel reflects on growing up between Israel and Canad

Judaism vs. Zionism: A Historical Untangling

In this episode, Shalom examines the historical divergence between Judaism as a religious-cultural tradition and Zionism as a modern nationalist project. He traces how Zi

Mike: Former Zionist

In this episode of Beyond Belief, Mike returns to discuss his journey out of Zionism, mirroring his earlier departure from fundamentalist religion. The conversation delve