Star, Crescent, Cross

There is this wonderful book ``India`s Jewish Heritage: Ritual, Art and Life-Cycle``. It chronicles the story of Jews in India and mentions that there are about 60,000 Jews with some Indian connection living in Israel (some Indian connection meaning, one parent/grandparent was a Jewish resident of India, and thus their numbers are greater than the 3,000 or so who emigrated from India).

Their wedding ceremonies still include some rituals unique to Jews of India. And of course they are all crazy about Indian film music.

``Some toilets have flushes going on all day at few minute intervals, so that the users don’t have to turn the knob of the flush (and hence, do ‘work’).``

Thats the stupidest thing I have ever heard

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do they even wipe their butts after they are done?

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such a waste of water.

``he cannot drive through certain conservative Jewish parts of the city on Sabbath day, as there was every likelihood of the taxi being stoned by these ultra orthodox Jews for plying on Sabbath day.``

Sounds like the taliban with cowboy hats.

Very good narration but reinforced my belief that this biblical trilogy i.e. judaism, christianity and islam are stupid stupid stupid fantasies which frankly this world can not afford over the long run.

Still cant believe how much water gets wasted because you are not SUPPOSED to WORK.

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

nice travelogue. should have been more detailed though. this is the first glimpse of `living` israel i`ve had. mostly it`s the image of the apartheid like state.

You mention the great love of Israelis for India...other than the fascination of the youth for India, another reason might be that India is the only country in the world where the Jews were not persecuted for their beliefs in any form...they might have been `tolerated` in other countries, but India was the only country where they could lead their lives with full freedom just like any other man or woman...they could build their synagogues as high as they wanted and sing as loudly as they wanted...many Jewish museums state this and it is something Indians can be quite proud of...the museum of Natural History in New York has a plaque which states this also...India provided a safe haven for the Jewish diaspora beginning from the sack of Jerusalem 2000 years ago till a few centuries ago when jews from Iraq, Afghanistan etc came and settled in India...I wish India and Israel cooperated more in the fields of irrigation technology and use their knowledge and expertise in arid regions of India such as Telangana and Rajasthan...would love to go there myself and look into this but want to visit Iran first...Iran has this rule that anyone who visits Israel for whatever reason is ineligible to visit Iran...happily Israel has no such hangups...so first Iran, then Israel inshallah in the next couple of years...you really are lucky in that your work takes you to interesting and historical lands...regards

Kabuli

great travelogue Deepak...you are indeed very lucky...I might be wrong, but isn`t the wailing wall a remnant of Solomon`s temple?...cheers

Kabuli

Does India International airlins has regular flight to Israel ? If so how many flights./ week ?
How much is price and how much money is required for reasonable stay?
Does any Chinese or Muslim national carriers have scheduled flights ?