Religious explosions

Terrorism scares and bombings all over the world... Hearing about these events in Mumbai I notive that these things have similer impacts here as anywhere else, and the general sentiment is sadness and confusion. I am a bit shook up at the latest incidents in Sharm el Shaich, eighty innocent indiviuals, tourist from around the world and certainly Muslim deaths included in the final toll. How can groups protesting killing in one part of the world respond by violence and killing in another part of the world? I had visited Egypt twice in the last 2 years and grieve with the country today.

On other explosions- the 21st of this month, as I was moving into my new apartment in Mahim, listening to the BBC's report on the suspicious second bombing scare in London, I heard a series of smaller explosions outside my own apartment. These loud pops were accompanied by chanting and singing, and after a moment it was clear that the noise had simply been from firecrackers. I looked out my window to see where it all was coming from and realised that the celebration was actually going on right above my apartment! This explained all the flowers that had lined the entry-way and the beautiful intricate sand painting in the front hall...

speaking of my apartment, it is small and lovely, located only about 15 min from the JCC in Mumbai. My walks around the neighboorhood have proven to be very entertaining and eye-opening. On the way home from work I pass a shop where I could buy coca-cola and knorr soups, as well as idly dough, pringles, rice and pani puri; if I turn in one direction there are rows and rows of shacks lining u p the streets, as well as uniformed school children walking home with their mothers. Women walk barefoot in sarees in the muddy streets, balancing large packages on their head, and barbers work shaving men
on the sides of the roads.

Another thing I have noticed are the small alters located nearly everywhere,locked,with burning candles and incense inside. I've seen families of four all on one motorini scooter, and people jumping in, on, and off the busses in rush hour traffic complete with cows
meandering on the medians... I hope that people today have been saying prayers for comfort and peace in whatever language they speak, be it English, Hindi, Marahti, or Arabic.

namaste from mumbai

Namaste everyone!

I'm writing from a teeny roadside internet cafe here in the middle of Mumbai, with the monsoon pouring just outside this booth. Black and yellow taxis are all over the streets, blaring their horns and narrowly missing cows, rickshaws and pedestrians as they zoom by on the left side of the road, and I defiantly feel as if I have dropped into the middle of it all.

My first day here the site supervisor took me on a small tour of the Jewish sites in this city, joking and smiling the entire time. The people that I have met thus far have all been incredibly kind and friendly, and I am excited to begin working with each of the staff members and the community. After stopping by the social welfare office in Byculla and the new Jewish Community Center west of Mumbai center, I participated in a Malida ceremony, a thanksgiving ritual unique to the Bene Israel Indian Jewish Community which is performed at births, weddings, holidays and other happy occacasions. An elderly woman had undergone a succsful cataract surgery and so many people gathered, recited prayers over flowers, pomegranate, dates and other fruits, and then ate together in her honor. At first I wasn't sure what to do with the delicate white flowers that were handed out, but after the blessing had been said I soon noticed that everyone simply smelled them and then put them in their hair or shirt pocket.

After the ceremony one of the staff members of the JDC gave an informal session about Jewish prayer . He spoke about the Shema, one of the fundamental prayers in Jewish life, which proclaims the One-ness of God. The Bene Israel, like many other Jewish communities, cover their eyes while saying this sentences, but do so in a slightly different way, forming the letter " Shin" ( the first letter in the word "Shema") with their fingers and placing it over their eyes and on their foreheads as they recite this prayer. After witnessing the malida and talking about other rituals with these Jews I am amazed at their vitality and our commonalities in our practice. It never fails to boggle my mind that Jewish life exists literally half way around the world. I cannot stress how excited I am to become a part of this community, and also how much I miss my own communities back home. You all are in my thoughts and I hope all is well with everyone!