A mother of four has spoken out about her ordeal at the hands of an Orthodox Jewish community- saying she was trapped in an abusive arranged marriage for six years.
Her battle still wages on as she fights for full custody of her children, though her ex is fighting back by saying that she behaves and dresses improperly- using the fact that she wears pants as opposed to the traditional uniform of a skirt against her.
Pearlperry Reich talked to MailOnline about how she left both her marriage to Sinai Meir Susholz and the teachings of her religious upbringing after years of what she describes as an emotionally and physically abusive marriage.
Escaping the past: Pearlperry Reich, left, ended her marriage with Sinai Meir Susholz (right) five years ago but he will still not grant her a formal divorce
Ms Reich, who is launching a modelling and acting career, says that her husband is trying to portray her as an unstable and promiscuous woman in order to retain custody.
She paints a very different picture, however, saying that she will continue to raise the children in a Orthodox environment even though she no longer respects the Orthodox teachings herself.
One of the most poignant points of contention in the battle is whether or not Ms Reich, 30, is sufficiently strict, and her wearing of pants is a big issue.
'My dressing in pants and being openly non-conforming to their standards is NEVER in front of my children,' she wrote in an email to MailOnline.
Model behaviour: Ms Reich is now trying to launch a career as a model
Considering the brouhaha that her pants have caused, she may be in for some more problems as some of her model photos are sexually suggestive.
Her ex, who she says was both physically and emotionally abusive during their marriage, still refuses to grant her a legal or Jewish divorce until she agrees to abandon custody of her children.
Since she left him five years ago, she has moved from Brooklyn to Lakewood, New Jersey because she feels it is more accepting.
Being fought for: Ms Reich's ex thinks that she is not providing an appropriate environment for the children in keeping with their religious beliefs
Family: Ms Reich said her children- aged 9, 8, 7, and 5 years old- are all doing extremely well in their religious school and are all very happy
'I vary considerably from the accepted orthodoxy level in the Lakewood community and have since become a lot more liberal and open minded,' she told MailOnline.
Maternal: Ms Reich said that after she left her husband, she has basically raised the children on her own
She also has a boyfriend and her ex's lawyers say that she is behaving inappropriately by kissing her boyfriend in front of their four children.
She said that while she may not follow the religion's rules all of the time, she is very clear to do so while her children are present.
'I keep my home 100 per cent Kosher in regards to the kids,' she said.
She also said that since she left her husband five years ago, she has done the lion's share of the child rearing for all four of their children- ages 5, 7, 8 and 9 years old.
Now, she just hopes that her case earns enough attention and sympathy to overturn the agreement that she signed in rabbinical court which allows her husband joint custody.
'It's more than emotionally draining- it's psychological, mental,' she said.
Ms Reich's plight comes just a week after the announcement that another woman named Deborah Feldmen who left the Orthodox lifestyle has penned a memoir about her time in her ultra-conservative marriage.
Rather than writing a book, Ms Reich is using social media as a way to tell her story.
Her Facebook support group already has over 2,000 followers and she has launched a Facebook Causes page to help her raise money to pay for the ensuing legal battle.
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