Miri and Ben\'s paths should never have crossed.
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..
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.
Despite their differences, Ben and Miri are drawn to one another.
Kind, sensitive, and hiding his own secret pain, Ben is from the exiled, Middle Eastern Jewish community of Aden.
There, she meets Ben.
It is an experience she will never forget.
When her more adventurous friend invites her for an evening out, she agrees on a whim.
Soon, she will be expected to marry, but she fears being forced into an unsuitable shidduch (traditional, arranged marriage).
She has never even spoken to a boy other than a close relative.
Her strict upbringing has prevented her from pursuing a career or being allowed to date.
Miri is a sheltered but contemplative young woman from a Chassidic family.
Although they live in the same north London neighbourhood of Stamford Hill, they come from two culturally different communities that rarely interact.
Miri and Ben\'s paths should never have crossed
