Customer Reviews

Women's Minyan

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Naomi Ragen has long championed the rights and causes of those who have little voice through her columns in the Jerusalem Post, and her play Women's Minyan is just another example of her dedication to those who the world does not seem to hear. Do not be put off by the fact that Women's Minyan is meant to be performed as a play, as it translates well on the page and is impossible to put down. Opening a window into the insular world of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, Ragen sheds light on the struggles a woman often faces when attempting to divorce her husband under the jurisdiction of a Beit Din, or religious court. Women's Minyan is based on the true story of a woman from Jerusalem, giving even more power to Ragen's play.

Excellent portrait of a true story that touches on the cloistered environment that is the Haredi community. Naomi Ragen is such a champion of those who have no voice.

naomi ragen has done so much for this poor woman. this play is based on a true story of a woman named chana. her husband was domineering and convinced the people in their town in israel that chana was a bad woman.ultimately he divorced her and spread lies about her to the town.she was not allowed to see her children. this is a good read.

I loved this play! Once again Naomi Ragen challenges us to think, to explore what it means to love God. She challenges us to follow after God and not man. Very enjoyable and I can't wait until I read her next book!

The play was effective in exposing some shocking
dynamics of the Orthodox Mea Shearim community
in Jerusalem, Israel. It was an upsetting read, yet
it is something that should be exposed in order
for reform to occur.

The actions sound extreme, the choices unbelievable. But to anyone who has spent time within the Ultra-Orthodox or Charadi community in the U.S. or Israel, the play will ring uncomfortably true.

The author has captured the internal pressure to conform and the absolute nature of the standards Orthodox communities set for their members, particularly women. In this play, the choices the daughters make, the rumors accepted as fact despite clear embellishment as they are passed along, and the price one woman pays for her freedom might appear to some as fictional. Sadly, they are all too real.

Although I have heard stories and reports of similar levels of control within Orthodox Christian and Muslim communities, I can only speak to the one I have seen first-hand. Naomi Ragen has accurately portrayed the control and group-think that characterizes these insular Jewish communities today. While certainly few and far between amid many far more open Jewish communities across the spectrum of observance, exposing the truth about the few fanatical ones is critical for giving the women involved a voice, and alerting would-be ba'al teshuva about the realities they would face in such a community.

I loved reading this lovely and poetic cry for honesty and tolerance in a world of hypocrisy. Simply brilliant. It's about time.

This is a socially relevant and interesting play, but it moves much, much, too slowly when read. It would make a better short story.

Even after the women was abused and forced to leave her marriage, she is again abused by the women of her community. Only until she tells the truth is she forgiven and allowed to see her children for the first time in years. How religion subverts women to second class status. Thank you Mrs. Regan for giving us a glance into a secret,harsh society that grades women for their own good.

I was a bit surprised when I recieved it that it was a play. when you are checking out this book to buy it it does not say that this is a play it is very deceptive. In the description it does not say that it is a play I wish people would be more clear when they are trying to sell an item and what it is about. I thought it was a written novel.I was disappointed in seeing how the book was written.At first it was kind of hard to understand it. you had to read it a few times to really get the feel for it. over all the story was excellent and my heart went out to this lady and the pain and the heart break what she went through and in the end of her loss.That was just sad. what made it worse was that this is a true story.My heart goes out to her.It was so sad how the Jewish community, her friends, even her very own family was not there for her when she needed help.That was so sad.the only person who even would help her is a co-worker.it was an awesome book and I read it at one setting.I would of liked to see this written as a novel and not a play setting.It was interesting and I totally enjoyed it.