The English Teacher by Yiftach Reicher Atir
She nestled in the chair, which was now hers, facing the photograph that the principal of the school had brought in from the faculty room and placed on the mantelpiece.The black ribbon crossed it diagonally, like a mark of distinction that someone had added to it in haste, and her father looked out at her with a severe expression, as he was and as he liked to be seen, with brows and lips tensed. Even the colour photograph added no light to him.And suddenly he seemed to be smiling as he looked at her, something in his eyes telling her she was now indeed free, but a different obligation, new and more dangerous than the ones he had imposed, was unfolding for her.The house was quiet. The shivah , the seven days of mourning, had passed, and the rabbi explained that his children couldn't do without their bedtime story , apologised, and left. She closed the door behind him and listened to his footsteps that pounded the pavement like tom-tom drums.Translated from Hebrew by Philip Simpson
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Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Indian Express
Indian workers in Israel pick daily drill of sirens, shelters over evacuation
Having arrived in Israel to fill the construction industry void left by the Palestinian workforce after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, thousands of Indian workers have been getting accustomed to a harsh new reality: the conflict with Iran. Their daily life — working as masons, iron benders, carpenters, ceramic tilers, bakers and so on — is punctuated by frequent missile alerts on their phones and several dashes to the nearest bomb shelter, or 'miklat' as these reinforced spaces are called in Hebrew. The Indian workers appear largely undeterred by the waves of missile strikes and interceptions. Mohan Lal, who belongs to Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district and is a foreman at a workshop in Palmachim, 28 km from Tel Aviv, says there is no mad scramble to return to India through the government's evacuation plan announced on June 19. He is among an estimated 15,000 Indian workers who arrived in Israel through government and private routes following a 2023 bilateral framework agreement. 'About 350 Indian workers have left and maybe 600 more have enrolled to go back to India. Thousands others are feeling quite safe mainly due to the system of phone alerts and sirens being deployed in Israel,' says Mohan Lal, 33. He described how, in the days following the June 13 attacks by Iran, they would have to rush several times in the day and night to the shelters, but now that was needed only once or twice a day. The 'miklat' he usually uses is one of the small concrete containers built near their workshop, which can accommodate up to a dozen people. He says that he recently visited the Ramat Gan area of Tel Aviv to see the damage caused to buildings by Iranian missile strikes, but added that there were no visible signs of damage in Palmachim where he worked. In contrast to these single-room shelters, other Indian workers describe gigantic fortified public shelters which can accommodate up to 1,500 people and are located at every 500 feet in Tel Aviv. Dharamvir Singh, 43, who belongs to Jind in Haryana, has been working as a ceramic tiler in Israel since a year. He has been using one equipped with air conditioners, lounge chairs, toilets and so on. He is working on the tiling of a 27-storey building in Tel Aviv — six of its storeys are designed to serve as underground bunkers. 'More and more, bigger and bigger bomb shelters are being built everywhere in Israel,' he says. 'The difference I find from the earlier phase of attacks by Hamas and the current shower of ballistic missile attacks from Iran is that the alerts give us 20-25 minutes to reach the shelters instead of the earlier 10-15 minutes. We are getting more time to rush to safety.' Gurdeep Chouhan, also from Jind, describes a similar experience of the need for rushing to shelters coming down after a peak two weeks ago. He is working in a well-known bakery, Angel's, along with a large group of Indians in a place called Lod, 15 km from Tel Aviv. He says: 'There is less danger in small places like where we are, which are on the outskirts of the large cities like Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem. It is in the big cities that the military establishments, refineries and multi-national companies are located and they could be the target of future attacks.' Subhash Chand, a 33-year old carpenter from Punjab's Hoshiyarpur, says the threat is not from precision bombing but debris from missiles intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome. He says there was panic among their families back home in Punjab because of old videos showing extensive damage to Tel Aviv. 'I have been in Israel for over a year and we are all liking it here. There are no jobs in India. If we take up the offer of the Indian government and return home we will surely regret it,' says Subhash Chand. 'Israeli companies and supervisors respect Indian workers. We feel safe because of the system of alerts and sirens. 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Time of India
20-06-2025
- Time of India
Last Traces: Ajmer's 19th century Jewish cemetery battles neglect
Ajmer: In the heart of Ajmer, behind the modern facade of Cine Mall near Ana Sagar lake, lies a poignant reminder of a once-thriving Jewish community - a 19th-century cemetery slowly fading into obscurity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This historic burial ground, one of only two Jewish cemeteries in Rajasthan, tells a compelling story of cultural diversity, colonial history and unfortunate neglect. The cemetery, which last saw a burial in 1954, originally housed around 60 graves. Today, only 33 remain, each bearing the distinctive Star of David and Hebrew inscriptions, silent testimonies to a community that once called Ajmer home. These graves belong to Jewish families who were invited by the British to help develop the railways in the Ajmer-Merwara region during the late 19th century. "We used to see people with long beards coming to pray here," recalls an elderly neighbour, painting a picture of times when the cemetery still held its sacred status. The Jewish community, numbering between 300-400 people, played a crucial role in developing the region's rail network alongside their Parsi counterparts. However, following the formation of Israel in 1948, most families migrated, leaving behind their homes and this final resting place of their loved ones. Today, the cemetery presents a sorry sight. Where once stood well-maintained graves, now lies a dumping ground for broken idols, discarded mannequins and construction debris. The sacred ground is overrun with cow dung and unkempt bushes, while two rooms remain locked, their keys held by a caretaker in Jaipur. The absence of even a simple signboard has led many locals to mistake it for a Christian graveyard. "It is a quiet place," says Vimla Devi, a local resident, describing the rare occasions when visitors light candles and offer prayers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The cemetery shares a boundary wall with the Robson Memorial Cathedral Cemetery—managed by the Robson Church in Ajmer—creating an interfaith final resting place that speaks to Ajmer's diverse historical fabric. Pastor Jagdish Kumar of Robson Church told TOI, "The caretaker of the Jewish cemetery was Mr Henry, who passed away in 2023. He lived on the cemetery premises and received his salary from the Chabad (Jewish prayer hall) in Pushkar. After his death, Ms Anju Rose from Jaipur has been overseeing the cemetery's upkeep." Aviv Divekar, secretary of the Magen Abraham Synagogue in Ahmedabad, emphasises the cemetery's significance: "It symbolises the deep cultural bond between India and Jews." As this landmark battles for survival, Divekar says, "Rajasthan govt or its cultural department should take note of the pitiful situation and restore it in line with Jewish religious values." The cemetery stands not just as a burial ground, but as a testament to India's inclusive heritage and its historical connection with the Jewish community. In the face of rapid urbanisation and fading memories, this cemetery remains one of the last physical links to Ajmer's Jewish heritage. Its preservation isn't just about maintaining a burial ground - it's about protecting a crucial chapter in India's diverse cultural history.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Hanging Hindu torans, Jewish mezuzah as door decorations legal in Nevada: No larger than 12" x 36"
Hindus in Nevada are allowed to put toran in front of their houses. (AI image) Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo signed a bill into law allowing Nevada residents to hang religios door disp;ayes inlcuding Hindu torans and Jewish mezuzah. The bill was a joint initiative by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The bill was introduced by Senators Julie Pazina, Dina Neal, Edgar Flores, Melanie Scheible, and Lisa Krasner, and Assemblymembers Erica P. Roth and Duy Nguyen. The bill permits religious displays upon dwellings that are no larger than 12' x 36'. The bill also requires maintenance workers to store religious displays in a way that preserves its sanctity. 'This bill is a significant win for Nevada Hindus because it ensures residents' right not only to observe their Hindu faith unencumbered, but also to bless their homes and everyone who enters them with the display of a toran, as their faith calls them to," HAF managing director Samir Kalra said. The law will come into force on October 1, 2025. The bill overrides any homeowner association (HOA) or residential restrictions that might prohibit such displays, thereby safeguarding the religious practices of Nevada residents. The Hindu toran, a traditional decorative item often hung above doorways, holds cultural and religious significance in Hindu households. It is typically adorned with intricate designs and symbols that bless the home and its inhabitants, inviting prosperity and warding off negative energies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What is The Best Diet for My Knee Pain? Eat these That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally The Jewish mezuzah, similarly, is a small case containing a piece of parchment inscribed with specific Hebrew verses from the Torah, affixed to the doorposts of Jewish homes as a sign of faith and protection. 'Nevada Senate Bill 201 will protect all faith communities. Ensuring that individuals can display religious items on their doorways without undue restrictions allows them to freely express their faith in their homes. We are grateful for the bipartisan support in the Legislature and to our partners at the Hindu American Foundation for championing this bill," ADL Desert Regional Director, Jolie Brislin, said.
