Maharashtra Chanukah

Chanukha in Maharashtra, with the Chanukiah placed in the doorway as is the custom among Bombay Jews. Rashme and her son Awdud, my hindi neighboors, look on as the candles are lit. The different melodies of my new Indian/Israeli roomate and an American friend intermingle as we light the first candle together.

The Bene Israel tunes for Chanukah, like nearly every other prayer, have an ancient tonality to them, uncomlicated and low in register. A group gathered here at the JCC to light candles, reading the transliterated al hanissim prayer before sitting down and watching a beaming young mother from the community preform traditional indian folkdance. we celebrated not with jelly filled sufganiyot donuts but with kaju (chashew nut) snacks and a spicy fish red curry lunch.

Tomorrow night is our "Khai Fest", a communtiy-wide show that I have been working on with various groups for the past month . The childrens' costumes for their Chanuka Crorepati play are completed, their lines memorized; The tabla and harmonium players have been hired, The sparkling tops for the girls' Israeli dance found, the slide show set up, the souvenirs proof-read and finally printed. All that's left now is to get through the next 24 hours with out any major catastrophe...

...and not forget steps to the Bollywood dance number ;)

Chag Urim Sameach, Happy Chanukah and Happy Holidays to all my family and friends. I miss you all more than ever at this time of the year and love hearing from you. Hope that all is well with everyone. Best wishes for 2006!

"Magnet Mall" Kaha hai?

little moments of personal pride: three saree-clad ladies stopped their taxi in front of me, asking about the new magnet store in the neighboorhood and I was able bolo hindi me (answer in hindi.)

at lunch now I understand a portion of the joking and chatter that goes on in the office, and during the youth dance practices I can pick out word here and there in the blaring hindi pop songs. Best of all, I can connect with people just by saying a few words in marahti, even if its just mala marhati yete...

Thumbs' Up

On the Mumbai- Pune road, across from Shalom Resort, a small hill juts up into the sky. The tip of this hill looks remarkably like 'God giving a thumbs' up'- - a line from one of my favorite childrens' books, Holes, by Louis Sachar, which features a similar hill. Did Mr. Sachar stay at this resort when writing the story?

In anycase, there really is a Shalom Resort in India. Staying there for the past two days was wonderful; The hotel is sorrounded by greenery, with a small pool in its center and an outdoor eating area. Shalom resort is run by a local Jewish family, and was the beautiful setting of the AJDC leadership training seminar. The doors have mezuzot, the ( non Jewish) manager at the front desk told me "Todah," and the clear and clean water of the pool- - but I didn't get the chance to even get my toes 'gila' ( Hindi for wet)

Much of the seminar was run by two terrific educators from Israel, who had us doing hands on leadership training and team building exercises. The JCC and AJDC staff along with the JYP youth board were at this seminar together and we all played with an oversize parachute- something I haven't done in years- and also had a place to safely talk about group issues, things we would like to change in our working environment. It was simply great- refreshing and wonderful- a well needed break and chance to step back and look at our work here from a different perspective.

Dr. Ambedkar, equality and respect

Today celebrates the 50th anniversary of the death of Dr. Ambedkar. An Indian friend compared Dr. Ambedkar and his fight for the rights of the dalit caste ( formerly known as the untouchables) to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement in the U.S.A. Millions of people from all over the state will come today to Shivaji Park for three days of speeches, celebrations and remembrance.

As an outsider here, I can't discern caste differences, I have only come to learn certain surnames indicate "better" families, brahmin castes etc. In my building, the predominant feeling is seeminlgy that all are middle class and maharashtan hindu families; the only hint of this division found when an neighboor asked me about my maid, if she was from a certain family or not. I wonder how much goes over my head, how much I don't notice because I don't know.

the dream within the dream

standing across from a mirror, with a mirror in hand. The reflection of yourself showing another reflection of yourself, within the glass...

December in Bombay. I can reflect on nearly five months here and look ahead at the same amount of time to come. In others here I can see myself as a leader, helping out and working hard alongside others, but I also hesitate and wonder about my accomplishments here. I don't want things to be just exisitng here now, programs only in place and running while I am here..
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I saw an amazing show here, called Kabir and the Rangeen Kurta, put on by the NGO Akanksha. A take-off on Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, this version of the play also was about the dreams of a young boy ( who lived in the villages of India and wanted to be a Bollywood star.) A section of the play literally showed the movie that Kabir starred in, a play within a play, his dream coming alive within the show itself. Watching the incredible actors I felt that, too- The NGO works with street children, helping them accomplish their dreams and supplement their education with arts and creativity. These kids really had a chance to shine, and the results were spectacular.

Thinking back to December last year, I was also working on my dreams.. filling in applications, editing essays, wanting to be in India, working here in this colorful country. Now that I am here my focus has shifted on getting my visions right now to become reality, for things here to last.