An ever-green story about how the Jewish community found a home in India

Lighting the lamps at an Indian Hanukkah celebration

One Indian-Jewish family’s story in America…

If there is one place in the world which has been a safe haven for Jews, it is India.

“India has been the only country in the world where Jews have never been oppressed or suppressed or discriminated against,” says Rabbi Romiel Daniel, who is Jewish-Indian-American. Indeed, India has been nurturing home and haven for generations of Jews whose ancestors fled from persecution centuries ago. At its peak there were about 37,000 Jews living in India. “Discrimination is something that has never happened in India for 2000 years and that is something we are very proud of, and that is why we go back to India so often,” he says.

“We have never ever considered ourselves different from any Indian. We may be Jewish by religion but we are Indians by nationality.” Indeed, India gave these Jews who were fleeing persecution, citizenship, complete freedom to practice their faith, build many synagogues and celebrate their traditional festivals with an added Indian zest. Israel and the Western world may now light candles at Hanukkah but the Indian Hannukiya lamps are lit the old fashioned way, as they were in Biblical times – with oil.

The Map of India with Jewish communities

How Did the Jews Land Up So Far from Home?

Romiel Daniel is the religious leader of the Indian Jewish community in New York. He talks to many audiences in America about the Jewish presence in India. Indeed, how did the Jews land up so far from home? He says that according to oral tradition, they fled from Palestine in 175 BC, and one of the safest refuges they could find was India, where they were already trading and they settled there because they were welcomed.

Daniel gives us a whirlwind history: the Jews of India consist of four groups: The Cochin Jews or Cochinis, the Baghdadis, the Bene Israel, and the B’nei Menashe. The Cochin Jews settled in Cranganore and around Malabar in the South and lived there for centuries. They never numbered more than 2500, and many have now left for Israel. In fact, today there are not more than 16 of them left in Cochin, mostly elderly men and women.

The Baghdadis consists of Jews from West Asia, mainly from Iraq and Syria, who came in the 19^th century as traders and refugees. They settled in Bombay, Calcutta and Pune. They spoke Arabic or Persian and English. At one time, there were about 5000 of them, but today there are less than 200, most of them having emigrated to U.K., Australia and Canada. The B’nei Menashe – they were a new group which came into being in 1964 and today there are more than 5000 living in North East India. The other community is the Bene Israel which predominates the Jewish presence in India today.

The Bene Israel Jews celebrate Purim

Celebrating Purim with the Bene Israel Jews

It is believed that the Bene Israel community was descended from the Jews who fled in 175 B.C.E. from the Syrian-Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes. They were ship wrecked at Navgaon on the Konkan Coast, and the survivors started a new life there and over the years their families spread to the surrounding villages. David Rahabi, a Cochini Jew, is credited with the revival of Judaism amongst the Bene Israel, teaching them Hebrew and the rituals of Judaism. With Bombay (now known as Mumbai) an important port of British India, the Bene Israel moved there in search of opportunities. They set up their first synagogue in 1796, and expanded to 29 synagogues around Bombay and the neighboring villages. Their population grew to 30,000 around the time of independence

Magan Hassidim Synagogue in Bombay

A look at Magan Hassidam Synagogue in Bombay

This is one of the oldest synagogues in India, built around 1846 in Jacob’s Circle in Bombay. It was and is still the most active synagogue, and beautifully maintained. Asked how the other Indian communities have reacted to the synagogues, Daniel says, “We’ve never had a problem with any of the communities – our relationship is good with all of them. Many of the synagogues are right in the midst of the Muslim neighborhoods, right in the center of the city.”

When Israel became a state in 1948, many of the Bene Israel started leaving for Israel, because of religious Zionism. By 1964 more than half the population had left. By the early 70’s there were less than 10,000 and now there are less than 5000 Bene Israel Jews left in India, most in Bombay and Thane. Indian Jews, in spite of their small number, have played an important part in India: Families like the Sassoons and the Elias’, who were Baghdadi Jews, helped in the industrialization of the country. Noted Bene Israel Jews include Dr. E. Moses, the first mayor of Bombay in 1939, and Dr. Jerusha Jhirad, who started the Reform Jewish Movement in India.

Indian Jews march in the Israel Day Parade in New York

The Story of Indian American Jews

Many Indian Jews have migrated to North America for economic opportunities and today there are about 1500 in Canada and 350 in the US. It’s a small but vibrant community which observes all the high holidays and festivals. “We don’t want to lose our own traditions; we want to integrate but we don’t want to assimilate,” says Daniel who started organizing services for the community in 1995. The Indian Jews are scattered in all five boroughs of New York and in New Jersey, so they attend services at mainstream synagogues. Since they don’t have their own synagogue they rent the Bene Israel Congregation in the Village every year to hold their events. While the liturgy is the same, the trope or musical notations in Indian Jewish traditions are totally different.

Malida Ceremony, an ancient Bene Israel tradition

Malida Ceremony, unique to the Bene Israel

The Malida Ceremony offering parched grain is typical of the Bene Israel community and goes centuries back, a Jewish tradition in 1000 BC in the first and second temples of Solomon. Today only the Bene Israel and a few of the Middle Eastern Jewish communities still practice the nine sacrifices and offerings.

The  Bene Israel hold Elijah the Prophet in high regard so when they celebrate a marriage, buy a house or start any new venture, they invoke the protection of God through Elijah, and these prayers are said first before any other prayers. Malida is the Persian word for confection, and parched rice is mixed with sweetened coconut, dry fruit, like pistachios and almonds, and offered with five or seven fruits. (Five represent the books of Moses; seven represents completeness in the Jewish tradition.) This ancient tradition is continued by the Bene Israel Jews in New York. In fact, even when they go to Israel, they first visit Elijah’s Cave, which is in Mount Carmel in Haifa, and perform exactly the same ceremony and prayers

Kehilat – Indian Jewish Synagogue in Israel

Kehilat – Indian Jewish Synagogue in Israel

More than 70,000 Bene Israel Jews from India now live in Israel but maintain their links with India. Since 1992, trade between Israel and India had been good, and India is now Israel’s second largest trading partner, after Japan, in Asia. Full fledged consulates and embassies have been established between the two countries The Indian-Jewish community is prosperous in Israel and has built 55 orthodox synagogues there, in keeping with the Bene Israel tradition. Indian Jews are in many businesses, including Indian restaurants in Israel – so now you can always get kosher Indian treats there! In fact, Indian food has caught on so much in Israel that you have non-Jewish entrepreneurs – the Punjabis – who run successful Indian restaurants there.

An Indian-Jewish wedding ceremony

An Indian-Jewish Wedding 

Recently Romiel Daniel’s son Lael and his wife Regina reenacted their wedding ceremony for guests to catch a glimpse of the special Indian-Jewish traditions. The bride wears a white sari with intricate gold embroidery and she and the groom enter the synagogue in ways special to the Bene Israel community.

The wedding feast is replete with Indian spices and lots of coconut. Even during the festivals and celebrations, the basic traditional dishes are the same as in other Judaic communities but the methods of preparation vary. Puris or sweet puffs are an Indian delicacy which is made from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, and at Rosh Hashanah, a special halva of wheat flour with a filling of sweet semolina, dry fruits and sugar is served.

Indian spice and sweets influence the cooking, and Indian curries are a regular at Indian-Jewish homes.  As Noreen Daniel explains, “Usually the fish for Rosh Hashanah is bland but we stuff it with spices – with green coriander, ginger, garlic chilies, coconut and lime – and bake it. We try to keep our traditions in the US as much as we can – this is to pay homage to our ancestors who were in India.”

Celebrating Simchat Tohra

Celebrating Simchat Torah

Ten days after Yom Kippur is the celebration of Simchat Torah where the congregation dances joyously, holding the Sifrei Torahs. The Sifrei Torahs contain the five books of Moses and these handwritten scrolls are very precious, with it taking over a year for one scroll to be completed.

Presenting a gift of Sefrei Torahs to the Beth El Synagogue in Panvel

Remembering the Past

The Indian Jews retain their ties with India. When the Beth El Synagogue in Panvel, which is 25 miles from Bombay, was deluged with heavy rains, all six Sifrei Torahs were destroyed. The Bene Israel Jews of New York came to the rescue and gifted two Sifrei Torahs for this synagogue. These were personally delivered to the Indian-Jewish congregation in Panvel, and installed with joy, pomp and a showering of rose petals.

Romiel and Noreen Daniel continue the traditions at Hanukkah

Traditions, Indian-Jewish Style.

Romiel Daniel, clad in a Nehru jacket, and his wife Noreen dressed in a sari light the candles for Hanukkah. The Star of David is made into a Hanukkiya (instrument to hold the oil lamps) a typical sign of the Indian celebration. For lighting the lamps, others may use candles but the Indian Jews still use oil. Says Daniel, “Although our religion is Judaism, we have adapted many cultural traditions of India and are proud of them.”

The Indian Jews in New York have fond memories of their growing up years in India, of close-knit communities and a full freedom to practice their faith and be full members of the Indian family. The lure of Israel as well as economic opportunities abroad have pushed many to leave the homeland where they were born but the connections remain deep. As the Jewish population in India dwindles, the beautiful old synagogues and Jewish schools in India stand as testament to the nurturing welcome the Indian Jews received there and are a nostalgic memory for those who have now left her shores.

(C) Lavina Melwani

(With inputs from the Indian-Jewish Congregation of USA in New York)

Photo credits: The Indian-Jewish Congregation of USA.
(This article first appeared on Beliefnet.com as a photo gallery in 2007.)

Update: Romiel Daniel was born and raised in Mumbai, India in a religious home following the Indian Jewish tradition. After first arriving in the United States, to earn his Masters in Chemistry from Brandeis University, he Daniel returned to India to become the Vice President of an apparel company, moving from India to Mauritius and eventually Madagascar, before finally coming back to America to train as a Cantor at Yeshiva University. In 2008, Rabbi Daniel became Cantor of Rego Park Jewish Center ad in 2015 Rabbi of the Center.

 11,151 people reached on FB Lassi with Lavina page – 77 likes and 842 post clicks

VishnuSita Avva, Neelam Khanna and 18 others like it on FB Lassi with Lavina page

Hanuman shrine in a private garden

 It is Hanuman Jayanti and I see many friends are observing it and some are also chanting the Hanuman Chalisa 100 times. I had written this piece for Beliefnet some years back and I thought I would share it now on this auspicious day of Hanuman Jayanti.

Hanuman Chalisa – the story behind this powerful chant

Children who have listened to the Ramayana love him f or his great strength and valor. The stories of his adventures in the service of Lord Rama are endless: he could transform in size from miniature to gigantic, fly across oceans and planets and as a child, even grabbed at the mighty sun, thinking it to be a golden fruit for him to eat.

While children love his exploits, all Hindus worship Hanuman for his undying devotion to Lord Rama. In fact, images in popular literature show him ripping open his heart to reveal Lord Rama and Sita within it. Hanuman is so close to Rama that you will find him in every Rama temple, never far from his Lord. Hanuman bhakts (devotees) worship him also because he is a sure way of reaching the Lord’s ear, and the Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most potent  and powerful mantras chanted by devotees in times of joy and times of grief.

It is said that Lord Rama had assured Hanuman that he will be present in every Rama temple and gave him the boon of immortality (Chiranjeevi): “Hanuman is the link between devotees and god, for on the Lord’s behalf he serves, inspires and protects his Lord’s servants.”

The Hanuman Chalisa – A Talisman for Life

The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most beloved texts of Hinduism and consists of 40 verses (40 is chalis in Hindi) in praise of Hanuman.  It is written by Tulsidas, who is also the author of Ramchaitmanas or the Tulsi Ramayana.  In it, Tulsidas describes the importance of Hanuman:

You are door-keeper to Rama and without

your permission nobody can have an entry

therein.

Under your refuge one gets all comforts and

happiness. There is no cause of fear if you are

the protector.

All the bodily diseases are expelled and all

pains removed if somebody makes constant

Japa of your name, O Brave Hanuman!

Hanuman shrine in a private garden

The Hanuman Chalisa is a talisman against life’s vicissitudes and also features prominently in the death rituals of Hindus. This verse shows the value of listening to the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa when the soul departs the human body:

At the time of final departure such a

person goes the abode of Rama and

after that wherever he happens to take birth,

he will be known as a confirmed devotee

of Lord Rama.

A person even though he may not pay any

attention to any other god, enjoys all pleasures

by serving Hanuman

All the crises vanish and all pains are removed

if somebody remembers the mighty Hanuman.

Hail, Hail, Hail, to thee O Hanuman, my

master, be as graceful to me as my godly preceptor

 

Hindus can also draw inspiration from Hanuman as the perfect devotee, and can all aspire to follow his example of undying devotion and sacrifice, and always have God in our hearts. There is a wonderful story of how Sita rewarded him with a pearl necklace for his devotion. He chewed on each pearl one by one and threw each away – because none of them had Sri Ram in them, and anything without Him had no meaning for him.

For Hanuman worshipers,  Tuesday and Saturday are special days when they visit Hanuman temples and offer their devotion to him, by smearing ‘sindoor’ and butter on him. He has the power to make the impossible possible and so devotees wear the Hanuman taweez or amulet to get immunity from evil. Devotees chant the Hanuman Chalisa to ensure that Sri Hanuman keeps us safe and secure through life’s ups and downs.

As  G. Venkatesh explains in an article on Boloji.com, “We pray to him for giving us physical and mental strength, to ward off the negative/evil influences from our lives, to obliterate our timidity/cowardice and to sharpen our intellect. When we pray to Lord Hanuman with a pure heart and an unshakeable faith, he is sure to come to our rescue.”

(This article was first published in Beliefnet )

Related Articles: 

Vishnu, the Preserver in Hinduism

Hinduism’s Mythbusters

Hinduism: The ABC’S of Culture

Indian, Young & Spiritual in America

3595 people reached on FB  Lassi with Lavina
Kalpana Doshi, Lavina S Bhojwani and 2 others like it on FB  Lassi with Lavina
297 views on LinkedIn – 7 Likes

Navratri – The Goddess Durga

 Navratri – Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati

They spin round and round, going faster and faster, but never breaking the sacred circle, as they clap their hands rhythmically, dancing around the Garba or earthen pot. They smile as they twirl around for in these nine nights they are celebrating the Goddess that is enshrined in all of us.

This hugely empowering dance is called the Garba and it is the centerpiece of the celebration of the Hindu festival of Navratri or Nine Nights. Is the Almighty a He or a She? Well, we lesser mortals may never know for sure but Navratri is a celebration of the female cosmic energy that makes it possible for mankind to continue – Devi, the Mother Goddess. It marks the victory of the Warrior Goddess Durga over the Buffalo Demon Mahisa, whom she fought for nine days and vanquished on the tenth, and so is a celebration of women’s power.

Known in different regions also as Navratras or Durga Puja, this festival is one of the most important ones in the Hindu calendar and culminates in Dusshera, which leads on to Diwali, the Festival of Lights. It is a time of prayers, dance and music and is celebrated lavishly all over India and by the Hindus living abroad. The diya or light is lit for nine nights and it is a time of rituals.

The first three days are devoted to the worship of the Goddess Durga, also known as Amba, Bhavani, Jagdamba and Mahakali; the next three days are dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and the final three days to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, art and learning.

Photo Credit: Kash_if Flickr via Compfight cc

Navratri – Garba and Dandia Raas

In Gujarat, a western state in India, the festival is defined by the ancient village dances of Garba and Dandiya Raas, which are even mentioned in the Vedas.  In India there are big Garba and Dandiya Raas parties in towns and cities, often with major dandiya performers joining in. In the US, however, celebrations are reserved only for the weekends. Raas Garba performances and celebrations are held in many venues from school auditoriums to huge tented areas where thousands turn up on three weekends for dance, music and socializing.

The word Garba is derived from the Sanskrit word Garbadeep, which means a light inside a pot and represents the Almighty shining through the perforations of the pot, which symbolizes the universe. The garba tradition revolves around Shakti-Ma or Amba, the Mother Goddess, and garba or the clay pot also represents the womb and fertility.

The circle itself is also a very potent symbol – there’s not a beginning or an end and the end is contained in the beginning. It’s a very meaningful ritual for females because it honors the Goddess and also their own ability for creation. Garbagraha is the containment of all knowledge; it is the womb from which everything emanates.

Says Smita Amin Patel, an educator in folk arts, “It’s about parampara – the female lineage that goes back to eternity, before memory, and it’s been passed down to the females through generations.”

In the old days only male priests were allowed to conduct religious ceremonies so the women, for their part, conceived these vratas or rituals in order to partake of this time of religious activity. And what better way to do it than in a joyous manner, through dance?

Navratri in Immigrant Communities

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have taken staunch hold in immigrant communities, handed over by grandparents and parents in a ritual that is part religious, part cultural. Garba is a religious and social event and harks back to the village traditions.

“All social events that happen in the rural areas always have a ritualistic or religious significance,” says Patel, “ Whether it’s the drawings on the walls of the huts, whether it’s the motifs you see on the women’s skirts – all of them have significance in their religious life and their vratas, the rituals they perform.”

The circle formation in garba has a great deal of symbolic and metaphorical importance because life itself is a circle, without beginning or end – an unending cycle. When you perform a garba, you do not break the circle – people go in and come out but the circle remains.

“Garba is definitely a village dance and it’s a participatory type of folk art rather than something that is learned and taught and has tenets,” explains Patel. “ It is something young women grow up with and infuse it into their being and every time there is a celebration, that is what they perform.”

Dandiya Raas was danced by Lord Krishna, the Celestial Cowherd, with the Gopis or milkmaids. “Each of the Gopis thought that Krishna was dancing with her alone because he seemed to be everywhere at the same time,” says Patel. “ But of course, he is a metaphor for the Almighty, because each one of us calls the Almighty by different names.”

While the Garba is performed by women in a circle, singing and clapping rhythmically as they worship the Goddess, in Dandiya Raas, both men and women participate, moving in two circles in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, clicking dandiya or wooden sticks with changing partners.

FOGANA, the umbrella group for all Gujarati groups in the US organizes Garba and Raas contests to ensure that the authenticity is maintained. The children of immigrants still perform these ancient dances but also bring in variations, influenced by Bollywood, Indipop and western music. So now you also have Disco Dandiya and Disco Garba.

Indeed many colleges from Rutgers to New York University have Raas Clubs and have Garba contests. With its emphasis on female energy, the dance has a special allure even in these modern times and connects women to their strength and potency.

As the writer Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee wrote in her powerful poem, The Garba:

“We spin and spin
back to the villages of our mothers’ mothers.
We leave behind the men, a white blur
like moonlight on empty bajra fields
seen from a speeding train.”

Both Garba and Dandiya Raas have many variations, depending on regions and communities but the basics are always adhered to. The dance is at the heart of any celebration and no wedding or birth of a child in a Gujarati household would be complete without it. It is so much a part of religious ritual and social interaction, that you see women of all ages, even the elderly, performing with joy and abandon, for they are celebrating the Goddess within them.

© Lavina Melwani

This article which has been updated,  first appeared on Beliefnet.com

Related article:
A Day of Lights and Sweets

1535 views on LinkedIn – 30 Likes
Sujata Patel Eyrick, Raju Narisetti and 22 others like it on FB. Anita T Bhat, Jahnavi Utukuri, Vandna Khera Bajaj, Darrel Sukhdeo, Ishani Duttagupta and 12 others like this on FB Lassi with Lavina page.
1,216 people reached on Lassi with Lavina

The bounty of Thanksgiving -Photo Credit: Jitabebe Flickr via Compfight cc

Thanksgiving is a Time for Counting Blessings…

In India, take a walk down the Mumbai waterfront in the early morning mist, and you see ordinary citizens quietly feeding the fish and the birds.  Their daily day doesn’t really begin until the deities in their  home shrine have been venerated with fresh flowers and offered prasadam. It is only after eating a little of this blessed offering does the family sit down to their meals. Many remember to keep aside a portion of the food for a hungry person or the birds. It is all about sharing.

Every festival is about counting one’s blessings and thanking God for them.  Indeed, buying a new car or new home entails special puja or prayer ceremonies to bless the new item and to offer thanks.

“Gratitude is one of the most important virtues in many Hindu texts” – Dr. Vasudha Narayanan

Narayanan, who is also  Director, Center for the Study of Hindu Traditions (CHiTra) , has lived in Florida for many years and has seen how Indian Americans have interacted with the festival of Thanksgiving.  She says, “It is a ‘secular’ holiday and the sentiments are something we can all resonate with but obviously, there are no ‘family traditions’ for new immigrants.  We do go to friends’ homes; in the 1970s and even early 80s, we were frequently invited by local American friends who worked hard to find us vegetarian fare and make stuffing without stock.

Eventually, as the Indian population got larger, there were more events hosted by Indo-American families.  In Gainesville, a university town, we used to invite students for a home cooked Indian meal, just as our professors used to invite us when we were students.”

Gratitude at Thanksgiving -Photo Credit: Sunciti _ Sundaram’s Images + Messages Flickr via Compfight cc

New Traditions at Thanksgiving

Anju Bhargava, founder of Hindu American Seva Communities (HASC) finds her own way of offering thanks. She say, ” Our family tradition is to go around the table and share at least one thing that has happened to you that you are grateful for.  This sharing is the communal prayer creates a spirit of thankfulness.”

Having worked with many Hindus in creating community awareness of service or seva, she  says,  “The Thanksgiving observance fits in very well with the Hindu sensibility – festivities filled with food, company of friends and family and with a values- oriented focus; a time to appreciate all that you have in life and a time to share your merits with others, So it is only natural that Hindu Americans join in the spirit of the observance with a natural élan. Hindus do know how to party and celebrate. What we need to do more is to serve, to bring the UtsavSeva (service through festivals) component more to the forefront.”

She adds, ” Seva is an important aspect on this holiday. Many of us feed the homeless in some manner or form – either actually serve on that day, or before or after or even collect canned food and deliver.”

Sharing at Thanksgiving – Photo Credit: sarabeephoto Flickr via Compfight cc

A Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Indians who are vegetarian relish the many fixings on the Thanksgiving table and also turn to meatless alternatives like tofu or lasagna or celebrate with a full-fledged Indian vegetarian meal. Fortunately, vegan and vegetarian food is so popular in America now that Indians have a really easy time of it. Thanksgiving is all about sharing food so multicultural America has a lot to share. Says  Vasudha Narayanan, ” Most friends I know end up with international fare and create new traditions that way; so everything from hummus to seven-layered dip to eventually moving to good Andhra fare or avial and double-ka-meetha for sweets!”

Thanksgiving is a festival totally in sync with the Indian state of mind – it’s about remembering the Almighty and his many blessings, and in turn sharing with the less fortunate.

(C) Lavina Melwani

A version of this article first appeared in Beliefnet.com

Related Articles:

The No Turkey Indian Thanksgiving
Tandoori Turkey Thanksgiving
An Immigrant’s Thanksgiving

Ganesh Chaturthi – Time for New Beginnings in a Troubled World

You Are Invited to Birthday Celebrations

What better way to start something new in life than with Ganesha, the Lord of New Beginnings? Give him whichever name you choose – He is that consciousness that is within us and around us and in the very breath we take.

I’ve never been able to discard a Ganesha image, be it on a wedding card or a flyer. There He is, dancing, playing a lute, eating a sweet. All these playful Ganesha images lie wedged in between my books and my papers, hopefully merging into the pages, increasing my knowledge, making me a better writer and removing obstacles!

He already has a mouse and is suited perfectly to Cyberspace! He is also the Lord of Wisdom – a passionate scribe who broke off his own tusk to use as a pen when transcribing the epic tale of Mahabharata for the sage Vyasa. What greater inspiration for a writer?

So now for the next ten days is the time to connect and get acquainted. Visit Him in several area temples though the Hindu Temple Society in Flushing, Queens is the beauty – built in the defining South Indian style and to which devotees flock. On the last day of the festival Ganesh enthroned on His silver Rath is taken all around the Flushing community. Thousands turn up for blessings, there Is the beat of drums and joyous music. Everyone comes in their glittering best; after all it is a birthday party like no other. So come enjoy the festive food, get the rest of your year in gear – and maybe even stop to take some takeaway home from the wonderful Ganesh Canteen in the basement!

Related Articles:

Meet Ganesha, The Lord Of New Beginnings

In Search of Ganesha, Saraswati & Knowledge

Encountering Ganesha

Ganesh Temple Canteen: Feasting with the Gods

The post Ganesh Chaturthi – A Time for New Beginnings in a Troubled World first appeared on Lassi With Lavina.