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Rafting To Bombay
Asia Society Washington Center screened Erez Laufer's documentary Rafting to Bombay on April 7, 2011.
WASHINGTON DC, April 7, 2011 — Asia Society Washington hosted a screening of the critically-acclaimed documentary Rafting To Bombay, and a post-screening discussion with Associate Professor at the University of Delhi Maina Chawla Singh and Program Director of Indian-Jewish American relations at the American Jewish Committee Nissim B. Reuben.
In Rafting to Bombay Israeli director Erez Laufer tells the story of his father's escape from the Nazis in Poland to India during WWII, against the backdrop of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks on the Chabad House. View a trailer for the film below:
Singh said that the documentary touched on a historical moment in Bombay. In looking at this story of survival through the lens of Mumbai in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, she pointed out how the violence affected the film, and asked the audience, "Would this film have remained the same if the Mumbai attacks had not happened?"
Reuben described in more detail the history of Jewish communities in India, pointing out that tolerance in Indian society has allowed its Jews to peacefully co-exist with their neighbors.
"Most synagogues in India are located in Muslim neighborhoods, and never in the last 60 years, during some of the worst violence in the Middle East, would a stone be thrown at synagogue in India. That goes to show the resilience of the Indian people."
Both panelists agreed that despite a sizable portion of Indian Jews leaving for Israel, the level of emigration can't be described as an exodus. Reuben cited some of the more common reasons for leaving, such as being unable to find Jewish partners, in addition to reasons for staying in India (most commonly, work). In describing those who had left India for Israel, he said, "They were unable to take part in Israel's booming economy like my cousins in India."
Reported by Adrian Stover
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