A sweet exchange with the Mumbai Jewish community

Chef Moshe Sheks family moved to Mumbai three generations ago from Iraq As a child he remembers visiting the Magen David Synagogue synagogue in Byculla and being surrounded by a large group of people making the new year celebrations a grand affair Today however the population of Baghdadi Jews in the city has dwindled to 50 with most families having relocated to IsraelGrowing up in Byculla says Shek 50 we lived in a neighbourhood with a large Baghdadi population Shepherd Road Nagpada and Clare Road had a lot of Jews and we all went to the Magen David Synagogue during festivals Those were wonderful days and not so long back when we would rush in early on New Years day to hear the shofar Rams horn being blown I still have very fond memories of visiting our relatives in the nearby lanes and we would hear singing from all the homes as we walked passed them during the festive daysEddna Samuels halwa recipe involves using china grass agaragar PicsAshish RajeAs per Judaism it takes 10 men to start a prayer and sadly there arent that many Baghdadis left in the city Shek adds Today I spend New Years Day with my mother and with the entire Jewish mix of Baghdadi and Bene community in Mumbai Though few in number I feel it is important that we share the table together and celebrate the festival in community spiritNew Year celebrations for Jews begin the day before Sheks family on the eve of Rosh Hashanah share in a large communal dinner which takes place at the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue at Kala Ghoda Post the traditional rituals mdash blowing of the Rams Horn prayers and then dipping pieces of apple in honey bread in salt and sugar and fresh fruits we have our dinner which is a good mix of traditional Baghdadi dishesLeya EliasA few of the dishes include Kubba mdash a panfried circular pattie made from rice flour stuffed with kosher meat Mahasha mdash capsicum or tomatoes stuffed with Indian style vegetarian stuffing Alu Chop mdash deep fried potato with batter and Roast Chicken with vegetables and gravy which is made using kosher chickenShek also prepares a honey cake which is a super rich oilbased cake filled with apple jam The apple jam is made with the addition of clove and cardamom following Iraqi traditions The food is made keeping in mind that the main meal consists of meat and hence none of the sweets or breads or cake can have any dairy product keeping up with Jewish dietary kosher lawsMoshe Shek says the family dinner is always a good mix of traditional Baghdadi dishesLe Shana TovaParel resident Eddna Samuel remembers traditional Rosh Hashanah celebrations as an affair that lasts for two days After prayers on the first day we wish each other Le Shana Tova for a good year and exchange the halwa Candles are lit in the evening and blessings are recited These two days are spent at the synagogue and feasting with loved onesA media professional Samuel adds that at the end of the service the community attends a Tashlich service Sea prayers where we cast away our sinsThe halwa she says is made with the cornflour and milk of the buffalo or cow Coconut milk is added by them instead of dairy to stick to the kosher dietary restrictions This is cooked with sugar and cardamom until it thickens It is spread on a tray and decorated with pistachios almonds and other nuts Once cool it is cut into piecesWhile the traditional recipe would take three days to make Samuels quick and hasslefree recipe involves using china grass agaragar or vegetable gelatin which cuts the cooking time to 20 minutes Traditionally when families and friends meet for New Years they exchange the halwa made at home Food is the central theme and we have lovely traditions and meaning associated with the food we eat on Rosh Hashanah One of my favourite desserts is the quintessential Bene Israeli halwa which is made fresh at home for the New YearWith love from CochinLeya Elias 26 counts herself as one of the only 26 Cochin Jews in the entire country Considered one of the first few Jews to have arrived in India Cochin Jews are said to be the descendants of traders from the time of King Solomons reign Elias moved to Mumbai six years ago to work for a nonprofit organisation in thewelfare sectorSimilar to the Bene Israeli group in Maharashtra us Cochin Jews from Kerala have also adopted the customs of the land We even use our fathers name as the last name Her father she says came to Mumbai to find a bride and met her mom a Bene Israeli Their traditional spread says Elias is similar to the Jews world over But there is she adds a heavy local influence and thus there are a number of meat and fishbased curries that one will find on the table during Rosh HashanahAside from Kubba she says you will also find Pastel mdash panfried spring rolls with meat filling where the batter is spread like a pancake outer layer and the stuffing is placed on it and folded into half making a roll out of it The Cochin Jewish dishes that are made for dinner include onion rings filled with rice dipped in a soup called Ulli Narachathu and Fish Pulichida The tamarind based curry for the Pulichinda is made separately with mint leaves and local spices Alongside a locally sourced fish is fried to be added to the curry later Both these curries are paired with plain rice and are quintessential Jewish dishes from KeralaAs for desserts Elias says During Rosh Hashanah we eat a lot of fresh fruits and thus there are no traditional sweets that make it to the feast A few people do make payasam but thats made from coconut milk as we dont mix milk with our meals Traditionally each Jewish meal is supposed to be Kosher and as per that rule they do not mix their meats with any dairy product That also includes ghee Most of their desserts if fried are made using refined oil While for the past few years Elias has been heading back home for Rosh Hashanah this year she plans to stay back in Mumbai and celebrate the day with her friends from the Jewish community hereA Mumbai homeJudaism is believed be one of the first few foreign religions to come to our country In Mumbai a majority of Jews fall under the Bene Israel Jews who lived by the western coast and worked as oil pressers community and are settled in Alibaug The community found its way to Alibaug and Mumbai via Konkan and thus a lot of Bene Israel have Marathi last names Baghdadi Jews who migrated from Baghdad and settled along the trade routes around Indian Ocean came to India around the 1800s and settled around SuratThe Grand Ceremonial FeastWhile each community has its own addition to the spread a few things on the table remain common The apple dipped in honey signifies the sweet start to the New Year String beans signifying that Jews will multiply Pomegranate to multiply the blessings like the seeds and voices our merits be many like the seeds of the pomegranate Spring onion or leeks to cast away enemies Spinach meaning that enemies would retreat and not win against us A round challah braided bread made from eggs water flour and salt signifying continuity of the Jewish peopleOrder these1 Chicken soup with matzo ball at Cafe Zoe2 Fritto Misto at CIN CINCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates