Two people who share a common experience meet for the first time. Each has a gift for the other - an object that unlocks their story. With the help of presenter Catherine Carr, they exchange personal experiences and uncover the differences between them.

Emily and John both grew up in strict religious communities where centuries old traditions are preserved in the modern world. Religious laws governed everything from their clothes to their diet. Each community maintained a degree of separation from the ‘secular’ world.

John grew up in America, within the Amish community. His first language was Pennsylvanian Dutch, his clothes – simple fabric, plain coloured - were handmade. Transport was by horse and buggy instead of by car, and contact with the outside world was minimal.

Emily grew up in London’s Hasidic Jewish community, noted for its religious conservatism and social seclusion. Its members adhere closely to a traditional dress code. Yiddish is spoken and there are strict laws about physical contact between the genders.

John ran away at 17, Emily was older when she broke away. One of them has now reconnected with their old community. Together they share the challenges of growing up with rules they found impossible to reconcile with their personal needs.

They also describe adjusting to life on ‘the outside’ - learning to use technology for the first time, choosing their own clothes, adapting to manners in a secular society and embracing new freedoms that for many years were out of reach.

John’s path has taken him into a career he would never have envisaged while growing up in a community that shunned technology. Emily meanwhile has expanded her career beyond anything that seemed possible in her former life. Emily also continues to support others who have taken the decision to explore living beyond their Ultra-Orthodox communities through the charity Gesher EU.

Presented by Catherine Carr
Produced by Nicola Humphries
Executive Editor: Louise Cotton
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4 Show less