Yair Weinstock

Yair Weinstock (born 1959 in Jerusalem, Israel and resides there today) - a highly prolific Israeli Haredi novelist, journalist, and Torah scholar. He is a pioneer of the Haredi thriller genre, often writing under the pseudonym M. Arbel. His works are known for their Haredi protagonists and for blending suspense, Jewish history, and spiritual themes. This Bibliography lists “only” his twelve (and counting) thrillers, set in Israel and multiple locations around the world, as well as in different historical periods. In addition, his multi-volume series, Tales for the Soul, is a widely read collection of Chassidic stories and moral lessons where he retells classic Chassidic stories with modern narrative flair. Born into a distinguished Jerusalem family, he was educated at the Hevron Yeshiva and was a student of notable figures such as Rabbi David HaLevi Soloveitchik and the Lelover Rebbe.

His style is noted for “painting a compelling picture” of historic settings, from old Jerusalem’s stone streets to the snowy towns of Eastern Europe. His writing reflects the intellectual rigor of his Brisker Torah training and the warmth of his Chassidic heritage. He often focuses on the hidden greatness of “plain folks” and the miraculous intervention of tzaddikim (righteous leaders). Researchers have noted that while his thrillers are popular entertainment, they also serve as a medium for social and religious criticism within the Haredi community, advocating for unity and internal reflection. [Google/AI]

See also the note on Chaim Eliav in this Bibliography.

Weinstock, Yair, (The Gordian Knot [hc, Mesorah Publications, 1997, transl. from the Hebrew by Miriam Stark Zakon & Shaindel Weinbach]) 978-0899062853

Weinstock, Yair, (Blackout [hc, Shaar Press, 1997, transl. by Miriam Stark Zakon]) B00SB5GTC4

Weinstock, Yair, (Eye of the Storm [hc, Mesorah Publications, 1999, transl. by Libby Lazewnik]) 978-1578192922

Weinstock, Yair, (Calculated Risk, [hc, Shaar Publications, 2000, transl, by Avigdor Cohen]) 978-1578195718

Weinstock, Yair, (Time Bomb [hc, Shaar Press, 2002, transl. by Miriam Stark Zakon]) 978-1578197705

Weinstock, Yair, (Dual Allegiance [hc, Mesorah Publications, 2005, transl. by Esther Van Handel]) 978-1578190539

Weinstock, Yair, (Borrowed Time [hc, Mesorah Publications, 2006, transl by Libby Lazewnik]) 978-1422600733

Weinstock, Yair, (Delayed Reaction [hc, Shaar Press, 2012, transl. by Libby Lazewnik]) 978-1422611920

Weinstock, Yair, (Burning Questions [hc, Tfutza Publications, 2021, transl. by Esther Van Handel] 978-1600918988

Weinstock, Yair, (Shattered Worlds [hc, published by the author, 2022, transl. by Esther Van Handel] 979-8886730142

Weinstock, Yair, (30 Hours [hc, Tfutza Publications, 2023, transl. by Shira Yehudit Djalilmand] 979-8886731064

Weinstock, Yair, (Driving Force [hc, Tfutza Publications, 2024, transl. by Rosally Saltsman] 979-8886731897