‘Return us to you, renew our days…’

This story started with a song Even taught onlinemdashCOVID reducing choir class to a Zoom linkmdashthe hauntingly beautiful melody of Hashivenu echoed in our heads We told Salome Rebello conductor of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation womenrsquos choir that we loved learning the Hebrew prayersettosong of resilience and renewal The title of this piece loosely translates one of its linesHashivenu was her childhood favourite she said Her mother Rina Moses Rebello sang it with her congregation the reformist Jewish Religious Union JRU The group propagates democratic precepts and practices forming the bedrock of its introduction 97 years ago by the gynaecologist Dr Jerusha Jhirad on her return from medical studies in EnglandRina Moses Rebello with Rabbi EdelmanGreen under the sukkah a boothlike hut woven with willow palm and myrtle branches where thanksgiving is offered for the harvest feastOther women rallying around Dr Jhirad were Rebecca Reuben Rachel Joseph Dr Milcah Joseph Milcah Vakrulkar Miriam Aptekar Sheba Moses Elizabeth Ezekiel and Julie Solomon Joseph Incidentally in recognition of Jhiradrsquos great dedication at advancing the cause of the countryrsquos female doctors the Jhirad Crater is one of three such on planet Venus named to honour a trio of Indian women achieversBene Israelis literally ldquoChildren of Israelrdquo are descendants of survivors shipwrecked off the Konkan coast about 2000 years ago after the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem Baghdadi Jews settled in 19th centuryIndia while the oldest surviving documents including a merchantrsquos charter of Cochin Jews date to 1000 CEPage from the Machzor Ruach Chadashah Services for the Days of Awe prayer book Showing the English translation accompanying the Hebrew the ldquoMournersrsquo Kaddishrdquo makes no mention of deathmdashit instead appreciates lifersquos abundance Moses writes in The Reform Jewish Movement in India ldquoMuch to contrary belief the JRU did not cater to any specific group of Jewish people in the city It was coincidental that the majority joining was Bene Israeli and not IraqiBaghdadi Jewsrdquo The JRU did once have a handful of Baghdadi Jew members like Caravan magazine editor Maurice Japheth remembered for sermons elevating everyday themes to another level Rosh Hashanah begins this evening the Jewish day unfolding sunset to sunset according to the darknessuntolight concept of Creation in the Genesis It marks the communityrsquos calendar transition from the year 5782 to 5783 In almost every respect the JRU continues adhering to rituals and ceremonies prescribed by the ancient faithReform Rabbi Hugo Gryn of Britain welcomed in Bombay by JRU founder Dr Jerusha JhiradIndia has approximately 75 member families mostly in Bombay Roughly the same number abroad participate in virtual programmes with enthusiastic regularity Though this vibrant group follows tenets observed by Jews worldwide JRU ideology focuses on two main points of departure prayers are printed with accompanying English lines translating the original Hebrew and women are considered equal congregation partners Despite staunch resistance from the Orthodoxy translation was welcomed by liberal families realising it facilitated a growing flock of youngsters to perpetuate the faith ldquoMy forwardthinking father couldnrsquot tolerate sitting to pray without understanding Rather than blindly rattle off what was expected people like him appreciated what Dr Jhiradrsquos group offered from 1925rdquo says JRU elder Norma Elijah Suvarna The veteran robustly galvanises young generations to pass on the grouprsquos core beliefs and welfare workRabbi Elisha Nattiv solemnising the first wedding in Rodef Shalom between Noreen and Norman Elijah in May 1960Suvarna explains that the birth of JRU earned it prestigious place with founder nations of the World Union for Progressive JudaismEstablished in London in 1926 this is a global umbrella network of Reform Liberal and Progressive organisations towards whose seed expenses the JRU raised small contributionsRodef Shalom stood on Sussex Road Byculla till 1993The Bombay congregationrsquos finances were in turn supplemented by progressive circles abroad and the Sassoon trusts Those benefactors made possible aid for the JRU to obtain the Rodef Shalom premises in Byculla This iconic structure was burnt in the 1993 riots resulting in the city community losing invaluable Torah scrolls and volumes in one of the finest collections of Jewish religious literature Constant references by JRU acolytes to ldquorebuild the Templerdquo indicate rocksolid hope and work afoot to reconstruct Rodef ShalomThe overseas collaboration fortunately brought Bombay the tenured presence of the dynamic rabbis Hugo Gryn and Elisha Nattiv who considerably boosted Congregation Rodef Shalom as the JRU came to be called After its inception with a constitution framed and committee appointed Abraham Chincholkar had assumed the mantle of JRUrsquos lay ministership ldquoI was able to comprehend Hebrew prayers through the translation in English I was as happy to hear the wonderful liturgy set to music by Sarah Samson who was JRU president in the 1990srdquo says Elijah Jacob Honorary Chair of the JRU Services Committee A consultant and former Executive Director for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Indiamdashthe Jewish humanitarian organisation headquartered in New York and operating in 70 countriesmdashhe adds ldquoMy religious mentor Aaron David Shapurkar trained me to understand the structure of the prayer service for important festivals And my cousin Sheba Yehuda taught the basics of Judaism in Sunday school at Rodef Shalom in the Rabbirsquos flat adjoining the synagoguerdquoEmphasising that individual choice decides where to position oneself on the OrthodoxTraditionalProgressive spectrum Johnny Jhirad dean of Podar ORT International School at Worli says ldquoThe commonalities of basic principles which are Judaismrsquos treasures is very high A few cosmetic differences are to keep seamless the bridge between religion and the challenges of modern times Progressives are of the view that prayers need to be concise and at least to some extent in the vernacular for all to benefitrdquoJhiradrsquos own journey transported him from Orthodox Judaism to the JRUmdashldquoMy children were finding it difficult to pray without knowledge of the meaning of what was read JRU was my solution to make them come to prayerrdquo To quote from his talk last year ldquoThe first German Liberal Siddur liturgical compilation was published in 1819 During the 19th century with the spread of universal literacy new editions of the prayer book were produced around the world They tried to allow the worshipper to pray with no contradiction between heart and mind It is through change that tradition can remain fresh After the biblical period psalms of Davidic times and later compositions were added to our Orthodox prayersrdquoA science student who recollects his professors were declared atheists Benjamin Isaac JRU President took the leap from ldquoirreligious to reformistrdquo Meeting Rabbi Gryn was one of the catalysts for this ldquoI was attracted to the rational nature of JRU thought particularly the freedom extended to women wishing to be involved with prayerrdquo This feminist angle lies at the heart of the second distinction setting the Reformists apart Though Judaism generally accords women equality with men in aspects of marriage right of refusal fair divorce laws progressive Judaism explores issues of concern to women within the religious realm Refreshingly it not only recognises women rabbis but also encourages women members to lead the congregationThe JRU embraces the Bat Mitzvah the female equivalent of Bar Mitzvah initiating members to the fold In the 1950s Norma Elijah Suvarna was one of the first four Jewish girls privileged to have this ceremony Then in her teens its essence escaped her she shares The true significance struck with clarity when she repeated the ritual as part of a quartet of older women in 2017 with Noreen Elijah Sinnora Jhirad and Rina Moses Rebello in the presence of Rabbi Judith EdelmanGreen visiting from IsraelldquoThe group influences more of an acceptance level for mixed marriagesrdquo says Rina Moses Rebello JRU secretary ldquoItrsquos a ladiesrsquo line Because I am born Jew married to a Goan my daughter is still Jewish Besides adopting liberal ideas the JRU has inculcated a feeling of openness in me personally too on many levelsrdquo The population of Indian Jews has dwindled drastically with migrations to Israel Canada USA the UK and Australia Deeply invested in revitalising carefully nurtured ideals in Bombay the JRU youth wing takes seriously the task of keeping its youngest engaged with relevant activitiesldquoThe Youth Group gave me a sense of community bonding and friendships lasting decades downrdquo says Ruth Crishna whose architect cousin Solly Reuben designed the Rodef Shalom interior Crishna specially mentions the JRU choir started by Dr Jerusha Jhiradrsquos sister Leah Jhirad and subsequently led by the soprano Sarah Samson Its members were drawn from the Youth Group and the Sisterhoodmdashthe ladiesrsquo subcommittee her mother was on which brought out a cookbook and ensured that fundraisers fetes and excursions ran smooth and served a large attendanceldquoWe kids were quite overawed by the singing in that choir of harmonies A lot of Sephardic prayers were recited in a singsong tonerdquo says Crishna ldquoSarah was strict at rehearsals Probably came of running her soughtafter kindergarten Childrenrsquos Nookrdquo Along with friends whose parents were JRU members Elijah Jacob revived the Youth Group in 1979 ldquoWe got to know our Jewish peers in a spirit of camaraderie and wanted to undertake projects for community development strengthening it in the processrdquo he says Weekly meetings and the quarterly newsletter Impact announced trips retreats quiz contests art exhibitions picnics and outings to watch films and playsElaborating on how the JRU philosophy touches his life Jacob says ldquoProgressive Judaism has helped me adapt well to coreligionists in our Indian society with a healthy and respectful attitude towards them The JRUrsquos modern outlook to religion promotes unity in diversity and respect for allrdquoAuthorpublisher Meher Marfatia writes fortnightly on everything that makes her love Mumbai and adore Bombay You can reach her at mehermarfatiamiddaycomwwwmeher marfatiacom