Julia Haart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julia Haart
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| Born |
Julia Leibov
April 11, 1971 |
| Years active | 2013–present |
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Label(s)
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| Spouse(s) |
Yosef Hendler
(divorced)Silvio Scaglia
(m. 2019; div. 2025) |
Julia Haart (born April 11, 1971) is an American fashion designer, business owner, and author. She started a shapewear brand called Body by Julia. This brand focuses on helping people feel good about their bodies. Julia Haart also co-owns Freedom Holding, a company that includes the Elite World Group. Before this, she had her own shoe line and was a creative director for the Italian fashion brand La Perla.
Julia Haart is known for the Netflix show My Unorthodox Life. This show talks about her decision in 2013 to leave her very religious Haredi community. She also works with groups that support women's rights and democracy.
Contents
About Julia Haart
Her Early Life
Julia Haart was born in Moscow in 1971. When she was three years old, her family moved from Russia to Austin, Texas. She went to a private school there. Later, when she was in fourth grade, her family moved to Monsey, New York. This town had a large Haredi community, which her parents liked as they became more religious.
Julia went to Bais Yaakov Academy in Brooklyn, New York. When she was 16, she learned to sew by herself. She also loved reading fashion magazines. At 19, she married her first husband, Yosef Hendler.
Her Family Life
In the Haredi schools, girls learned about religious rules and how 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. Her family helped her find a husband through a shadchan, a matchmaker.
Julia married Yosef Hendler when she was 19. They started their life in Brooklyn and later moved to Monsey. Yosef worked in the business world, and the family moved to Atlanta for a time before returning to Monsey. Their children went to Haredi schools in the Monsey area.
Teaching at Schools
After finishing seminary, Julia Haart taught English and Jewish studies. She taught at several Orthodox Jewish schools. These included Yeshiva Atlanta and schools in Brooklyn and Monsey.
People who knew her when she was called Talia Hendler remember her as a beloved teacher. She was also known for her sharp and stylish way of dressing.
Leaving Her Community
As Julia lived in the Haredi community, she started to feel uncomfortable. She was especially worried about how her younger daughter, Miriam, was being treated. Julia felt that the community was trying to change Miriam too much. She did not want that to happen to her daughter.
After leaving the community, she changed her name to Julia Haart. The name Haart comes from her maiden name, Leibov, which is similar to Lev, the Hebrew word for "heart." Then, Julia started her career in the fashion world.
Her 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. It also helped her start a new life in the modern world.
Julia Haart Shoes
In 2013, after leaving her community, Julia started her own shoe company. Her goal was to create high-heeled shoes that were both stylish and comfortable. She worked with a ski boot engineer and a German company. They used a special gel, like the one used by NASA, to make the shoes very comfortable.
Working with La Perla
In 2016, Julia Haart worked with La Perla on their accessory collections. In the same year, she became the creative director for the brand.
At La Perla, Julia introduced new ideas for clothing. She created the first stretchy lace and launched lingerie with built-in support. For her Fall/Winter 2017 fashion show, she built a special "La Perla Manor" runway. Famous models like Naomi Campbell and Kendall Jenner walked in her show.
Julia is also famous for the dress she designed for Kendall Jenner at the 2017 Met Gala. The dress had 85,000 crystals on a single string.
Elite World Group
In March 2019, Julia became the chief executive officer of Elite World Group (EWG). This company manages talent and media. Under Julia's leadership, EWG helped models earn money from their personal brands and business ideas.
Julia is also the creative director of e1972. This is a luxury fashion brand launched by Elite World. The collection was praised for being new, inclusive, and empowering.
Body by Julia
In 2023, Julia Haart launched +Body by Julia Haart. This is an American brand that makes shapewear and clothing. +Body focuses on body positivity and includes many different sizes. The shapewear is designed to be seen and has special fabric technology. It helps avoid common issues like white lines and seams. The Strategist magazine called +Body by Julia Haart "The Very Best Shapewear."
Her Activism
Julia Haart is a strong supporter of women's rights, democracy, and fairness in society. She uses her public platform to talk about challenges faced by people around the world. She especially helps women living in difficult situations and promotes democratic ideas.
Helping Ukraine
Julia Haart has been very involved in helping Ukraine during its war with Russia. She received an award from the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade. This award was for her important help to the Ukrainian army and for supporting Ukraine's land.
In December 2022, Julia worked with groups to deliver medical supplies to Bakhmut, Ukraine. She brought ambulances, medicine, and toys to refugees and soldiers. Her efforts helped bring international attention to the situation in Ukraine. Julia also worked with actor Liev Schreiber to organize charity events. These events raised over one million hryvnias to help Ukrainian children affected by the war. The money provided medical supplies and educational support for children who had to leave their homes.
Fighting Antisemitism
Julia Haart has been a strong voice against antisemitism, which is hatred towards Jewish people. In 2024, she started Ahm Nation, a website to help people fight online antisemitism. It provides resources to combat hate speech. In 2023, Julia visited Israel to show her support after attacks. She met with communities affected by the violence. Julia spoke out against anti-Israel protests. She uses her platform to correct wrong information about the Israeli conflict. At a rally in 2024, Julia spoke about being a Jewish woman. She said she was "never prouder to be a Jew." She stressed the importance of Jewish unity and promised to keep fighting antisemitism worldwide.
Supporting Women in Iran
After protests against the Iranian government, especially after the death of Mahsa Amini, Julia Haart has supported Iranian women. She uses her platform to share their voices as they fight for their rights. Julia led a protest in Washington, speaking against how the Iranian government treats women. She talked about the unfair rules women face in Iran, like limits on their clothes, education, and freedom to speak. Julia and other activists organized art events like Paint2Power. These events used creative expression to raise awareness about the struggles of Iranian women. Julia also took part in fundraising events 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, Julia was named one of the "21 Leaders for the 21st Century." This honored her as a leader working to achieve equality for all genders.
Icon Award for Impact and Innovation (2023)
Julia Haart received this award during London Fashion Week in 2023. It recognized her influence in both fashion and her humanitarian work.
109th Territorial Defense Brigade Award (2023)
Julia was recognized by the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine. This was for her help to the Ukrainian army and her efforts to support the country's land.
WIN Woman Leadership Award (2024)
Julia Haart received the WIN Woman Leadership Award at the WIN (Women in Negotiation) Summit. This award recognized her leadership and her support for women.
Legal Matters
After Julia Haart told Silvio Scaglia she was divorcing him in 2022, he removed her from Elite World Group. Julia believed that as an owner of EWG, she could not be dismissed. In 2025, a judge decided that Julia owned 50% of EWG and Freedom Holding. The judge also gave her control over a large penthouse in New York City. This decision put Julia in full control of these assets.
Her Stories
My Unorthodox Life
Julia Haart is the main person in the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life. It started in July 2021. The show is a documentary that follows Julia's work and personal life. It shows her as the CEO of Elite World Group, an author, a mother, and a wife. Many Jewish community members have discussed the show.
In 2022, the Jewish Journal named Julia Haart one of "The Top 10 Jewish Reality TV Stars of All Time."
Brazen
In April 2022, Julia Haart released her book called Brazen. It was published by Penguin Random House. The book tells Julia's life story. It goes from her time as a very religious housewife to becoming a shoe designer and then the CEO of Elite World Group. Julia herself read the audiobook version. Brazen received good reviews from critics. Soon after it came out, the book became a bestseller for Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Sunday Times.
Her Personal Life
Julia Haart is the oldest of eight children. One of her siblings died young in a car accident. Only one of her sisters, Hannah, still talks to her. Her parents and other siblings stopped talking to her after she left her Orthodox Jewish community.
Julia married Silvio Scaglia in June 2019. They divorced in 2025.
Her Children
Julia has four children with her first husband, Yosef Hendler: Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam, and Aron. When Julia left the Haredi community, Batsheva and Shlomo were adults. Miriam and Aron were still children. Julia lived in Manhattan, and her children would split their time between Manhattan and Monsey.
Julia encouraged Batsheva and her husband to go to school. Batsheva studied at The Center for Culinary Arts and the Capri School of Hair Design.
Miriam went to Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls. Aron went to and The Frisch School.
Three of Julia's children have college degrees:
- Batsheva graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She studied Accessories Design.
- Shlomo graduated from Columbia University. He studied Political Science and Government.
- Miriam graduated from Stanford University. She studied Computer Science.
Aron wanted to study at a yeshiva to become a Haredi rabbi.
Batsheva, Shlomo, and Miriam have chosen a less religious lifestyle. However, they still feel connected to their Jewish identity. They support efforts to stand with Israel and fight anti-semitism. Aron has remained religious.
Batsheva was married to Binyamin "Ben" Weinstein from 2012 until their divorce in 2021. Batsheva has left the religious lifestyle, but Binyamin has remained religious.
Batsheva and Shlomo use the last name Haart for their public work. Miriam legally changed her last name from Hendler to Haart. Aron kept the last name Hendler.
See also
In Spanish: Julia Haart para niños
