Indian National Yoga Champion Mentors Youth at Jewish International Summer Camp in Szarvas

As Lebana hurries to teach her next yoga class, her royal blue native tunic seems out of place against the Hungarian landscape. But Lebana, who has traveled to Hungary from India, is participating in an event that until 14 years ago was still taboo in Eastern Europe – religion was not practiced publicly under communism – an educational Jewish summer experience that attracts Jews from some twenty countries.

Lebana is a counselor and along with 2000 young Jews from all over the world, she is attending the Ronald S. Lauder/JDC International Jewish Summer Camp in Szarvas, Hungary.

At Szarvas, Lebana is both teaching and learning. She has captivated other campers by sharing Indian Jewish culture through teaching yoga and recreating customs like the intricate Jewish-Indian wedding ceremony where she dressed up a group of campers. It was a big hit.

Lebana, an elegant and energetic 30 year old, is awestruck by the combination of dancing, singing, sports and study, a menu that did not exist in the camps she attended growing up in Bombay. The 5000 Jews of India are unique in many ways. They have remained a tight knit traditional community amidst a billion people of whom the majority are Hindus and Muslims.

She was raised in a traditional Kosher Jewish home and attended summer camps in the Bombay region with 40 or 50 of her Indian peers. But her camp experience was quite different from Szarvas. "Our camps were extremely serious, we focused on text and Talmud. We didn’t have 19 year olds teaching and inspiring campers. Most activities were led top-down by the community Rabbi," Lebana explained. As a result of collaborating with Israeli, American and counselors from around the globe in Hungary, she and the four other Indian counselors who she oversees, has gained self-confidence in their leadership abilities. "I’m going to bring back a lot of liberty to the youth in India so that they can begin to tap into their own power," said Lebana. Because of the shared language, she spends most of her time with the American and Israeli counselors and campers. She tends to talk fashion with the women and politics and Torah with the men and, in the process has built professional and personal relationships.

Underneath Lebana’s traditional sleek garb lies an extremely modern and talented woman. She holds a Masters in English literature and taught the romantics at a local Indian university – she eventually plans to pursue a PhD in Jewish studies. She also holds the title of National Yoga Champion of India, an incredible feat considering India’s population. She recently joined the JDC in India as the Youth Coordinator and Program Planner.

Building on her classical Indian dance background, Lebana has perfected Israeli dance. Her determination is impressive – she practices 3-4 hours a day and has befriended the Israeli dance teacher who created a library of CDs and videos for her to use in India. The time she has spent in Szarvas will, no doubt, infuse a new spirit into her native Indian community. She hopes, as she put it, "to provide Indian youth with more creative ways to express their Judaism" and very much looks forward to returning to India, via Israel of course where she will visit family.