On the Wings of Eagles - by Naomi Kehati Bronner (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The epic of mass Yemenite Jewish immigration to Israel told through one family, starting with an illiterate child bride in Sanaa and ending with her academically ambitious daughter in Tel Aviv, brings to life the unknown--and, often painful-- Mideastern side of the Zionist story.

After dwelling for centuries on the poverty-stricken fringes of Yemeni society, the desert nation's proud Jewish community was forced to emigrate, en masse, to Israel soon after that nation's founding. In this deeply personal and historically rich family memoir, Naomi Kehati Bronner opens a window into the unique world in which her parents grew up--a Yemini-Jewish world whose ways remained virtually unchanged since the Middle Ages.

Suddenly finding themselves forcibly thrust into the modern world, Kehati Bronner's parents and their immigrant community struggle to adjust and assimilate, while still raising their children to remember and honor their ancient traditions. Her own deeply personal story of assimilation, reinvention, and self-discovery not only sheds light on the complexity of modern Israel, but mirrors the immigrant journey of countless people around the world--and in the case of Jews, Israel's powerful role in providing a new sense of peoplehood.

Review Quotes

"On the Wings of Eagles is a deeply satisfying read, and a profound one. No word is waisted here--every phrase, every metaphor, every anguished and ecstatic memory, conveys the lived experience of a place and time rarely chronicled, that of the Jews of Yemen and their migration, some by choice, some by force, to the new state of Israel.

"But this multi-generational saga is ultimately about the shaping of one remarkable individual, Naomi Kehati, straddling the old world, where her dreams were discouraged as too big, and the new one, hobbled by prejudice, left her determination to find her own way.

"It's a tale that leaves the reader both humbled and full of hope."--Brooke Gladstone, Host of Public Radio's On the Media

"On the Wings of Eagles presents a captivating and rich tapestry. It weaves together a painful story of flight, the challenges of immigration which lie at the heart of the clash between a traditional Yemenite Jewish community and an Ashkenazi Labor Zionist secular ethos. It is, as well, a deeply astute psychological portrayal of the family dynamics of parents, their struggles, vulnerabilities and courage, and a moving account of self-discovery. From this intimate personal perspective of the author's coming to adulthood, emerges a powerful portrait of Israel in its early years featuring its fissures and promises. A thrilling and extraordinary achievement."--Moshe Halbertal, Professor of Philosophy, Hebrew University

"Naomi Kehati Bronner tells a story long needed to be told, a central component of the Israeli narrative--the mass immigration to Israel of the Jews of Yemen and the rest of the Middle East due to discrimination and yearning to return to their ancestral homeland. She's done it through her family and herself, without pulling punches, giving the book depth, heart and drama."--Noa Tishby, Author of Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, and Israel's former Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism

"This is a beautifully written and deeply affecting personal history, about a group the world knows far too little about--Yemenite Jews, who escaped dire conditions to come to the brand-new state of Israel, where once again they had to struggle against poverty and discrimination. Naomi Kehati Bronner is a natural storyteller, with an eye for vivid detail and keep powers of psychological insight."--Nicholas Lemann, Professor at Columbia Journalism School, Author and Staff Writer at The New Yorker

"This is an engrossing book, at once a moving family memoir and a startlingly novel way to recount the history of Israel and Zionism. The reader will find no stoic pioneers or glamorous military victories here, but will encounter the poignantly flawed personalities of obscure Yemenites who patiently and painstakingly built Israel from below. It is a memoir about the obstinacy of Yona and Shimon to make do with whatever the young state would provide them with, pride, shelter, but also poverty, racism, and shame. It is about the passionate struggle of a young girl to fit in. Ultimately, it is about the untold hardships of an entire community.

"Kehati-Bronner's memoir tells the story of Zionism afresh without complacency, self-pity or accusations. One cannot fail to be unsettled and moved by this sober account."--Eva Illouz, Professor of Sociologist, Author of Explosive Emotions: How Modern Society Shapes What We Feel (March 2026)

About the Author

Naomi Kehati Bronner was born while her parents were living in a refugee camp a few years after the State of Israel was created. Her early experiences chronicle what it has meant to be an Arab Jew in Israel. She went to an elite high school and became an officer in the Israeli army. She spent three decades in the United States and has a doctorate from Columbia University. She is a practicing clinical psychologist who has written essays on various topics in Hebrew and English.