Of all the Diaspora communities; the Jews of India are among the least known and most interesting. This readable study; full of vivid details of everyday life; looks in depth at the religious life of the Jewish community in Cochin; the Bene Israel from the remote Konkan coast near Bombay; and the Baghdadi Jews; who migrated to Indian port cities and flourished under the British Raj. Who Are the Jews of India? is the first integrated; comprehensive work available on all three of India's Jewish communities.Using an interdisciplinary approach; Nathan Katz brings together methods and insights from religious studies; ritual studies; anthropology; history; linguistics; and folklore; as he discusses the strategies each community developed to maintain its Jewish identity. Based on extensive fieldwork throughout India; as well as close reading of historical documents; this study provides a striking new understanding of the Jewish Diaspora and of Hindu civilization as a whole.
#1027572 in Books 1994-08-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .77 x 6.00l; .86 #File Name: 0520083423256 pages
Review
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful. A truly remarkable bookBy Stephen LubyThis is an academic study of social conflict. The author investigated a previously unreported riot in what is today the country of Bangladesh; though at the time of the riot was East Pakistan. Her methodology was to talk in detail to persons involved to understand what happened; and perhaps more importantly; their interpretation of what happened. Initially; the book is easy and engaging reading as she describes how she learned of the riot; and how the riot reportedly occurred. She then proceeds to explain the conflict in terms of the broader scholarship of social conflict. Roy's analysis of the power relationships in the village; the precipitation of the riot; and the meaning of the riot to Hindus and Muslims provide is a refreshing balance of the perception of common villagers; and academic social conflict theory. For persons interested in the social relationships in South Asia; and social conflict broadly; this is a terrific book.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. FASCINATING ORIGINAL WORKBy cebepeBeth Roy's account of how a dispute between two neighboring farmers - cow grazes neighbor's crop - turns into a family conflict; then a village conflict; then a religious-ethnic conflict; then embroils the surrounding villages and finally an entire region. She went there; she spoke with the people most directly involved; and she uncovered the underlying national and international issues here being played out on a village level. It takes great insight and empathy to accomplish what Beth Roy has done. This is such a good book.
