The Geulah message in India
By Yitzchok ben Eliezer
From Beith Moshiach Magazine
If you thought that there was still one country without a Chabad presence, well – an emissary has arrived there too! To be more precise, Chabad was always there but India never had a permanent emissary. The reason – because the living conditions are so difficult.
There are many places in which it is hard to live, but apparently India is more difficult than most. In any case, up until a half a year ago, a country with thousands of Jews, both tourist and residents, was without a Chabad house. The need was desperate.
Last year Rabbi Nachmanson finished his preparations to go there on Shlichus. In month of Shevat (February) he settled on the main street of New Delhi, the capital of India, an important city serving as a crossroads through which Israelis pass on their way to other parts of India or other countries in the Far East.
On one street there are embassies, immigration office and many shops which sell basic items especially for travelers. It is where many Israeli tourists congregate before setting off on longer trips, for it often happens that they spend more time there than originally planned.
On that same street there is a restaurant which Israelis frequent more than any. Right under the restaurant is where Rabbi Nachmenson opened his Chabad house.
Rabbi Nachmanson relates, "Pesach 5755 was the first time I visited and made a Passover Seder for the Israelis. About 400 people participated! I realized that this was fertile territory which needed to be exploited. I sensed the tremendous thirst on the part of the Israeli tourists especially when I gave lessons. They love to learn Tanya and the reason is simple. Many of them came for the express purpose of "finding themselves." Questions about who they are is what brought them here, and they find answers in Tanya.
"During my stay, I got along with them and I felt that I had to return. Outreach work in India continued periodically. I didn't return right away but boys were sent there for Yomim Tovim (Holidays) in Tishrei and Nissan. They also realized the great potential here and worked hard and saw great success."
So how did Rabbi Nachmanson come to open a Chabad house?
"I actually made this decision while in Thailand, where I had been working in Shlichus for an extended period of time. One day came to the Chabad House in Thailand my friend from the yeshivah, Rabbi Mickey Nasrolai from Milan, Italy. He arrived to Bangkok for his business. Among other things he told me about the great potential in India about Jews.
A few days later we went together, Rabbi Mickey and I to New Delhi. I saw the place and I decided: "here will be Chabad house of India. Rabbi Mickey immediately donated an initial amount of two thousand dollars.
Before the trip I talked about - so with a friend named Emmanuel Wineman, a businessman, too, began to Judaism through Chabad House in Thailand.
We arrived to India and didn't waste a moment. Within a short time we found ourselves fabrenging in the Chabad house of India.
OK, so there was a Chabad house but what about a permanent emissary? That was no simple matter, but the work which was begun had to continue. So India became one of the places where sent time to time.
Over a year ago I wrote to the Rebbe about the idea of permanent,'shlichut' (emissary) in India. The answer was about starting a mosad (institute). A number of people in Eretz Israel were interested and with the help I receive from the committee of "Ha'geula Ha'amitis V'Ha'Shleima (with help from the Million Dollar Fund) I got to work. Since then, I'm in the Chabad house of India .
And the first thing you did was:
… First of all, I want to make it clear that the purpose in my coming here is mainly to publicize the ha'geula message as the Rebbe wishes. With that introduction I can go on to tell you about the work we do which revolves around this point.
There's no question that the focus of our outreach is Shabbos. This includes the prayers in the Chabad house and the Shabbos meals in the kosher restaurant upstairs. Hundreds of Israelis participate in the Shabbos meals and the atmosphere is incredibly uplifting and carries over to the rest of the week.
Throughout the week there are lessons and various events. Every month we make a mass kiddush Levana (moon blessing) with an Israeli band accompanying us. By the way, the hit song of the kiddush levana events is "Yechi" which is accompanied by an unusual band made up of Israelis who are proficient musicians on Indian drums.
What is unique about Shlichus in India if it focuses on Israelis who are to be found in other parts of the world too?
The work with Israelis in India is different than outreach anywhere else. They have come for the purpose of seeking spirituality; to discover a new world. They are looking for a "high" and that makes them receptive to the light. In Chasidus it's explained that in order to understand the essence of a thing there must be bittul (nullification). The reason why it's) difficult to convey a Jewish message to the public at large is because they don't surrender. They refuse to let go of what they consider "givens," and that's why it's so hard to instill the truth of Torah within them.
This is the advantage of Shlichus in India. Here you meet Jews who enjoy tossing away preconceived notions. They yearn to experience something new. When you learn Tanya with such Jews, you feel as though you're on the same wavelength.
You can see this in the lessons as well as the other work we do. Take the praying for example - we have a minyan three times a day at the Chabad house. You'd be surprised to know that even during the weekdays there are many who attend the praying. They just love it!
Kabbolas Shabbos can last two hours for an ordinary Israeli, and it's not because we taught him how to pray at length. He just naturally stands off in a corner and concentrates on the siddur and is completely involved in the words of the praying.
Aren't there people who oppose what you do?
Yes, there are those who say, "What do I need mitzvos (commandments) for if I'm not religious?" and some who explain that they came to India for the express purpose of abandoning their Judaism, and that there's nothing more ridiculous than their suddenly doing a mitzva here. But these people generally agree to join a lesson, and what happens is that the Tanya lessons affect them and they change their attitude and agree to put on Tefillin etc.
But if an Israeli would want to do some serious studying, he couldn't do it in India - is that correct?
Not necessarily. We have a large Torah library and people frequent it day and night. They can also borrow books and get into a conversation about Yiddishkeit (Judaism) which generally lasts well into the night.
Describe a typical day at the Chabad house.
The morning begins with praying and breakfast. Throughout the day, dozens of people come and go. They put on Tefillin, hear a good little lesson or just sing "Moshiach, Moshiach."
We give out material on Jewish topics. We give out about 600 copies of "Sichat Ha'Geula" every week. Thoughout the day there are lessons as well as farbrengens, and other programs depending on the time of year.
Your work is only with Israelis in New Delhi. What about the tourists in other parts of India?
India is a vast land and Israelis are concentrated in various places depending on "what's in". At the moment we aren't equipped to reach out to more distant places, but I'd like to get a "tank" so that we can bring the "Ohr Ha'Geulah (redemption's light) to them.
Another problem is that your work has no continuity. You learnwith people and then they move on…
We try to keep in touch, especially with those who begun to get involved. Last year for example, when I was in Israel for Chanukah, we arranged a reunion for all the Israelis we met in New Delhi.
Do you have connections with the local Jews?
Yes, we do. We are greatly involved with the members of the local community. Forty years ago a beautiful synagogue was built, but none of the people put on Tefillin! We immediately started 'Tefillin campaign' and then added lessons. As a result, the entire community has become more involved in Judaism.
As far as other communities in India, Rabbi Yitzchok Kanievsky in India, Rabbi Yitzchok Kanievsky visited Calcutta which is 17 hours away. Rabbi Kanievsk is a friend of ours who went to support the community there with lessons. He also checked the mikvah to make sure it was kosher.
The synagogue and mikvah in Calcutta, a seaport in eastern India, are the nicest in all India. There are 70 Jewish families there, two mikvahs and beautiful synagogues. After this visit we understood why the Rebbe said what he did in the Sicha (talk) in which he spoke about strengthening the community in Calcutta.
A few months ago I also went to Bombay, where there are 10 synagogues and 3 - mikvahs, to strengthen the community. I started giving lessons in English and Hebrew, and I opened a permanent Yeshiva, in which there are now some twenty Jewish boys' learners, a strong desire to learn Torah. In this place we plan to strengthen its activities to reach a larger part of Jewish community members gathered on 5,000 Jewish people living there.
Tell us one of your best stories
Last year, I met a Jew who told me that he's from the mountains in the city of Kasoll which is 12 hours away from New Delhi. He's a member of a group of Israeli tourists who arrived in India a few years ago. They built houses and settled down and support themselves as businessmen.
To my great surprise he told me that a number of them had been in New Delhi and had participated in our programs. After being greatly influenced by the kiddush and Tanya classes, they decided to keep Shabbat there in the mountains! They prepare their own wine and every Shabbat; they make kiddush and observe Shabbat. He told me how they have a mikva from the natural warm springs there. They use it every day!
Before he left he asked me for some books because they want to study in the peace and quiet of nature. I let him borrow some books and he (and his friends) borrowed nearly the entire library! Here was another minyan of baalei teshuva who became involved in Judaism thanks to the Chabad India in New Delhi.
