Can flavours of disparity heal a wounded heart?

Its a Tuesday morning and Chaya Kozlovsky codirector ChabadLubavitch of Mumbai has just received news of multiple rockets being fired into Israel from Gaza Alongside she has been bombarded with text messages from wellwishers about an issue that technically has nothing to do with the Jews the Ayodhya land dispute judgment In Israel there was fake news circulating about the situation in India being tense so I have been receiving stay safe messages she laughsThe truth is says Kozlovsky Weve never felt threatened hereThe confidence has made Chaya and husband Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky throw open the doors of Chabad House the Jewish outpost that was at the centre of terror attacks during 2611 Kosher Mumbai a restaurant located on the first floor will now be open to public Its a first in the history of the Jewish centre While the restaurant launch date is yet to be decided they have tied up with premium food delivery service Scootsy to launch deliveries Mumbai didnt have a place where you could sample kosher cuisine she says The Jewish bakery at Worli shuttered a while ago While their focus has always been on catering to the community they realised that welcoming nonJews to the restaurant would be symbolic It was time to forget the dark past and move on she saysChallah or Jewish signature bread is served at a Shabbat meal Its crispy from the outside and soft insideThat the launch might coincide with the 11th anniversary of the terror attacks is pure coincidence she insists The idea of opening Kosher to nonJews occurred to us after launching the memorial last year she says adding that visitors who climbed down from the terrace memorial where the terrorists were holed up noticed the restaurant and showed an interest in dining The sixstorey structure rebuilt with contributions from the global Jewish community now wears a plush look and is amped with security The bullet marks and damage to walls by grenades however have been preserved to serve as a reminder of the martyrs Now with the restaurants launch the security will only be made tighter we are told But unlike their predecessors this couple with their five kids has chosen to live in a nearby apartment instead of Chabad HouseMiddle Eastern favourite bakalava a sweet nutty filo pastryThe Kozlovskys both born and raised in Jerusalem have been aggressive in their efforts to make the centre a robust headquarter of Jewish activity In 2012 they assumed the position of codirectors of Chabad House four years after the killing of Rabbi Gavriel and his wife Rivka Holtzberg in the attacks At the time we were supposed to go to Tokyo as emissaries not Mumbai But the plan suddenly changed I was five months pregnant with my first child she recalls The couple first began conducting sociocultural programmes from their small apartment in Churchgate since Chabad House was being redoneHerb marinated grilled salmon fillet served with warm beans saladIn 2015 they launched a Jewish school in Chembur Ten months ago they roped in Leorith Elijah chief operating officer to helm affairs at Chabad House now renamed Nariman Lighthouse A local Jew Elijah oversees the affairs of the memorial the upcoming museum and will now be involved with the restaurant too As an Indian Jew there was so much I didnt know about Israeli cuisine she says The menu borrows from varied Jewish traditions including European and Mediterranean Weve also kept the ratio of Indian to Israeli dishes is 5050 so that theres equal representationAccording to kosher tradition any food categorised as meat cannot be served or eaten at the same meal as a dairy product Furthermore all utensils and equipment used to process and clean meat and dairy must be kept separatemdasheven down to the sinks in which theyre washed As a rule Kozlovsky manually inspects all ingredients daily All vegetables and fruits are carefully inspected to ensure they dont contain bugsLeorith Elijah CEO Nariman LighthouseA reasonablypriced menu includes star dishes such as the chicken soup with Matzah ball Jewish bread dumpling the highlight of a Shabbat meal Mediterranean Couscous salad loaded with fresh vegetables and chickpea in fresh lemon dressing and Challah pronounced as Khallah the Jewish signature bread crispy on the outside and soft within And then there is the famous Shakshuka eggs poached in a sauce of tomato with added spices The menu also has biryani rajma and pav dishesAlthough their aim is to popularise Jewish food Kozlovsky wants people to see kosher as a way of life She says The idea of keeping kosher is to be knowledgeable about the way in which your food is prepared and where it comes fromCatch 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