Dehli photos

Bahai Temple in Dehli

Pizza with Israeli friends

Outside and Inside Dehli's Red Fort

Bamboo and Coconut Sukkoth

Back in the office after two days off for Sukkot spent in Thane with Sharona and her lovely family. The Thane synagogue has a spacious Sukkah, and we lugged rice, vegetables, challah, pressed raisin wine and sweet gulab jamun for dessert there every night. Sitting under the palm frond roof, enjoying the food and the company, I looked above at the familiar twinkling lights (which my dad also hangs in our Denver Sukkah) and smiled at the Bene Israel take on Sukkah decorations. Along with small pumpkins and gourds there were watermelons (yes, watermelons), pineapples, guava fruits, brown and green coconuts, and Humongous green and yellow Etrogim (citron fruits) hanging from the roof. On the last day of the holiday the men and boys scramble in a competition to scale the walls and knock all the fruits down.

I have one day here in the office to work on upcoming projects and then I have a day off again for Shabbat; Working again Sunday and then another few days off for Hoshanna Raba, Simchat Torah, and Shemini Azteret. Not a bad deal, except I am starting to get a bit nervous about my next projects: a day camp for children and the (mega) preparations for Decembers' mega event, Khai fest.

The theme of Children's' camp is Israel and the other two educators and I will lead sessions about different aspects of Israel each day. We will have Israeli dance with the consul generals' wife, Falafel making, watch Shalom Sesame ( an American version of the Israeli Sesame street, Rechov Sum-sum) and have mifkad every morning. Our sessions will be on the people of Israel, Geography of Israel, Holy sites and Torah stories, and Life before the State of Israel. Sounds simple enough, right?

So far everything has fallen into place, except my own session on life before Israel.

I want to give these children a mini taste of so many things that are simply a part of (my) Jewish history. Talk to them about the pioneers who built up the land of Israel, drained the swamps, revived Israel, fought for a country and the right to that country.

Something that these kids have probably not heard much - or anything- about is also frequently on my mind. The Shoah Holocaust. How do you teach a five or six year old about the Holocaust? Is this relevant to Indian Jewish Life? How do we learn about these things? This has really been troubling me and I think has caused me to keep procrastinating on starting my session...

Though I have found useful books in the JDC library here, (The Illustrated story of Anne Frank, and I Never Saw Another Butterfly, the artwork of children from Terezin) I still hesitate, as I am working with kids ages 5-12, so I am not quite sure what sort of information is 'too much.' I don't really want to scare children, I don't know how to bring these issues up, sometimes I hardly know how to deal with these things myself. Maybe because I grew up in Israel it seems to me you just somehow 'know' about the Shoa from a very very young age. I can't even really remember finding out about it, though I do remember a vague confusion in first grade about Naazim ( the Hebrew word for thumbtack) and Nazim ( the Nazis)

This thoughts lead me to wonder : how do/did Americans first "learn" about the Shoa Holocaust in any case? What is the difference for those of us who have Jewish roots, or European backgrounds? How has Holocaust education changed in the last fifty years? How do people here in the far East relate to WWII and "western history"? I wonder if the Indian Jewish community feels distanced from this because while yes, they are Jews, they were not at all affected by this. No family members from Eastern Europe, no migration to other lands because of persecution.

I guess that being a product of major Jewish education ( with summer camp, Jewish schools, youth groups, March of the Living trips), and growing up in Israel and having survivors in my own synagogue and family naturally leads one to 'finding' out. What about Jews ( around the world) who have no access to any of these things? Even those who do have access sometimes never hear about the Shoah.

Just a thought, as I am living here and celebrating ancient Jewish history with its vibrant customs and traditions, wondering how to transmit the more somber facts of later (western) Jewish history .

Yom Kippur - Ramzan - Dashera

Magen Chasidim Synagogue before sunset in the streets of Bycullah: The streets of the Bazaar on the way full of young muslim boys, with white kurtas and white skullcaps also, bargaining for sweets and food to break their fasts just as we were starting ours; Hindu temples blaring repetitve cheerful music to celebrate Dashera, the tenth ( and loudest?)day of the Navratri festival.

I went to two Bene Israel synagogues during Yom Kippur, taking off my chupples ( sandals) at the doorway of the sanctuary as is the custom here on auspicious days. Both Tifferet Israel syagogue and Magen Chasidim were scrubbed clean with white cloth covering surfaces of the bimah and ark ( here called Haichal), and even parts of the floor.

Two of the boys that I teach in the afterschool program at Sassoon school helped with the services and I couldn't have been prouder. These children, while they may have some 'formal' jewish education at schools or in synagogue, are mainly taught by their parents and members of the community. It is something incredible.

The Elephant Walk...

Dehli's homage to Carambola and Cambridge... I havent seen elephants' looking nearly

as nice in my own area!

Touring Dehli photos

The beautiful Red Fort

and yes, that is Falafel from the very Israeli Main Bazaar

Photos from Golden Age GOA retreat

Hard to believe that nearly a month has passed since I went away with a group of fifty Golden Age members to Goa. Here we are at the beach in Calangute and in Dona Paula, the one day that it didn't rain...

Dancing with Golden Age in Goa

this is a group of us infront of our Goan Disco boat!

shofar blasts, earthquakes, and awe

I'm a little at loss for words and where to begin. The last few weeks have been rushing by me, entirely fully with preparations for traveling with camps, planning and taking (hindi-english for giving) classes at the jcc, visiting friends outside of Maharashtra, starting formal Hindi lessons ( finally), and getting to know new Israeli, Canadian, Indian and Hawaiian friends. Basically, I've been neglecting this journal and my friends and family back home. Sorry to have been a bit out of touch!

Rosh Hashana here was tremendous. I stayed with my co-worker and her lovely family in Thane city for the two days of the Chag. Services at the Thane synagogue were wonderful, and the synagogue itself looked beautiful. I have truly gotten to know many of the people who go to this synagogue and also many of my coworkers are from Thane city as well, and it was wonderful seeing them here in this setting, with their families.

Many of the Rosh Hashana traditions that I am familiar with are also done here. Apples and honey were served after services in Thane, dates and pomegranties were eaten, and challah was dipped into sugar or honey rather than salt. The Indian Jewish community also prepares a sweet dessert dish called Halwah that is eaten only at this time of year. Different families make this in differenet ways, some adding saffron, dried fruits, or badam-pista ( almonds and pistacio.) This Halwah is made of flour and water, moist and not at all like the Middle Eastern ground sesame sweet. It is sweet and refreshing, and delicious when served cold.



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I heard of the earthquake in Pakistan a few days after Rosh Hashana ended much like as I would have if I were back home. I am rather far from the Jammu-Kashmir area and read of the disaster in the Times of India... I don't know what it is, but it seems as if lately there have been so many natural calamities. I hope that this year brings with it a fresh start, a year of safety in our homes and calm throughout the world.

No more hurricanes and earthquakes and floods please!

sweet and spicy new year

Finally back in Bombay after a few weeks of travel and work in Goa, Lonavla and Delhi. Settled down at the Mumbai Chabad house for a traditional Shabbat before Rosh Hashana and will be staying with friends in Thane for the Chagim. I hope that each of you have a happy,healthy and sweet New Year! More updates and photos soon :)