"Taking over from her father and grandfather as the head of the Survivor's Campaign, an organization whose purpose is to bring Nazi war criminals to justice, Milia Gottstein has dedicated her life to making sure the voices of Holocaust victims will never be silenced. It is an overwhelming and heartbreaking mission that has often usurped her time and energy being a wife to busy surgeon Julius, and a mother and grandmother. But now, just as she is finally ready to pass on her work to others, making time for her personal life, an unexpected phone call suddenly explodes all she thought she knew about her present and her future. In the midst of this personal turmoil, Milia receives an invitation to be the keynote speaker at a Holocaust conference in Lithuania from Dr. Darius Vidas, the free spirited, rebellious conference head. Despite suspecting his motives-she is, after all, viewed as a 'public enemy' in that country for her efforts to have them try war criminals and admit their historic responsibility for annihilating almost their entire Jewish community, including her own family-she nevertheless accepts, having developed a secret agenda of her own. But as Milia and Darius begin their mission, shared experiences profoundly alter their relationship, replacing antagonism and suspicion with a growing intimacy. However, this only ramps up the hostile forces facing them, threatening their families, livelihoods, and reputations, and forcing them into shocking choices that will betray all they have achieved and all that has grown between them"-- Provided by publisher
Naomi Ragen Book order
Naomi Ragen is an American-born novelist and playwright who has made her home in Jerusalem since 1971. She is celebrated for her seven internationally best-selling novels and a widely acclaimed play. Through her fiction and her regular column, Ragen consistently explores Jewish subjects, with a particular focus on Israel. Her work offers a distinctive voice, delving into significant social issues and personal narratives.






- 2023
- 2021
In this rich and compassionate novel, An Observant Wife, Naomi Ragen continues the love story between newly observant California-girl Leah and ultra-Orthodox widower Yaakov from An Unorthodox Match. From the joy of their wedding day surrounded by supportive friends and family, Yaakov and Leah are soon plunged into the complex reality of their new lives together as Yaakov leaves his beloved yeshiva to work in the city, and Leah confronts the often agonizing restrictions imposed by religious laws governing even the most intimate moments of their married lives. Adding to their difficulties is the hostility of some in the community who continue to view Leah as a dangerous interloper, questioning her sincerity and adherence to religious laws and spreading outrageous rumors. In the midst of their heartfelt attempts to reach a balance between their human needs and their spiritual obligations, the discovery of a secret, forbidden relationship between troubled teenage daughter Shaindele and a local boy precipitates a maelstrom of life-changing consequences for all.
- 2020
An Unorthodox Match
- 336 pages
- 12 hours of reading
An Unorthodox Match is a powerful and moving novel of faith, love, and acceptance, from author Naomi Ragen, the international bestselling author of The Devil in Jerusalem.California girl Lola has her life all set up: business degree, handsome fianc�, fast track career, when suddenly, without warning, everything tragically implodes. After years fruitlessly searching for love, marriage, and children, she decides to take the radical step of seeking spirituality and meaning far outside the parameters of modern life in the insular, ultraorthodox enclave of Boro Park, Brooklyn. There, fate brings her to the dysfunctional home of newly-widowed Jacob, a devout Torah scholar, whose life is also in turmoil, and whose small children are aching for the kindness of a womanly touch.While her mother direly predicts she is ruining her life, enslaving herself to a community that is a misogynistic religious cult, Lola's heart tells her something far more complicated. But it is the shocking and unexpected messages of her new community itself which will finally force her into a deeper understanding of the real choices she now faces and which will ultimately decide her fate.
- 2016
Devil in Jerusalem
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
In a gripping narrative set against the backdrop of Jerusalem, a toddler's life hangs in the balance as an ambulance rushes him to the hospital. The emergency room doctor discovers that the child's mother, a young American, is already present, attending to another injured child. Her unwavering faith is evident as she recites Psalms, but her silence raises questions. The story unfolds around themes of trauma, maternal instinct, and the complexities of communication in crisis, highlighting the emotional turmoil faced by families in dire situations.
- 2015
The Devil in Jerusalem
- 310 pages
- 11 hours of reading
From the international bestselling author of The Tenth Song comes a riveting new novel about a young mother and her family who come under the thrall of one man and his dark, secret sect, setting in motion a horrific chain of events.
- 2014
The Sisters Weiss
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
Powerful, page-turning and deeply moving, Naomi Ragen's The Sisters Weiss is an unforgettable examination of loyalty and betrayal; the differences that can tear a family apart and the invisible bonds that tie them together. In 1950's Brooklyn, sisters Rose and Pearl Weiss grow up in a loving but strict ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, never dreaming of defying their parents or their community's unbending and intrusive demands. Then, a chance meeting with a young French immigrant turns Rose's world upside down, its once bearable strictures suddenly tightening like a noose around her neck. Defiantly, she begins to live a secret life that shocks her family when it is discovered. Out of guilt and an overwhelming desire to be reconciled with those she loves, she finally bows to her parents' demands that she agree to an arranged marriage. But the night before her wedding, she commits an act of defiance so unforgivable it will exile her forever from her innocent young sister, her family, and all she has ever known. Forty years later, pious Pearl's sheltered young daughter Rivka suddenly discovers the truth about the family outcast, her Aunt Rose, now a successful photographer. Inspired, but naïve and reckless, she sets off on a dangerous adventure that will stir up the ghosts of the past and alter the future in unimaginable ways for all involved.
- 2011
Naomi Ragen's first play, which premiered in July 2002 at Habima National Theater in Tel Aviv. It is based on a true story: a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) woman, wife of a rabbi, mother of 12, leaves her home and stays with a friend. The community's "modesty squad" tries in vain to force her to go back. Her friend is physically attacked, her arm and leg broken. The rabbi's wife is punished: she is cut off from her children, against her will.
- 2011
The Tenth Song
- 320 pages
- 12 hours of reading
When life is at its best, the unimaginable can shatter everything you think you know... Abigail Samuels has no reason to feel anything but joy on the morning her life falls apart. The epitome of the successful Jewish American woman, she is married to a well-known and respected accountant and is in the middle of planning her daughter Kayla's wedding. Kayla, too, wakes up that morning with the world in the palm of her hand. Having lived the charmed life of a well-loved child from a happy family, she is a bright, pretty Harvard law student who has never really questioned the path she found herself on. With a shocking suddenness, all that is smashed to pieces in ways they could never have dreamed. When a heartbroken Kayla runs away to a desert commune run by a charismatic mystic, Abigail rushes to save her, only to find that there is nothing more whole than a broken heart.
- 2010
The Sacrifice of Tamar
- 478 pages
- 17 hours of reading
Tamar Finegold's idyllic life as a young bride in a strict ultra-Orthodox Jewish community shatters after a traumatic event leaves her grappling with shame and secrecy. Choosing to conceal her assault to protect her marriage, she believes she has made the right decision. However, years later, an unexpected twist compels her to confront her past, challenging her understanding of truth and resilience. This powerful narrative explores themes of trauma, identity, and the societal pressures that shape a woman's choices.
- 2008
The Saturday Wife
- 322 pages
- 12 hours of reading
The narrative follows a young Rabbi's wife as she grapples with the overwhelming expectations of her congregation, her faith, and her personal life. Through a blend of poignant storytelling and sharp humor, the author crafts a compelling exploration of the pressures faced by women in religious roles, showcasing the character's gradual unraveling amidst her struggles. The finely drawn characters add depth to this insightful tale, revealing the complexities of faith and community.
