Author Talk: Leah Vincent on "Cut Me Loose"

Leah Vincent was born into the Yeshivish community, a fundamentalist sect of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. The tradition-bound future Leah envisioned for herself was cut short when, at sixteen, she was caught
exchanging letters with a male friend, a violation of religious law. Leah's parents were unforgiving -- they put her on a plane and cut off ties.

Cast out in New York City, without a father or husband tethering her to the Orthodox community, Leah was totally unprepared to navigate the freedoms and temptations of secular life. Fast-paced, mesmerizing, and brutally honest, Cut Me Loose tells the story of one woman's harrowing struggle to define herself as an individual. Through Leah's eyes, we confront not only the oppressive world of religious fundamentalism, but also the broader issues that face even the most secular young women as they grapple with sexuality and identity.

Today, Leah Vincent is a writer and activist who holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. In addition to writing for various publications, she is an advocate for reform within ultra-Orthodoxy and for the empowerment of former ultra-Orthodox Jews seeking a self-determined life. She works with Footsteps, the only organization in the United States supporting formerly ultra-Orthodox individuals.

For more information, please call the Library at


732-431-7220 x7222, or click on the Library ‘s webpage at www.monmouthcountylib.org