Window on India: First Jewish Community Center opens in Bombay

Judge Ellen Heller of Baltimore led thirteen other Americans on a mission with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) recently traveled to India to witness the dawn of a new era for that country's ancient Jewish community -- the opening of a Jewish communal gathering place -- India's first JCC.

While Jews have been living in India for thousands of years, recently they have become very scattered throughout the vast city of Bombay with no recognizable Jewish neighborhoods or communal facilities. Over the past 12 years, JDC has been sending Jewish Service Corps volunteers to India to help initiate and support activities within the Jewish community. Programs such as youth groups, the women's Rosh Hodesh group, summer camps and a Jewish newspaper "Kol India" were successfully initiated, but community groups had no central place to meet.

"We reached a point where we had the activities of a JCC without a building," explained Linda Levi, JDC's Assistant Executive vice-president. "With astronomical real-estate prices in Bombay it seemed like such an unattainable goal."

With the support of the American Jewish community through JDC and the Weinberg Foundation, the goal was finally attained. "In such an enormous society, like India, it is so great to finally have a little corner where Jews can come together with other Jews," said Levi.

While this two-room JCC in bustling Bombay may not fit the American image of a suburban JCC with a pool and a gym, said Judge Heller, it has quickly become a place where Jews of all ages and backgrounds can come together to enjoy taking part in a vibrant Jewish community. "What amazes me about this community and their new JCC is that you can feel their excitement. Jewish continuity isn't an idea, it's an action. And now, Jewish continuity has an address in Bombay."

The dedication ceremony of the new Bombay JCC exemplified the spirit and diversity of the Indian Jewish community. No sooner had the mezuzah been affixed to the JCC's doorway, then the festivities began. The swirl of activity included a Havdalah service conducted by the JCC's youth club, a reenactment of a biblical story by the women's Rosh Hodesh study group and a fashion show featuring costumes from the different regions of India presented by the Bombay JCC teen club. At the conclusion of the celebratory ceremony members of the Indian Jewish community, Judge Heller and the other JDC mission participants joined their hosts for Israeli dancing and for a nosh of traditional Indian sweets.