#Mumbai synagogue pix. Reflections on the current terrorist hostage crisis and Muslims as the Jews of India
We visited the synagogue in Mumbai last summer. There are very few Jews left in Mumbai and the man who takes care of the shul told us it is difficult to regularly have a Minyan (10 males of age – this is an orthodox community). Most Indian Jews from Mumbai moved to Israel he said.
It was really cool to be in country that has no history, that I’m aware of, of persecuting Jews. On the contrary, Cochin in particular welcomed Jews.Â
I’m amazed that the terrorists in Mumbai right now could even find Jews to hold hostage. They took over the Chabad there. Some hostages have been freed. Israel has just sent in rescue forces.
My time in India this summer gave me great hope that India could be a place that plays some role in connecting Jews and Muslims peacefully. There is certainly a time zone and economic connection between Israel and India’s tech businesses. For all of it’s internal issues India, especially the southern region of Kerala where we were all summer, has a long history of familiarity and peace between Muslims and Hindus.
In fact, the Muslim folks I met felt very familiar to me like the Jews of India:Â
- a monotheist culture that focussed on head covering, halal (like kashrut / keeping kosher),
- intense focus on keeping things clean (small Muslim shops really stood out to me),
- avoiding many physical representations  of God (Hinduism and Christianity both have that in common),
- a minority mindset (for better and for worse) and a deep sense of cross-national  connection to others of similar faith/culture.
- And I could have been imagining this part, but there seemed to be a similar vibe of intense family merg-y involvement mixing up loyalty, love, anxiety and driving each other meshugenah (crazy).
Perhaps something good will come out of all this horror in Mumbai right now. That city is relentless. And to get it to quiet down, ironically coinciding on American Thanksgiving (when Americans touch on a little of the gratitude I saw Hindu Indians practice all day long without trying) sure means something.
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