Faranak Margolese

I have occasionally introduced a great contemporary Jewish woman on this blog, or discussed some issues relevant to the Jewish Iranian women here and here.

I would like to introduce you now to a great Jewish Iranian woman. She is the author of the highly popular book “OFF THE DERECH, WHY OBSERVENT JEWS LEAVE JUDAISM”.

Faranak Margolese, was born in Manchester, England and raised in LA. Her parents are both from Tehran. Faranak’s father left in the fifties and her mother in 1971 when they married and moved to England. Her father received his doctorate in Psychology and they then moved to LA where Faranak was raised. She went to an Orthodox Jewish day school, YULA for high school, a seminary in Israel for one year, and then to Stern College where she received her BA in Philosophy. She stayed in Manhattan for almost ten years during which she completed her Master of Fine Arts in Non-Fiction Creative Writing from Columbia University's prestigious School of the Arts. She subsequently served as the youngest adjunct professor of writing at both Yeshiva University and Queens College; as a contributing editor to the Los Angeles Jewish Times; and as editor of “Freedom in the World: An Annual Survey of Political and Civil Rights Throughout the World” published by Freedom House.

Faranak’s highly acclaimed book “OFF THE DERECH” examines one of the most pressing issues in the Jewish world today - why orthodox Jews stop practicing Judaism. Based on a study which involved hundreds of people who have gone off the derech, as well as in-depth interviews with psychologists, educators, program directors, prominent rabbis and other experts in the field, this groundbreaking book reveals the multi-layered causes for defection and presents possible solutions to the growing problem. It is an invaluable resource for all Jewish parents, teachers, psychologists, sociologists, social workers, and rabbis alike. You can learn more about Faranak and her book here.

We hope that Faranak will consider writing a book on bringing our Jewish Iranian brethren back to the traditional Judaism of their forefathers.