Celia Gurevitch Jewish Community Library

A two year old article from The Times has been circulating recently about Jews in India, “Tolerance, integration and kosher curry: The vibrant Jewish communities of India have declined — but live on in the diaspora.” It gives a very short introduction and overview of the topic that can fit on the columns of a newspaper. Or those who would like to know more we have four books. The oldest one, from 1952, follows the travels of Louis Rabinowitz, the South African Chief Rabbi, on the Far East, mostly India and a bit of Singapore. The title of the book is, appropriately, “Far East mission.” Within the context of the travel book it talks about the origins, social conditions, customs, architecture and many other aspects of the various Jewish communities of this subcontinent.

Interestingly the other three books are all about woman. “Ruby of Cochin, an Indian Jewish woman remembers” contains the memoirs of Ruby Daniel, born in 1912 in Calcutta, edited and co-written by Barbara C. Johnson. It is

the first book written by a Jewish woman from Cochin. It is the rich description of Jewish life on the Southwest coast of India, spanning many centuries. It is the story of one woman-yet it is also the story of the Jews of Cochin, from the earliest settlements, when the Maharajah granted the Jews their land and privileged status, until today, when a transplanted community is finding new life in Israel.

“Burnt bread and chutney, growing up between cultures – a memoir of an Indian Jewish girl” by Carmit Delman takes us to a more recent time and to another Indian Jewish community, the Bene Israel in Bombay. Ms. Delman grew up there, feeling and being different. In her memoir, which was recommended for the Ballentine reader’s circle, she explores her heritage and contrasts and analyzes her memories.

The final book I want mention was edited by Jael Sillman and is part of the Brandeis series on Jewish women. “Jewish portraits, Indian frames; women’s narratives from a Diaspora of hope” contains four indepth autobiographical essays. Being a scholarly volume it also has extensive reference section, index and numerous footnotes. The context setting preface, introduction and conclusion takes up a fifth of the book.