 In the Afterword of the updated edition of the book, Bloom describes the receiving in the aftermath of the book's publication frequent accusations of airing the Jews' "dirty laundry", and betraying his brethren.Like other Jews who have taken on controversial or taboo issues regarding Jewish culture, Bloom became a lightning rod, accused of disloyalty and slander toward the Jewish people.The book became an important, if not unbiased, reference point in the wider perception of Orthodox Jewry in the United States.