Ayuni

Miri and Ben’s paths should never have crossed. Although they live in the same north London neighbourhood of Stamford Hill, they come from two culturally different communities that rarely interact.

Miri is a sheltered but contemplative young woman from a Chassidic family. Her strict upbringing has prevented her from pursuing a career or being allowed to date. She has never even spoken to a boy other than a close relative. Soon, she will be expected to marry, but she fears being forced into an unsuitable shidduch (traditional, arranged marriage).

When her more adventurous friend invites her for an evening out, she agrees on a whim. It is an experience she will never forget. There, she meets Ben. Kind, sensitive, and hiding his own secret pain, Ben is from the exiled, Middle Eastern Jewish community of Aden. Despite their differences, Ben and Miri are drawn to one another. What her friend only intended as a bit of harmless fun soon develops into something more serious, with far-reaching consequences for them all, and risks tearing Miri’s family apart.

With distinct nuances from two little-known communities, Ayuni is a powerful story about forbidden love, loss, the complexities of family and community, and the bonds of friendship.