Tuesday, May 29, 2012

An Imam and a Swami Walk Into a…


Last year, I spent the holiday of Shavout at a Jerusalem yeshiva (religious school).  We studied all night long, and in the morning we watched the sunrise over the city from the Tayellet (promenade).  This year was somewhat different:

The Delhi synagogue is a tucked away but decent-sized structure that thankfully wasn’t hard to find.  On the front they painted a long list of donors, including families who donated 100 INR (about $2) or more.  I arrived on time, so I was the first Jew to arrive, other than the community leader.  (He’s the closest they have to a rabbi.)  He introduced me around to the non-Jewish guests, including a pastor and his family, and asked me to explain Shavuout to them.  Then they asked me a series of follow up questions, including, “I hear the Jews are the best people in the world.  All rich.”  (I wasn’t clear on the question.)   After others arrived – a good 30 people or so – the leader asked me to join him at the podium.   (He also invited me to his daughter’s wedding.  Nice guy.)  He then chanted a Hebrew psalm that I’d never seen and pointed at me to keep reading.  I tried to chant in the same Sephardic melody, but it didn’t quite work and was one of the more awkward moments since I arrived here.  (And I’ve had plenty of awkward moments.)  I stood up there quietly for the rest of the service, as he led us in what appeared to be the Sephardic weekday evening service.  I guess you use the books you have.  There was also a small Kiddush afterward, where I tried many new Indian foods, including something that looked like cake but was wet and tasted like sour milk.  That was a surprise.

An amazingly diverse group of people showed up, including a 92-year-old man who fought in seven wars since World War II.  He was particularly proud of his role in the Bangladesh Liberation War.  The most surreal moment was in the middle of the services when an imam and a swami walked in to visit, both decked out in full religious gear.  It might take a while before any sight in shul matches up to that of watching a swami following along with “Adon Olam.”

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