A Jew in Asia (part 2): Shabbat in Bangalore

After much ado finding the address of the Chabad center (in this case, a Rabbi’s house), mostly due to a pervasive lack of street signs, I was directed up stairs in the apartment building.  When I reached the appropriate floor I looked around for a sign with the Rabbi’s name on it, it was nowhere to be found.  Then I realized I was looking for the wrong type of sign and a few moments later I found the only door on the floor with a Mezuzah on it. 

After a quick knock I was ushered inside to an all too familiar sight.  The tile floor was the same color as Jerusalem stone (though ceramic); the smell of countless old and several new books; the portrait of a Rabbi; the plastic covered, embroidered, white linen table cloth; several small children running around playing; the Israeli accent; the smell of good humus and fresh Challah; the black hats and the sound of Hebrew all greeted me at once saying, “Welcome home.” 

The only notable contrast between the little piece of Jerusalem that apartment represented and the place itself was the noise of the city outside.  The noise of Bangalore is a far cry from the silence of Jerusalem on a Friday evening.

The guests in attendance were two business travelers named Daniel and David, an Israeli named Yuval and a northeast Indian named Ruth.  Yuval was a dead ringer for the Zohan (from the Adam Sandler movie, Don’t Mess with the Zohan); only 50% in the looks category, but close to 100% in terms of personality.  I played Jewish Geography with the two business travelers to some avail.  And then there was Ruth.  Ruth Manahem is from a small village north of Kolkata near the Bangladesh border.  She looks more like a mix between a Chinese person and a Thai person (a.k.a. Bangladeshi) than Indian.  Her village has always been Jewish, even though over the years many of the traditions have been lost.  A few years ago they were declared one of the lost tribes by Shavei Israel and she has become a Baal Teshuvah (someone raised not observant but has chosen to become more religious).  She is currently waiting for her papers to come through so she can make Aliah (immigrate to Israel).  I’ve never met a Jew from this far east before!

This takes Jewish Geography to a whole new level.