Faranak Margolese

Faranak Margolese (; born 1972) is an American-Israeli writer, best known as the author of Off the Derech, a book about contemporary assimilation in the Orthodox Jewish world.

Early life and education Margolese was born in Manchester, England, in 1972, the great-granddaughter of the former Chief Rabbi of Tehran, Iran. She was raised in Los Angeles, California, to Persian immigrant parents in a traditional Sephardi Jewish household. received a BA in philosophy from Stern College and a Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction creative writing from Columbia University in New York. She also interviewed rabbis, educators, therapists, and program directors.

Summary Off the Derech (A Jewish term that means "off the path") explores the phenomenon of Jews raised in Orthodox households who choose to leave that lifestyle as adults, examining their reasons for doing so and offering preventative measures for the Jewish community to take. with Margolese earning praise for "authoring the first seminal work on contemporary assimilation from the ranks of the previously observant". Her writing style has been called "extremely lucid and logical". Publishers Weekly wrote that Margolese's conclusion ("God cannot be confined to the narrow path we walk... neither can his people") "will resonate with those of all faiths".

Other work Margolese served as Editor of the 1999 edition of Freedom in the World. The comprehensive annual report by Freedom House monitors political rights and civil liberties in nations and disputed territories across the globe. and columnist for The Jerusalem Post.