The Covenant by Naomi Ragen

I just finished a wonderful book that I wanted to pass on—at least virtually! The Covenant, by Naomi Ragen is a gripping novel about a young mother, Elise Margulies, who is pregnant with her second child and lives in Maaleah Sara in Isreal as "settlers". While coming home from a ballet recital, Elise’s beloved husband, Jon, and their daughter were kidnapped by Hamas for an impossible ransom. Elise called her grandmother with the terrifying news, which set in motion an amazing series of events. Elise’s grandmother Leah and her three elderly friends (all suvivors of Auschwitz) descend on Israel to help Elise as promised many years ago in a special covenant. It is an exciting tale of a decades-old conflict--straight from today’s headlines. And though it is not a “happily ever after story”, the power of friendship and triumph of love and faith over evil shine through this thrilling novel.
--L