Julia Haart facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Julia Haart

Born	Julia Leibov (1971-04-11) April 11, 1971 (age 54) Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia)
Years active	2013–present
Label(s)	La Perla Elite World
Spouse(s)	Yosef Hendler (divorced) Silvio Scaglia (m. 2019; div. 2025)

Julia Haart (born April 11, 1971) is an American fashion designer, businesswoman, and author. She started her own brand called Body by Julia, which creates comfortable and stylish shapewear for all body types. Haart is also a co-owner of Freedom Holding, a company that manages the Elite World Group, a big talent agency. Before this, she had her own shoe line and was a creative director at the luxury fashion company La Perla.

Haart is featured in the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life. This show talks about her decision in 2013 to leave her very religious Haredi community. She also works with several groups that support important causes, like Emerge America Creative Coalition and the ERA Coalition Advisory Board.

Julia Haart's Life Story

Early Years and Education

Julia Haart was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1971. When she was three years old, her family moved to Austin, Texas. In Austin, she went to the Wilford School, where she was the only Jewish student. Her parents became more religious over time and decided to move to Monsey, New York, a place with a large Haredi community, when Julia was in fourth grade.

Julia first attended a Modern Orthodox school. However, her family's religious practices were stricter than those of her classmates. So, in seventh grade, she moved to , a Bais Yaakov school in Monsey. She finished high school at Bais Yaakov Monsey, where she was a student leader. After high school, Julia spent a year at Beth Jacob Jerusalem seminary. There, she earned a teaching certificate, which allowed her to teach both regular and religious subjects in Orthodox Jewish schools. She began teaching right after graduating.

Marriage and Family

In Haredi girls' schools, the main focus was on religious studies and preparing to be good wives and mothers. Julia hoped to marry a rabbi and raise a religious family. When she was 18, she changed her first name to Talia, which sounded more Hebrew, hoping to find a suitable husband. Her family started looking for a match with the help of a shadchan, a matchmaker.

At 19, Julia married Yosef Hendler, a yeshiva student who was five years older. Yosef had become religious while studying at the Wharton School. They started their married life in Brooklyn before moving to Monsey. Because of money needs, Yosef left his religious studies to work. He first worked at Lehman Brothers and then at Southern Energy, which led the family to move to Atlanta for a while before returning to Monsey. Their children attended Haredi schools in the Monsey area.

Teaching Career

After seminary, Haart taught English or Jewish Studies at several Orthodox Jewish schools. These included Yeshiva Atlanta in Atlanta, in Brooklyn, and in Monsey. During the 1990s and early 2000s, when she was known as Talia Hendler, she was well-liked by her students at Yeshiva Atlanta and known for her stylish clothes.

Leaving the Haredi Community

Julia Haart felt more and more uncomfortable with her Haredi community during the 1990s and early 2000s. She was especially worried about how her younger daughter, Miriam, was being treated. In an interview, she explained that Miriam "just wouldn't conform." Julia felt they were trying to change Miriam into someone she wasn't, just as they had tried to do to her. She decided she couldn't let that happen.

After leaving the community, she took the name Julia Haart. Her new last name, Haart, comes from her maiden name, Leibov, which is similar to Lev, the Hebrew word for "heart." With help from investors, Julia then entered the fashion world.

Julia Haart's Businesses

Selling Insurance

For many years, Julia secretly sold life insurance. The money she earned from these sales helped her save enough to leave her Haredi community and start a new life in the secular world.

Julia Haart Shoes

After leaving her community in 2013, Julia Haart started her own shoe company. Her goal was to create high-heeled shoes that were both fashionable and comfortable. She worked with a ski boot engineer and a German company that makes a special gel used by NASA to achieve this.

Working with La Perla

In 2016, Haart teamed up with La Perla, a luxury Italian brand, for their accessory collections. Later that year, she became the creative director for La Perla.

As creative director, Haart brought new ideas to La Perla's clothing lines. She developed the first stretchy Leavers lace and launched lingerie with built-in support. For her Fall/Winter 2017 fashion show, she created a special "La Perla Manor" runway where famous models like Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner walked. She also designed Kendall Jenner's dress for the 2017 Met Gala, which had 85,000 crystals on a single string.

Leading Elite World Group

In March 2019, Julia Haart became the chief executive officer and chief creative officer of Elite World Group (EWG), a large company that manages talent. Under her leadership, EWG changed its focus to help models earn more from their personal brands and business projects. Haart also became the creative director of e1972, a luxury fashion brand launched by Elite World. This collection was praised for being "innovative, inclusive, and inspiring."

Body by Julia

In 2023, Haart launched +Body by Julia Haart, an American brand that makes shapewear and clothing. +Body focuses on being body-positive and inclusive, offering sizes for everyone. The shapewear is designed to be seen, with colorful fabrics and special technology that avoids white lines and seams. The Strategist magazine even named +Body by Julia Haart "The Very Best Shapewear."

Julia Haart's Activism

Julia Haart is a strong supporter of women's rights, democracy, and social justice. She uses her public platform to highlight challenges faced by people around the world, especially women living under difficult conditions.

Supporting Ukraine

Julia Haart has been very active in helping Ukraine during its war with Russia. She received an award from the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade for her important support of the Ukrainian army and the country's independence.

In December 2022, Haart worked with the Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Ukraine Friends to personally deliver medical supplies to Bakhmut, Ukraine. Her efforts brought ambulances, medicine, and toys to refugees and soldiers. She also helped draw international attention to the situation in Ukraine. Haart partnered with actor Liev Schreiber to organize charity events that raised over one million hryvnias to help Ukrainian children affected by the war. These funds provided important resources like medical supplies and educational support for children who had to leave their homes.

Fighting Antisemitism

Haart is a strong voice against antisemitism. In 2024, she launched Ahm Nation, a website to help people on social media fight against rising online antisemitism and provide resources to combat hate speech. In 2023, Haart visited Israel to show support after the October 7th Hamas-led attack. She met with communities affected by the violence and even went with an active IDF unit into Gaza. She also interviewed President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu. Haart has spoken out against anti-Israel protests and uses her platform to correct wrong information about the Israeli conflict. At a rally in 2024, she spoke about her experiences as a Jewish woman and expressed pride in her heritage. She stressed the importance of unity within the Jewish community and promised to keep fighting antisemitism globally.

Advocating for Women in Iran

After widespread protests against the Iranian government, especially following the death of Mahsa Amini, Haart has used her platform to support Iranian women fighting for their rights. She led a protest in Washington, speaking out against how the Iranian government treats women. During these protests, Haart talked about the unfair treatment women face in Iran, including rules about their clothing, education, and freedom of speech. Haart and others organized cultural and art events, like the Paint2Power public art project, to raise awareness about the struggles of Iranian women. She also took part in fundraising events, such as the SheHer fundraiser, to help Iranian women fighting for their freedom.

Awards and Recognitions

CHI È CHI Award (2021): Julia Haart received this award for helping to empower women and for being an inspiration to them.
21 Leaders for the 21st Century (2022): In June 2022, she was named one of the "21 Leaders for the 21st Century," recognizing her as a pioneer in promoting gender equality.
Icon Award for Impact and Innovation (2023): Haart was honored with this award during London Fashion Week in 2023 for her influence in both fashion and humanitarian work.
109th Territorial Defense Brigade Award (2023): She was recognized by the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine for her support of the Ukrainian army and efforts to protect the country's territory.
WIN Woman Leadership Award (2024): Haart received this award at the WIN (Women in Negotiation) Summit for her leadership and advocacy for women.

Legal Matters

In 2022, after Julia Haart told Silvio Scaglia she was divorcing him, he removed her from Elite World Group. Haart sued Scaglia, saying that as an equal owner of EWG, she could not be fired. On August 4, 2022, a court ruled that even though Julia owned 49.99% of the company, Silvio Scaglia was the controlling owner.

In February 2023, Julia Haart filed another lawsuit against Silvio Scaglia and others, claiming fraud. She said that Scaglia and his partners had lied about her ownership in the company and tricked her into working as CEO of EWG without pay or a contract. The lawsuit was first dismissed, but Haart appealed.

In October 2024, a New York court allowed Haart's appeal and brought back her claims against Scaglia and others. The court found it was reasonable for Haart to trust Scaglia's statements about owning 50% of Freedom Holding Inc. (FHI) because they were family and co-owners. The court also reinstated claims against an accountant, finding it was reasonable for Haart to trust his information. Claims about hidden information regarding FHI's preferred stock were also brought back, as the court said Scaglia had a duty to share this information. Additionally, the claim that the accountant helped Scaglia's fraud was reinstated, as the court found that preparing important documents, like tax returns, was significant help.

In June 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for Scaglia because he failed to follow a court order to pay $300,000 in legal fees to Haart. As a result, the court sentenced him to 20 days in jail. By September 2024, Scaglia's financial situation became a point of discussion in the ongoing legal case. Scaglia asked for a court-appointed lawyer, saying he had financial difficulties. However, Haart's legal team questioned his claims, pointing to reports of Scaglia spending money on yachts and private jets during the summer.

In January 2025, Judge Pearlman ruled that Haart would receive 50% of EWG and Freedom Holding, along with a $65 million penthouse in New York City. The judge also gave Haart power of attorney over Scaglia's share in all the companies, giving Haart full control of these assets.

Books and TV Shows

My Unorthodox Life

Haart is the main subject of the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life, which first aired in July 2021. This documentary series shows Julia Haart's professional and personal life as the CEO of Elite World Group, and also as an author, mother, and wife. Many members of the Jewish community have shared their thoughts about the show. In 2022, the Jewish Journal named Haart one of "The Top 10 Jewish Reality TV Stars of All Time."

Brazen

In April 2022, Haart released her memoir, a book about her life, called Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie. This book was published by Penguin Random House. It tells Julia's life story, from being a very religious housewife to becoming a shoe designer and then the CEO of the modeling agency, Elite World Group. The book was also released as an audiobook, narrated by Julia Haart herself. Brazen received good reviews from critics and quickly became a bestseller for Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Sunday Times.

Personal Life

Julia Haart is the oldest of eight children. Sadly, one of her siblings died in a car accident at age five. Only one of her sisters, Hannah, still has a relationship with her. Her parents and other siblings stopped talking to her after she left her Orthodox Jewish community.

Julia Haart married Silvio Scaglia in June 2019. They divorced in 2025.

Julia Haart's Children

Haart has four children with her first husband, Yosef Hendler: Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam, and Aron. When Haart left the Haredi community, Batsheva and Shlomo were adults, while Miriam and Aron were still minors. Julia lived in hotels and traveled, visiting her family in Monsey regularly. Later, she settled in Manhattan, and her children would split their time between Manhattan and Monsey. Julia chose a less religious path, while Yosef adopted a Modern Orthodox worldview. The younger Hendler children then attended Modern Orthodox schools. It was decided that the children should go to schools with good regular education to help them find jobs or go to college.

While the Hendler family was Haredi, the older children went to Haredi schools. Batsheva attended a Bais Yaakov school. At that time, girls were not encouraged to go to university. After graduating, Batsheva went to trade school. She studied at and the before starting her career. After Julia left the community, she encouraged Batsheva and her husband, Binyamin, to go to college.

Miriam is a graduate of Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls. Aron is a graduate of and The Frisch School.

Three of Haart's children have university degrees:

Batsheva graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in Accessories Design.
Shlomo studied at Rockland Community College and then graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science and Government.
Miriam graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Computer Science.

Aron wanted to study at a yeshiva to become a Haredi rabbi instead of pursuing a secular education.

Batsheva was married to Binyamin "Ben" Weinstein, a Modern Orthodox Jew, from 2012 until their divorce in November 2021. Batsheva has since left the religious lifestyle, while Binyamin has remained religious. Binyamin studied at Yeshiva Ohr Gedolah and earned a degree in Talmudic Law before entering the secular workforce.

Batsheva and Shlomo use the surname Haart for their public names. Miriam legally changed her last name from Hendler to Haart. Aron kept the surname Hendler.