The Legacy of David Sassoon: Building a Community Michael Bender Also Walks Through Cochin Charitable Organization
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ASIAN EWISH LIFE J A JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTURE ISSUE 14 (APRIL 2014) The India Issue The Art of Identity Weaving Indian Jewish Narratives The Legacy of David Sassoon Building a Community Bridge ISSN 2224-3011 Key title: Asian Jewish life Cover art by Siona Benjamin: Finding Home No. 8 (“Fereshtini”), 11” x 9” gouache on museum board, 2007 ASIAN JEWISH LIFE Asian Jewish Life is a celebration of the diversity of the Jewish experience in Asia as well as of Asian Jewry. We publish a quarterly print magazine that is also available online that seeks to: • Connect the separate pockets of Jewish life throughout the region by creating a contemporary creative outlet to share thoughts, ideas and promote unity through memoirs, poetry, short fiction, historical pieces, book and film reviews, viewpoint articles, artist profiles, photography and graphic art. • Help preserve the long history that Jewish life has imprinted on the region. • Break down common stereotypes about where Jews hail from or what we look like. • Build bridges with local communities by sharing our celebration of Jewish life in the region with the aim of leading to a broader understanding of the richness of the Jewish tradition and culture. • Help other Jewish non-profit organizations with a regional focus to grow along with us. Asian Jewish Life is a registered charity in Hong Kong. Invest in our vision! Asian Jewish Life is also under the fiscalAsian sponsorship Jewish of Life the Centeris a registered for Jewish charity Culture in andHong Creativity, Kong. a qualified U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. Make a donation.Invest in our vision! Asian Jewish Life is also under the fiscal sponsorship of For more information, please email us at [email protected] or donate onlinethe atCenter http://www.razoo.com/story/Asian-Jewish-Life for Jewish Culture and Creativity, a qualified Make a donation. U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. For more information, please email us at [email protected] or donate online at http://www.razoo.com/story/Asian-Jewish-Life ASIAN EWISH LIFE JA JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTURE Letter from the Editor 3 The Legacy of David Sassoon Building a Community Bridge by Shalva Weil 4 4 Spice & Kosher Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews submitted by Bala Menon 7 Travel Diary The Beauty of Traversing Cochin by Michael Bender 11 The Paradox of the Popularity of Hitler in India by Navras Jaat Aafreedi 14 This Year in India Celebration of Passover in the 11 Bene Israel Tradition by Nissim Moses 17 The Art of Identity Weaving Indian Jewish Narratives In Conversation with Siona Benjamin by Erica Lyons 20 Best of Asian Jewish Life A Lesson on Strength in Small Numbers by Leah Robinson 25 On Mangoes, Bollywood and Water Buffalo 20 Interview with Jenny Feldon by Susan Blumberg-Kason 30 Writer’s Desk A Cup of Tea by Sophie Judah 33 Book Reviews Identity in Jewish-Indian Middle Grade Fiction by Susan Blumberg-Kason 39 The Asian Jewish Life Story by Erica Lyons 40 25 ASIAN JEWISH LIFE ISSUE 14 1 InBox Dear AJL: Here is my recipe for date charoset made for the Passover Seder. It is a traditional Bene Israel recipe. One can also use leftover charoset like a spread on matza and it can be eaten as a breakfast meal. Though it tastes best with matza, you can also add a spoonful of charoset to a cup of milk. Date Charoset Preparation Cook Ready In 10 minutes 15 - 20 minutes 30 minutes Ingredients 250 grams Dates (Reddish Brown / Black) pitted 1 ½ cups water (enough to soak the dates) Directions Put the dates and water into a medium sized saucepan and let them soak for 1 hour. To smooth out the paste, puree it in a food processor. Pour back in the pan again and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, to the desired consistency. Keep in mind that it will thicken slightly more as it cools. Let the date paste cool to room temperature. Store the paste in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 weeks. For the best flavor, let it warm to room temperature before serving. Hope you enjoy this! Regards, Both of the above images were taken in India in 2013. Sinhora Sassoon Mumbai, INDIA The top photo shows a traditional oil press still in use by a Jewish family in India. Reference is made to oil pressers in Sophie Judah’s story A Cup Tea on page 33. Bene How to reach us: Israel tradition tells of that they are descendants of oil pressers who lived Online Email us: in the Galilee in the 2nd century BCE. www.asianjewishlife.org [email protected] The bottom photo shows a handprint made with goat’s blood for Pesach to Mailing Address On Facebook: mark Jewish homes. This Bene Israel Asian Jewish Life www.facebook.com/AsianJewishLife custom is explained in greater detail 19/F, Yat Chau Building in Nissim Moses’ article detailing 262 Des Voeux Road Central On Twitter: Bene Israel Passover traditions on Sheung Wan, Hong Kong at AsianJewishLife page 17. COPYRIGHT Asian Jewish Life is the sole title published by Asian Jewish Life Ltd. © Copyright DISCLAIMER AJL does not vouch 2010. Written material and photographs in the magazine or on the website may not be used or for the kashrut of any product in this reproduced in any form or in any way without express permission from the editor. publication. Printed by: Fantasy Printing Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Ind. Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Hong Kong. 2 ASIAN JEWISH LIFE ISSUE 14 EditorMission Returning to the literary side of things, we have an inspiring interview by Books Editor Susan Blumberg-Kason. Susan sits ASIAN EWISH LIFE down with memoir author Jenny Feldon to J A JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTURE ISSUE 14 (APRIL 2014) discuss her book, Karma Gone Bad: How I Learned to Love Mangos, Bollywood and Water Buffalo. Susan also reviewed two middle grade The India Issue multicultural novels about girls with both The Art of Identity Weaving Indian Jewish Narratives Jewish and Indian roots. My Basmati The Legacy of David Sassoon Bat Mitzvah by Paula J. Freedman and Building a Community Bridge The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani are both recommended reads. Also exploring themes of multiculturalism ISSN 2224-3011 Key title: Asian Jewish life and identity is artist Siona Benjamin. I Cover art by Siona Benjamin: Finding Home No. 8 (“Fereshtini”), 11” x 9” gouache on museum board, 2007 had the pleasure of speaking with Siona about her new exhibition Faces: Weaving Indian Jewish Narratives and talking Asian Jewish Life is a free about identity with her. I was even lucky quarterly publication designed to Dear Readers: enough to be in New York to catch her share regional Jewish thoughts, exhibition at the Flomenhaft Gallery. ideas and culture and promote Welcome to the second India Issue of Siona's work,"Fereshtini”, from an earlier Asian Jewish Life (Issue 14). Early on in collection, Finding Home, is featured on unity. It also celebrates our the process of working on this issue, it the cover of this issue. individuality and our diverse became clear to me that a third India backgrounds and customs. Issue will need to follow shortly. There is Also looking at the beauty of Jewish culture such a tremendous wealth of information from Cochin, we have Bala Menon who has available on Jewish India and so many contributed recipes from Spice & Kosher - Asian Jewish Life is a registered Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews by Essie talented academics and researchers charity in Hong Kong. AJL is also focused on the field of Indo-Judaic Sassoon, Bala Menon and Kenny Salem. Studies. Spice & Kosher though is much more than under the fiscal sponsorship of a cookbook; it is a walk through history and the Center for Jewish Culture and a snapshot of Jewish life. We have included a great piece by Creativity, a qualified US 501(c)(3) Dr. Shalva Weil entitled The Legacy of David Sassoon: Building a Community Michael Bender also walks through Cochin charitable organization. Bridge. This article explores Weil’s and talks about how Cochin, known as understanding of David Sassoon's role ‘G-d's Own Country’, touched him in The Beauty of Traversing Cochin. in the rapproachement of the Bene Israel Editor-in-Chief and the Baghdadi communities. Last, but most definitely not least, we Erica Lyons Also, though much of this issue is a have our Best of Asian Jewish Life feature. celebration of Jewish life in India, we have This feature first looks at the volunteer Copy Editors included Navras Jaat Aafreedi's rather experience in the Jewish community Joan Marion & Fran Nesson sobering explanation for the rise of Nazism of India of one young woman, Leah Robinson. Leah’s personal piece is entitled and Hitler-worship in India, entitled The Books Editor Paradox of the Popularity of Hitler in India. A Lesson on Strength in Small Numbers. This piece is an important exploration of In this feature we detail three opportunities Susan Blumberg-Kason this seemingly recent phenomena in India. available through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to volunteer Photography Editor On the lighter side, we have a great in India, like Leah. Allison Heiliczer fictional piece by Sophie Judah,A Cup of Tea. This is actually a chapter from a Thank you again for reading! larger, yet unpublished work, Tales of Designer Grandpa Eli, also featured in Issue 13.