Researched and Written By:
Rashid Butt
Rashid Butt
As I started looking for Jewish people I
could find just one person, a woman named Rachel living in Karachi Karachi Karachi
Rachel Joseph was a teacher by
profession. Her brother Ephrahinm Joseph Awaskar, died in 1987 at the age of 84.
He was the last to be buried at the Jewish cemetery in Mewashah.
People in Ranchore Lines area say that
Rachel Joseph is still alive. However they were not ready to give information
about her whereabouts.
Ms. Reama Abbasi reported in Daily Dawn,
"what will it take to keep Rachel alive? A living monument to our
collective denial, she has been deprived of her rights to a comfortable, safe
life in her own country and in all these decades not a single human rights
organization has come to her rescue. Is it the fate of an individual faulted
for her religion?"
The Faith
Fundamental Principles:
The cardinal principal of Judaism is
“Hear O Israel Glorious Kingdom
It calls men to hear the truth that has
been revealed, to take it to heart and to live by it, in order to realize the
oneness of God in a relationship that demand of a man that be unify his own
being.
Jewish religion is a covenant between
Yahweh (God) and the descendants of Prophet Abraham, Who sacrificed his own son
to God on His command. From this covenant develops the basis of Judaisim. This
is where the history of the Jewish people start. God appears in His absolute
power and direct personal concern for His people.
As the God is called to realize His
covenant, so is man called to fulfill the promise of his being. There is no
separation between sacred and profane. Everything that exists contains within
it a divine spark waiting to be liberated. Man has the same divine energy
within him. All depends on intentions; if you seek God you will find him. God
dwells (Divine Shekinah) in the whole of creation. Everything is holy,
according to the Torah; everything can be brought in union with God.
The concept of God The Creator and
mankind carries with it the brotherhood of man. .
God had bestowed Prophet Moses with two
tablets on the covenants of obedience to the Lord. These were originally kept
at Shiloh, and then placed in the Temple at Jerusalem Temple of Jerusalem Temple
The Wailing Wall was the only part of the
2nd C BC Second Temple
that remains in the old city of Jerusalem
The scripture
The Torah was conferred on Prophet Moses
on Mount Sinai . It contains the Five Books of
Law. There are 613 guiding rules in the Torah to regulate the daily life of
every Jew and this number is symbolized in the threads of Prayer Shawl
(Tsisith) that every male adult wear at prayers as a reminder of the
obligations religion imposes upon him.
A Rabbi (the Jew priest) named Hillel
once commented, “What is hurtful to yourself do not do that to your fellow-man.
That is the whole of the Torah and the remainder is but commentary”. In other
words love and social justice are the bases of ethical behavior and so
important are they that in the daily prayer “Shema”:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God.
With thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might and these words,
which I command thee this day shall be upon thy heart, and thou shalt teach
them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk to them when thou sittest in
thy house and when thou walkest by the way and then thou liest down and when
thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and thy
shall be frontlets between thine eyes and thau shalt write them upon the
doorsteps and upon thy gates”.
Jew religion gives high importance to a
good moral life. It believes that salvation is attainable only through good
deeds. Simply the observance of rituals cannot be a substitute for salvation.
Apart from the prayers or feasts and special occasions there is daily
discipline of prayers to be recited. In the morning prayers Jews are reminded
to be thankful to the God for the great and wonderful gift of life, , one can
achieve peace and contentment by counting the blessings rather than lamenting
what one does not possess.
Ten Commandments:
The importance of the Ten Commandments
according to the Old Testament lies in the moral and ethical order it invests
in man‘s existence.
- I am the
LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the
- Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
- Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
- Thou shalt not murder.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's. (Exodus 201-14)
When the Jews speak of their being a
chosen people they mean chosen to receive and propagate the divine commandments
and not being selected for special privileges. The fifth commandment says Honor
thy father and thy mother, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized. Love
and respect for parents are the cornerstones for a healthy and happy family and
Judaism realized these thousands of years ago by making it a religious precept.
In homes where this is strictly adhered to there is no room for the idea of a
generation gap.
Sacred writings:
Tanak:
Torah is known in Hebrew as Tanak the
name is derived from the first letters of the three portions into which it is
divided.
Torah (Law or Guide)
Nay-Bee-Eem (Prophets)
Key-Tu-veem (Writings-psalms or Hyms,
Proverbs etc).
The complete Torah is recited over a
period of one year in progressive sections (Sidras) on every Sabbath
(Saturday), on festivals, on every Monday and Thursday in the Synagogues
morning services when a quorum (Minyan) of 10 men which include boys of 13 and above,
is present. In most Synagogues the prayers are recited in Hebrew and this has
ensured a link with their ancient roots. The Rabbis are the qualified teachers
and guides but any member of the congregation who has the ability, knowledge
and experience can conduct the religious services. The descendants of the
ancient priests (cohanim) usually lead the prayers and perform special rituals.
Psalms:
The Psalms are a set of 150 devotional
hyms that constitute the foundation of Jewish services throughout the world.
They are a source of strength to those who are in trouble, of courage to those
who are depressed and of faith to those in doubt.
Proverbs:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom‘. Fear is not to be interpreted as cowardly behavior but as reverence
for the Almighty. The evil qualities and inclinations of mere mortals must be
curbed and subdued by a real fear of wrongdoing, without which crimes would be
rampant. The philosophy of an eye for eye and a tooth for tooth was never
intended to incite revenge but rather to emphasize that there must be apt
punishment and retribution for harm done to another. At a time in history it
was indeed a leap forward in thinking to ordain that the punishment must never
exceed the extent of the sin or error committed.
Talmud:
Following the destruction of the Temple
13 Articles of the Creed:
The 13 principles of the Jewish faith
formulated by Rabbi Maimonides (1135-1204 A.D.) are
* Magnified and praised be the living
God.
* He is One.
* He has neither bodily form nor
substance.
* His existence has no beginning.
* He is the Lord of the Universe.
* He gave His gifts to His prophets.
* Moses was His special Prophet.
* He gave us all the Law of Torah.
* God's Law is unchangeable.
* He knows our secret thoughts.
* He is kind to those who love Him but
punishes evil.
* He will give us salvation in the end.
* He will revive the dead.
Worship and Places of worship:
The synagogue:
The synagogue is a place of worship,
declared so by a religious ceremony before the initial use. It is generally a
simple and austere building. It does not have any figurines or statues The
place is often a center for Jewish social and educational activities. It houses
the Sefer Torahs (Torah Scrolls) other sacred books and religious artifacts.
The Synagogue originated after the
destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C. and the Second
Temple in 70 A.D. when the Jews
replaced the Temple
In Orthodox Synagogues the participants
in the prayers are segregated. The men get a better place to sit. This is not
out of disrespect for woman since women enjoy a place of honor in the Jewish
household but because although historically while the Jewish mother is the
queen of the home where many of the personal religious ceremonies are performed
the man has to perform the public functions at the Synagogues.
Prayers:
Prayers play a very important role in
Judaisim. They constitute a communal approach to God through meditation, pleas,
requests, confessions, praise and thanksgiving, whereby communication can be
established between human beings and the Creator. After the destruction of the Temple and scattering of Jews, the Temple
Observances:
According to Jewish religious
observances, rituals alone are of no value whatsoever when they do not lead to
right conduct and moral behavior. Whatever you say has to be translated into
practice. Gratitude to the Supreme Creator has to be felt and expressed at
every moment. Thus a prayer of thankfulness has to be uttered every morning for
the gift of life. Blessings are recited on the occurrence rain, thunder and
Lightning. Thanks must be tendered for the pleasures and sustenance derived
from the ability to see and experience beautiful sights, pleasant odors, and
good news. Even wearing new clothes or just the ability to wake up in the
morning should be counted as Gods blessings and thanked for. The divine ties
between man and God are emphasized at milestone of a Jew‘s journey from the
cradle to the grave.
The Jew is enjoined to die with
recitation of the Shema--the fundamental article of faith in the unity and
goodness of God. After bathing the body and before it is sent to the cemetery,
hymns and prayers are recited. Prayers are also recited at the cemetery before
the body draped in a white cotton cloth is lowered in the grave with the head
facing in the direction Jerusalem
According to Hasidism the Jewish mystical
movement people pray before God. But this is not so, for prayer itself is the
essence of Divinity”.
In modern times, world Jewry has evolved
into three broad groups namely Orthodox, Conservative and Reformist.
- The Orthodox tenaciously clings to all the ancient traditions of worship.
- The Reformists adopted the Philosophy of changing with the times. Religious services and rituals were considerably shortened in length and time. The use of Hebrew in the Synagogues was replaced by other mediums of expression. Many interpretations of the Torah were liberalized. In some Reformist Synagogues women were given the status of a Rabbi.
- The conservative Jews follow a middle path and retain many of the main features of orthodoxy but permit relaxations in certain cases. For example, the Conservatives and Reform groups argue that with changing times women have to be given equal status in the meetings of the congregations by being counted in the Miniyam i.e. the quorum of ten adults in the Synagogue for certain ceremonies and prayers.
Among Sepheradi Jews of Spanish and
Portuguese origin and Ashkenazi who are descendants of Russians there is no
such division and they adhere to one standard form of religion
Kabala and Jewish Mysticism:
The word Kabala originally meant ‘reception’
and related to the oral Jewish traditions handed down by Rabbis from generation
to generation. It is a deep-rooted belief in a perpetual inter-relationship
between God the infinite power and man. In the physical world man can get close
to God by complete submission to Him. The spiritual regeneration of mankind can
be achieved through prayers, meditation and interpretation of the Divine
mysteries hidden in Torah. Kabalists emphasize the importance of mystical
formulae in the prayers and hymns.
Pilgrimage:
The Wailing Wall or the Western Wall in
the old city of Jerusalem Sacred Place Second Temple
The Jews – The Origin
Hebrew is the name of a race of people as
well as a Language. Its origin and meaning are uncertain. The word Habriu
appears in documents of 14th century B.C., describing certain people perhaps
semi-nomads who inhabited the northern fringes of the Arabian
Desert . Shem‘s grandson Ebor might be the eponym of the Hebrews.
The early Hebrew was a nomad and
tradition tells of the migration of Prophet Abraham from Mesopotamia into
Canaan, and area later called Palestine
History:
Judaisim evolved over many centuries
before To understand the religion a study and understanding of the Jewish
history is important.
Prophet Abraham is one of the earliest
prophets of Judaism.. He was born in Urs of the Chaldees (Babylonia-today‘s
Iraq) approximately 4000 years ago. His father was an idol maker and Prophet
Abraham spent the earlier part of his life within a community who worshiped the
moon. In response to a strong inner voice he decided to leave Babylonia .
He was told by the inner voice that God himself will show him where to go.He
eventually ended in Canaan, which is present day Palestine
Prophet Abraham propagated the idea of
one God. The God who is invisible God, He is the Creator of Heaven and Earth,
prophet Abraham demanded absolute obedience of God‘s will for the benefit of
mankind. In the first chapter of the Old Testament, it says God created the man
out of the dust of the earth; and he became a living soul only when God
breathed His spirit into that form, implying in other words that it is the
divine breath that activated humanity.
Prophet Abraham‘s grandson Prophet
Jacob‘s other name was Israel, meaning, “striver with God” or “slave of God”.
He had 12 sons from who descended twelve tribes of Bene Israel
The Bible and later the Quran tell how
Prophet Jacob‘s (or Yaqoob‘s) sons sold their brother Joseph (or Yusuf) into
slavery in Egypt. When famine broke out in Canaan, Joseph who had found favors
in Egypt Egypt
In 13th BC Prophet Moses came as a
saviour of these twelve tribes. They escaped slavery and went away with him.
Prophet Moses had a vision from God to
save the children of Israel
from slavery in Egypt and
bring them back to Canaan.The captives escaped across the northern end of the
red sea into the desert and went to Mount
Senai Mount Senai Ark
Prophet Moses followed by Joshua had a
series of judges and warriors, who eventually invaded and occupied Canaan , the Promised Land. The Prophet Soul (Talut) was
anointed as first king of Bene Israel
Prophet David (Daud)---Israel
Prophet David (Daud) succeeded Soul. He
is regarded as an ideal, second to Prophet Moses. He was very successful in
uniting the tribes. He was an able administrator, as well as a poet. Many Psalms
are attributed to him. The God revealed the “Book of Psalms” on him.
Prophet David defeated the Canaan tribes in 1000 B.C. He made Jerusalem Jerusalem
Prophet Solomon inherited the kingdom; he
built the Temple for the Ark
in Jerusalem
However after Prophet Solomon‘s death the
kingdom was divided. Rehoboam Solomon‘s son was able to hold only the Southern
country around Jerusalem, in a kingdom that came to be known as Judah and
Israel in the North. In 700 B.C. Jeroboam I, an Ephraimite, broke away with ten
tribes from the northern Kingdom of Israel Judah and Israel and the destruction of Israel kingdom
of Judah Babylon Temple was destroyed but was re-built in 576 B.C. when the
Persian King Cyrus the Great conquered Palestine Temple Israel
The Hebrew Prophets and Monotheism:
The Prophets were inspired men who were
often critical of the official religion. One of the first Prophet Samuel was a
priest, seer and kingmaker. He chooses Saul to be the first king of Israel and
also selected David as Saul‘s successor. Elijah and his servant and a follower
Elisha both denounced the Prophets of Baal and were thus hounded by the rulers.
They were followed by a number of
Prophets between the eighth and sixth centuries B.C., whose messages were
writhen down. Amos and Hosea preached in Israel
whereas Micah and Isaiah preached in Judah Jerusalem Jerusalem before its fall in 586
B.C. and then went to Egypt ,
while Ezikel went to Babylon Temple
In the 2nd century B.C. Jerusalem
was conquered by the Syrian emperor who desecrated the Temple Jerusalem and the Temple Ethiopia to India
The Macabees set up a new Jewish state in
142 B.C., which lasted until 63 B.C., when the Romans under Pompey conquered Palestine Temple Palestine
Jewish people in Pakistan
The search for the 10 lost tribes of Bene
Israel Israel Iran , Afghanistan ,
Russia Iran
got its first Jews almost 2500 years ago during the reign of Persian King
Ahashverosh (486-465 B.C.), Afghanistan
the Subcontinent and even Russia
Perhaps they could be decendants of Bene
Israel‘s who entered Iran during 5th century B.C., or of the 10 Lost Tribes of
Bene Israel after the northern Kingdom of Israel was invaded by the Assyrians
in around 721 B.C. or of the main body of Jews that dispersed around the world
after 70 A.D.
There are speculations, that some of the
Jews or Bene Israel settled
in a remote area of Kashmir refers to
themselves as the Bene Israel.
1. Bene Israel or Jews:
Jews in the Sub-Continent could be the
descendents of the survivors of a group of merchants who were shipwrecked off
the coast of Bombay , near the village of Navgaon India
However, being cut off from the
mainstream of Judaism, they eventually lost contact with the Hebrew language
and teachings till some centuries ago when there was a religious revival
inspired by one David Rahabi, who in his travels through India came to the
conclusion that a sect of people observing so many rules and laws prescribed in
the Torah and reciting the Shema on every occasion could not be any other than
a remnant of the Jews who fled from Palestine at the time of the destruction of
the second temple in 70 C.E. or even when the first temple was destroyed in 586
B.C., with the revival came a relearning of the ancient Hebrew language the
translation of the prayers into Marathi (the local language in Maharashtra
where most of them were settled) and the building of synagogues in a number of
places where there was a concentration of these people. The oldest existing
synagogue was built in 1797 in Bombay
The Bene-lsraels adopted as the family
names the local practice of adding the word KAR (meaning belonging to) to the
name of the village where they settled, so the a family settled in the village
of PEN came to be known as PENKAR. The first names, however were chosen from
the Holy Book.
While the Bene lsraels adopted the
language and some of the social customs of the local Maharashtrians, they
preserved their religious beliefs and customs without any hindrance from the
authorities or the people in whose midst they lived. By the end of the first
quarter of the 20th century, scores of synagogues were established in Bombay , surrounding villages in Raigad District (formerly
Konkan District) and other towns, including Pune, Ahmedabad New Delhi, Karachi and even Peshawar
In course of time members of the
community took service in the army and defense forces, railways, post &
telegraph, as well as in professions like teaching, nursing, medicine and where
they worked with dedication. In more recent years, some members of the
community rose to highly responsible posts in the Government and also in
private firms. Over the years while many moved to other countries by choice, in
recent times the emigration has been reduced to a trickle, so that there is
every hope that this unique community may not entirely disappear from the
Sub-Continent. At present most of the Jews are in Bombay
There are few hundred Jews in Manipur,
and Mizoram who claim that they are descendants of the tribe of Mennaseh and
recently the Government of Israel has also recognized them as one of the lost
tribes.
Jews have lived with honour and respect
in a land well known for the traditions of tolerance and hospitality, Indian
Jewry now numbers not more than 4,700 in the whole country (Mumbai and suburb
areas and District Raiqad 4000 Jews, Pune 250 Jews, Ahmedabad 250 Jews, Cochin
25 Jews, Delhi 40 Jews, Calcutta 25 Jews and other parts of India 110 Jews) as
against about 30,000 in the early forties, most of them having voluntarily
emigrated to other countries -- to Israel, the USA and the Commonwealth
countries. Indian Jews fall into three main categories – Bene Israel
2. Baghdadi Jews:
The Baghdadi Jews came to India as businessmen during the19th century from
Iraq and other countries of
the Middle East, settling in cities like Calcutta ,
Bombay and Poona India
3. Cochini Jews:
The Cochini Jews or the Jews settled in Cochin , originally came to India
from Palestine and later from Spain about 18 centuries ago, according to
tradition, and settled in Cranganore and other parts of the Malabar Coast, from
where they moved to Cochin Cochin Israel
Jews in Pakistan
History:
History of the Jews in Pakistan is old; their presence was recorded in
Sindh, Punjab, North Western Frontier
Province and in Baluchistan .
Jews came to areas that comprise Pakistan Karachi
while some of them were present in Peshawar
At the time of independence, the
population of the Pakistani Jews was about 7000. They had one Synagogue in Karachi
There were three graveyards in Karachi and one in Peshawar Lahore
and the other in Karachi
Although a lot of them migrated at the
time Israel Israel were present especially in the North
Western Frontier regions of Pakistan Second Temple ,
they migrated to Iran Israel Israel
The Afghans/Pashtuns are divided into
various tribes such an shinwaris, Mohmands, Afridis, Khattaks, Orakzais,
Banuchis, Waziris, Achakzais, Bangash, Yusufzais (sons of Yusuf or Joseph).
Some of them still trace their origin to the Jewsish tribes.. If we scan
through the history of Jews settling in the areas such as Azarbijan, Armenea,
Tajkistan, Ozbekistan, Karghezia, Kashgheria (Kashghar) and Kaifeng areas of
China, Emerate (or the part) of Bukhara and other regions of Central Asia,
Turkestan (Chinese and Russian) Caucasus and beyond i.e. Caspian Sea they also
trace their origin to Persia (Iran) and Mesopotamia, the lands of fertile
Crescent, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and even from Greece. They must
have traversed the long and tortuous highland, mountain routes to the lands of
their settlement. They also must be having staging points and some of them
getting settled their leaving others to proceed on ward. It is worth mentioning
that the name Afghanistan
There is another notable factor that the
Jews/Judah or Bene Israel‘s exodus or exile was not at one particular time only
spanned over a period of 700 years starting from 721 B.C. to 70 A.D. The exodus
occurred in atleast five major waves. And if we take into account the fleeing
from Egypt led by the Prophet Moses, to escape Pharoah‘s tyranny, it comes to
six (6) In that episode on disobeying to God‘s behest, they were punished to
wander for more than 40 years in the desert before reaching the “Promised Land”.
As the exodus or scattering led the Jews to different lands, some segments of
their caravans must have found settlements in the rough and rugged terrines of
this land of rising mountains and arduous passes. Almost in the same period
i.e. 4th century B.C. onward Alexander the Great trampled the area. These lands
were called Bactaria, Gandhara and so on. The geographical entity named “Afghanistan ” or the “Land of Afghans
Apart from the claim of the origin of
Afghans as the tradition stated earlier, there are many other claims supported
by the modern researchers and archaeoligists like Arrian, J.W. Mc Crindle, S.
Martin, J.C. Vidyalnar, Dr. M.R. Singh, S. Kirpal Singh Dr. R.C. Majamdar, Dr.
V.D. Mahajan and so on. They referred and propounded the theories/traditions
put forward by scholars of the bygone, such as Panini. In Sanskrit word “Ashva”
in Iranian “Aspa”, in Prakrit “Assa” means “horse” and ‗Ashvaka” (in Prakrit “Assaka”)
means “horse man”.The people of eastern Afghanistan Western Pakistan
and the tombs of the Asvakayana-Assakenoi). Classical writers use the
respective equivalents “Aspasios” or “Aspasi, Hippasii” and” “Assakennois” or “Assaceni
Assacani” etc. meaning the cavalrymen stated to be another name for the
Kambojas of ancient texts because of their equestrian characteristics. In
foregone Pali texts the Kamboja land is described as the “land of horses”. In
early 7th century A.D., Xuan zhang (Hieun Tsang) the great Chinese traveler
also named the area as “Kaefu” (Kambu). He traveled from China through Samarkand ,
“Afghanistan , and Kashmir to
India India
The great Chinese traveler Xuan Zhang
(Hieun Tsang) while heading towards India
during 630s A.D., passed through at least three lesser or greater kingdoms i.e.
Bamyan, Inado-Scythian kingdom
of Kinishka
Even much before that Greek historian
Herodotus and several other Greek and Roman historians mention a people called “Paktye”,
living on the eastern frontier of Iran
According to Raverty, the term Afghan,
Pakhtun or Pashtun is derived from the Persian word “Pusht” meaning “back”.
Since the tribes lived on the back of the mountains Iranians called them Pashtun
which is also pronounced Pakhtun. In Indian languages it was spelt as Pakhtana
or Pathan. In Encyclopedia of Islam, it is expressed that the word Pathan is
from the Sanskrit word Pratisthana. Muslim historians from Al-Biruni onwards,
called them Afghans. As for Afghanistan ,
until the 19th century the name was only used for the traditional lands of the
Pashtuns, while the kingdom as a whole was known the Kingdom of Kabul Afghanistan is an
extensive country of Asia . It lies between Persia and the Indies, and in the other
direction between the Hindu Kush and the Indian Ocean .
It formerly included the Persian provinces of Khorasan and Kohistan, together
with Heart, Beluchistan, Cashmere and Sinde and a considerable part of the Punjab .” It is quoted by Nancy Hatch Dupree in the book”
An Historical Guide to Afghanistan
Dr.H.W. Bellows in his book “An Enquiry
into the Ethnography of Afghanistan”. Asserts that the name “Afghan” derives
from the latin term “Alban” “At bean” used by Armenians as
“Alvan” which refers to mountaineers and
in the case of transliterated Armenian characters would be pronounced as “Aghvan”.
To the Persians, it would further be altered to “Afghan” as a reference to the
highlanders or “mountaineers” of the eastern Iranian plateau.
There are also a few researchers who link
“Afghan” to an Uzbek word “Avagan” said to mean “Original”. Still another
Persian interpretation, the word “Afghan” means it “wailing” which the Persians
have used contemptuously for their “always complaining” eastern neighbours.
Literally “Fughan” in Persian language means wailing or complaining or weeping.
As for the characteristic of Afghan or
Pashtuns being complaining and wailing is concerned the world renowned Persian
poet sheikh Saadi in late 12th century A.D. during his sojourns or travels from
Persia (Iran) to Kashmir via the land of Afghans or Pashtuns, was compelled to
grieve, placing the Afghans on top of the list, saying as: “Beware of first the
Afghans, second the Kambohs and third the wretched Kasmiris.”
Pashtuns or Afghans are said to arrive in
Peshawar
The detailed narration about the origin
of Afghans, Pashtuns or Pakhtuns or Pathans was required here because:
Between South Asia Central Asia and the
Iranian Plateau of Siestan lies a triangular shaped territory studded by bare
and barren mountains covering an area of approximately 250,000 square miles.
Starting from Dir in the north, this triangle runs along the Indus, takes a
westward turn a few miles south of Dera Ismail Khan, and embracing within its
fold Loralai, Sharigh, Degari, Harnai, Quetta, Pishin, Chaman and Qandhar
extends up to Herat. From here it curves North-East and following the foothills
of Hindu Kush comes back to Dir.
This region includes the major portion of
North-Western Frontier Province of Pakistan, a part of Quetta Division of Baluchistan
and three forth of Afghanistan British India .
In this triangular shaped hilly area, divided between Afghanistan and Pakistan,
lives the world‘s largest group of tribesmen called Afghans, Pashtuns,
Pakhtuns, Pashtuns or Pathans. They are basically an amalgamation or
assimilation of various nomadic tribes or nations since antiquity and the name
Pashtun, Pakhtuns or Afghan came into existence.
There are remnants of buildings and walls
, mountains inscriptions as well as oral traditions that tell of the presence
of Jews in this territory since the antiquity. “Tareekh-e-Sher Shahi states
that Bakht Nasr (Nebuchadnezzar. 600 B.C.) Who invaded Jerusalem ,
expelled Jewish tribes from their homeland, one of the tribes traveled a long
way and settled in the Hari Rud area of present day South
Afghanistan . The western scholars are of the view that there might
have been some settlements in the area in 800 B.C. or so. Similarly some Aryans
might be present in the inaccessible mountains and that there were some Greek
and Iranian colonies
there. From the 1st. century B.C. to 5th
century A.D. during a span of 600 years, this area witnessed three influxes
from Centural Asia of gigantic magnitude---those of Sakas, Kushans, Huns and
Gujjars---that overwhelmed the local culture and people. This created a massive
multi- racial interaction and none of the ethnic groups could retain their pure
ethnic identity. Similarly religious beliefs changed with times and
environment. However it is very possible that some people retained their
religion. Thus the jews who migrated to Israel
A former President of Israel itzhak Ben
zvi in his book “The Exiled and the Redeemed” published in 1975, writes that
Jew migrations into Afghanistan
began in 719 B.C., from Persia Palestine to Ghor, Ghazni and Kabul Kabul , Bajaur, Swat and Peshawar Pakistan
George Moore published his work “The Lost
Tribes” in 1861. He charts the route of the Israelites from Medes to Afghanistan and India Afghanistan Afghanistan ”) Sir Henry Yule (Article on Afghanistan in Encyclopedia Britannica”)
independent of each other come to the conclusion that the Jews of ten tribes
migrated to India , Tibet and cashemire (Kashmir) through Afghanistan
The Afghan Tribes retain their traditions
which clearly show that they are the descendant of the lost tribes of Israel
“This was particularly so in case of
tribes, communities or Nations. For example, the people of Arabian Peninsula,
derived all their knowledge from pagan cults which they abandoned in favor of
Islam, so did the people of Persia
or Iran
The above cited a bit detailed
explanation seemed necessary in view of the arrival and origin of Jews in the
areas which now form Pakistan
1.
There is a hill near Kohat in that
has ancient Hebrew inscriptions which stand further evidence of the
Hebrew/Jewish origin of Pashtuns.
2.
H.W. Bellow in his research work “An
Enquiry into the Ethnography of Afghanistan” published in 1891, mentions “Killa-i-Yahoodi”
(“Fort of the Jews”), as being the name of the eastern boundary of the country,
(area now in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan) and also speaks of “Dasht-i-Yahoodi
“(Plain of the Jews”) a place in Mardan.
There were about 2500 Jews living in Karachi
The Synagogue, was in Ranchore Lines in
Karachi.It soon became the centre of small but vibrant Jewish community. One of
its prominent leaders was Abraham Reuben who became a councilor on the City Municipality Karachi
Bene Israel Church Mission
High School Sindh College
The Jew community in the city though
small was educated and close- knit. It was a prosperous and active community
comprising of teachers, doctors, businessmen, government servants, artisans,
poets, philosophers, stage and film actors, dancers etc. Families like Dulseys
and Volkarts are few to be remembered
The Jews were living here for
generations. Some census record shows that in 1881 there were 153 Jews in Sindh Province Province of Sindh
which first came out in 1907, E.H Aitkin writes: only 428 Jews were enumerated
in 1901 and these were nearly all in Karachi India after the
destruction of Israel British India , religious
minorities were generally not discriminated against. In Karachi
At one point in time there were 7000 Jews
in the areas forming Pakistan Karachi
The first wave of migration from Pakistan came soon after the establishment of Israel Pakistan Karachi
for Israel and about 2000
reported to have remained in Karachi Israel Karachi Pakistan Israel Israel Israel but some also to India , United
States , Britain
and Australia Karachi
The Jews from Iran
also used Pakistan
Lately and quite surprisingly, in
September 2005 the “Jerusalem Post” published a feature “Surprise! There are
still Jews in Pakistan Karachi Karachi , Pakistan Karachi
Dr. Adil Najam a teacher of international
Negotiation and Diplomacy at Flectcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University , USA Karachi
According to Dr. Adil Najam the “Jerusalem
Post” had Mr. Akhir‘s email address (which it did not print) and it seems the
newspaper wrote back to him and he added some thoughts. The newspaper reported
that Mr. Akhir wrote about holding prayer services in his home for the Jews of
Karachi, and that, “although he and his fellow Jews there could practice their
religion openly if they wished so “they have chosen to live a life of
anonymity. Mr. Akhir is quoted as saying: “We prefer our own small world and
since we are happy and content, we never felt there was a need to express
ourselves--- we don‘t want to let anyone make political use of us. We enjoy
living in this simplicity and anonymity”. He goes on to say that he has no
desire to leave Pakistan but
would like to visit Israel
The “Jerusalem Post” expressed its doubts
regarding the authenticity of the emailed message. Still it published the
report. More then three years have passed since this revelation.
Some more Jews out of the original 200 or
more who had decided to stay in Pakistan whatever the odds may be, should have
surfaced. And in a period of more than three decades, their number must have
risen!
Dr Adil Najam had also raised the
question of remaining members of the Jewish community in Pakistan
Dr. Adil Najam narrates a personal
incident when he ran into a Pakistani Jew woman, now living in Massachusetts USA
Mr. Irfan Hussain wrote in Daily Dawn, Karachi during 2003: Karachi Israel Sharon
The Karachi
The Karachi Synagogue, though extinct now,
had a history. The Magain Shalome Synagogue was built in 1893 by Shalom Solomon
Umerdekar and his son Gershone Solomon in Ranchore Lines at the corner of Jamila Street Karachi Karachi Municipality City Municipality Pakistan Pakistan Ramallah , Israel
The burnt Magain Shalome Synagogue in Karachi stood there for years, until it was demolished in
July, 1988 by order of President Ziaul Haq to make way for a Shopping Plaza
There are 2 to 3 Jewish cemeteries in Karachi
Quite a few people have quite a bit of
information on the main Jewish cemetery in Mewashah graveyard in Rexer Lines.
Rachel Joseph (if she is still alive!) wants it to stay on as a
heritage site and perhaps a symbol of
empathy for her community. Reema Abbasi writes in Dawn: “Buried under decades
of neglect and untamed vegetation, the Bene Israel graveyard is fiercely
guarded by Baloch squatters and indeed a testimony to the city‘s conflict with
its past to this day, it witnesses the visitors who dare not disclose their
identity. They come as either Parsis or Memons to remember a loved one”.
The earliest graves here are from 1812.
That means the graveyard is at least 200 years old. The last one to come here
for burial in 1987 at the age of 84, was Rachel Joseph‘s brother Ifraheem
Joseph Awaskar. Rachel often visits his and Yashua‘s graves. In this 200 years
old cemetery most of the graves are from 1950s.
Although many graves have disappeared and
wild shrubbery makes it impossible to walk the expanse, some splendid and
dignified tombs with lyrical epitaphs have survived. A white marble grave is
particularly striking. A book made of marble forms its headstone with a prayer
engraved on it in English and Hebrew. Another one is held by small Corinthian
(Greek) pillars in yellow stone with engravings in Hebrew etched on all sides.
“A light from our house is gone/a voice
we loved is stilled” is an oft-repeated verse on many tombstones. Interestingly
it not only appears on Jewish sites of families such as Dighorker and Awaskar
which spanned the 1800s to the 1950s, but also on the grave of one Mehdi Nassim
(a Muslim or Jew?) who died in 1931 in London and his body was brought back to
be buried here.
A large enclosure of yellow stone stands
in a quite corner. There are two graves. A close look at the faded script
revealed that one was the grave of Solomon David who had died in March 1902. He
had built the Magain Shalome Synagogue in Karachi
Next to him lies his wife, Sheeolabai who
died a year later in 1903. Her epitaph reads: “In loving memory of Sheelo,
beloved wife of Mr. Solomon David late Municipal surveyor and President of the
Jewish community. Karachi
One of the Presidents of the Karachi
Synagogue, Gershone Solomon Umerdaker (1861-1903) is also buried in this
graveyard. The grave is decorated with the evocative prayer inscribed on a slab
of concrete: “Mayest thou find open the gates of heaven and see the city of
peace and the dwellings of safety and meet the ministering angels hastening
joyfully toward thee and may the high preist stand to receive the and go thou
to thee end, rest in peace and, rise again unto life.”
The Keepers of the graveyard refuse to
let anyone in as they fear that excessive exposure will deprive them of their
home. However, when caught off-guard, the Baloch family living there for more
than 70 years divulged some interesting information: “A lot of people used to
visit in the 1950s, wearing black suits, hats and with beards. There were quite
a few Jews here but after General Ayub many left for London
Bahzad Alam Khan, writes in his “Karachi‘s
Lost Tribe”: The main graveyards of Karachi are highly regimented. The Mewashah
is the largest graveyard in Karachi Karachi
in the Mirror of History) writes: “There was one Jewish cemetery in Karachi
Arif Hasan, a renowned town planner
commenting on the state of the Jewish graveyard and the fact that most of Karachi
No work is being done to make it a “Protected
Site”. It is suggested that some NGO adopts is as a monument, the Archaeology
Department may extend the necessary technical assistance to protect it.
However the question is who will come
forward? The area is said to be in virtual control of local warring gangs of
drug mafia. A common man is not allowed to enter the area.
The Second Jewish cemetery has been found
at Jamila street
There are 40 to 50 Jewish graves in the
vicinity of Cutchi-Memon graveyard they are separated from those of
Cutchi-Memon‘s graves. These Jewish graves have epitaphs in Hebrew and English;
famous yellow stone of Sindh has been used for these epitaphs. The inscriptions
are still clear. The boundary wall has been demolished. The custodian of the
Cutchi-Memon graveyard, Baboo Bhai said that the Memon community has also
directed him to look after the graves of Jewish community. They have resisted
the encroachment and demolishing of Jewish graves. He told that this cemetery
is around 145 years old. He was a teenager, when he used to see Jewish families
visiting the graveyard. They lived in Ranchore
Lines where, there was a Synagogue too.
The Jew woman, Rachel used to visit this graveyard regularly, but did not talk
to anyone.
Another old resident Sharif Musa said
that his forefathers had been living near the Cutchi-Memon graveyard for more
than 200 years while his father and grandfather worked as sextons there. His
fore fathers had told him about the Jewish graves. They used to live in
separate blocks in Ranchore Lines. They were peaceful people having limited
relation with locals and stayed away from political activities. When the
Arab-Israel War broke in late 1960s they were isolated and started migrating
silently and only a few Jewish people left in the city. Sharif said that when
the Synagogue was demolished, the remaining Jew families also left Karachi
Aother sexton said, “We want to level
Jewish graves but the elders of Cutchi-Memon community do not allow us to do
so, however we don‘t look after these graves”.
The third Jewish graveyard was said to be
behind the Adam Khan Market, near Maulvi Musafar Khana (now Jam-e Cloth Market
at the dead-end of Burns Road M.A Jinnah Road
Just adjacent to the graveyard was the
elegant and well- maintained Baloch
Park India Raja Mansion Aslam Road Aslam Road
I lived in Ranchore Lines from 1964 till
1973 and visited the place till 1976 but never found or met any Jew in that
area! My father‘s old house is still there, lying vacant. I like to go there
but everything seems to have changed. It is not clear whether Maz-hur is a
Muslim or Jew! The narration has been colleted from internet through Perma
link. Most probably he is a Jew, some other fellow (camber 2k7) while
acknowledging his narration says: “Now that you have disclosed the location of
this place Kabza group is likely to flex its muscles).
There are many a heart-rending memories
of those bygone days there are also some rare photographs on the net.
An Environmentalist comments: “One can
see unique architecture. And lot of historic items in the photograph and this
massive arch is particularly unique which I never saw any where else.”
One Toti Tayar says: “I used to pass by
this synagogue two or three times a week from 1982-1985 on my way to Kumharwara
in Lyari but it had a big chain and padlock. I (the writer of this report) am
also the witness of that smoke-smeared burnt Synagogue with a big lock.
Lately many Karachites are trying to save
the vanishing cultural heritage of their city. Thanks to people like Hameed
Haroon (Dawn), Yasmeen Lari (architect) and others.
Deborah Dorrian writes from Australia : My father was born in Karachi Karachi
Grammar School Karachi Karachi Sidney , Australia Karachi when India
In Peshawar
(and may be in other area of North Western Frontier
Province ), the Jews community was
formed of Bene Israel Peshawar Afghanistan
Jews in Peshawar Peshawar
As we have already discussed and narrated
the origin and history of different sects of the Jewry, apart from Bene Israel
They had fled from these areas during the
early years of 20th century, when Russia Peshawar Peshawar
appears to have fled from Russia
The economically less fortunate Jews were
generally sold samosas, kulchas , toffees etc. Since the Sethis lived in
Khweshgi Quarters, the Jews lived there too. Some also lived in Baqar Shah
Quarters and Bazaar Kalan (Main shopping Street). The Jews were also in the
Cloth business. They mostly had Muslim names with Russian suffix such as Murad
(ov) (Murad of), Abdul Karimov etc. They had long beards and dressed in Kurdish
attire with a Jewish cap. The
Jew women were strict in observing pardah
(veil). They never came out without a burqa which was black in colour and of a
different style then. the local burqa. The Jews used to speak Hebrew and
Persian
Synagogues:
There were two Synagogues in Peshawar
Mr. Humayun Akhund in an article
published in the local Urdu newspaper “Akhbar-e-Shehr” (The City News) on
January 12, 2008 refutes such claims. He writes that: “There was no Synagogue
for worship in Peshawar Islamia College , Peshawar Fakhre Alam Road
Could it be said then that all these
buildings that he mentioned with the Star of David on them could have a Jewish
history?
Jewish Grave yard:
There was, of course, a Jewish graveyard
on the banks of Jue Sheikh, on Charsadda
Road , Peshawar land
of Jews ” or “cemetery of Jews
It is quite interesting that some Jews
remained in Peshawar even after the
establishment of Israel Israel ,
they felt frightened and left Peshawar
According to 1941 census issued by
Government of India Press, Simla, 1942, there were 1000 Jews in Peshawar
Mr. Humayun Akund states that most of the
stories on net about Peshawari Jews are simply false and mis-leading.
What does it tells us about Mr. Akhir?
Not much, but it does offer some lessons that we might want to learn as a
nation. First it tells us that there used to be a small, vibrant community of
Jews in Pakistan Pakistan
to be. Even if he is not what he says he
is, there are likely to be others who have been forced into anonymity for long
and who need to be brought back into the mainstream. We need to recognize and
make peace with our own Jews.
Jew societies and Association
Jews living in Pakistan
Young Mans Jewish Association:
It was incepted in 1903 aimed at
encouraging sports, religion and social activities.
Its main objective was to support poor
Jews in Karachi
This Syndicate was formed in 1918 to
provide homes to poor Jews at reasonable rents.
Freemason Lodges:
We have confirmed evidence of two
Freemason Lodges in Pakistan.There is one in Lahore
and the other is in Karachi England Lahore
and Karachi Lahore Karachi Stretchen Road Din Muhammed Wafai Road
Reminiscences:
On the cultural front Karachi Karachi
But during early 1970s Daniel sisters
disappeared‘s from the scene.
Lily Solomon‘s family lived in Nazimabad.
Lily was very fond of theatr. She acted in several plays with one Khurshid in
1963-64. They acted in a stage play titled as "Nizam Saqqa." The
drama was directed by one Syed Aldul Wahab. In early 1970s, her parents
migrated to Israel
In late 1978, I boarded a train at London for Dover Pakistan
"When you said you are from Pakistan,
I fancied my self roaming through the Karachi‘s Saddar area. I am Mariam, a Jew
by birth. My forefathers had migrated from Bombay
to Karachi Pakistan Bombay and then to Israel Karachi London
for a job interview and now going back to Israel Pakistan
"But I am not going back to Pakistan Bejing ,
China
"Ok. I entrust you with my 'Salam‘
to my home town, when ever you go there."
The train had arrived at Dover
Late Jauhar Meer was a well known
journalist and writer of Pakistan New York
In one of his letters from New York Mission
School , Peshawar
He lived in Sethi Muhallah (Sethi
Quarters). It is quite interesting that they were known as "Russians"
more than "Jews". There wasn‘t any animosity towards Jews unlike
nowadays. It is true that our elders when quarreled frequently used the word
"yehudi" to hurl disgrace on each other. These Russian Jews had
migrated to Peshawar Cinema Road Israel New
York India or Pakistan ?"
the guests generally used to ask such a question and I used to tell them that I
was from Pakistan
"What part of Pakistan
I realized that he knows a bit about Pakistan Peshawar Peshawar Peshawar Peshawar
“Is it the same Sirki Gate to which you
have to pass through two gates and reach it via the Salt Market?"
His narration flabbergasted me. “How do
you know about the two gates? They were demolished long ago?”
“Oh!” He said in a tormented tone, “I
didn‘t know. Gates were there when I left Peshawar
“But when did you see Peshawar
“What do you mean by ‗see‘ Peshawar Pakistan England
This meeting had a strange affect on me.
It seemed as some lost part of my soul has suddenly re-united and incarnated.
We used to have long talks time and again. We felt as time machine has brought
us back to Peshawar
Tehsil and up-hill passage and asked me
about Chowk Yadgar, Qissa Khawani Bazaar, Shahi Bazaar, Wazir Bagh, Down Town
One day the hotel owner walked up
interrupting our chat. He was a Polish Jew. An Israeli Jew woman also worked in
the hotel, she too join in as she saw the Boss walking up to us. The owner
asked:” How long have you known each other?"
“For centuries!” I said.
Both were taken aback.
“You are a Moslem whereas he is a Jew.
You are a Pakistani and he is from England
“I beckoned Yaqutal and he said,” Yes He
is right. We know each other for centuries. We were born and grew up in the
same town.”
Both were really surprised. How come that
there were Jews living in Peshawar
“No it was “Hindko” spoken in Peshawar
I was delighted. I asked the hotel owner
as he is my personal guest would he allow me to extend more concession in room
rent? The owner is a gentle fellow. He had quite enjoyed my relations with that
Jew. “Yes why not. Go ahead”.
Yaqutal still comes to the hotel. He is
in emerald business and a frequent visitor to Karachi
I know there is emerald in Swat. Cant
make out good or bad.” I said. He asked” Why don‘t you come in the stones
business. Swat emerald isn‘t of good quality. Panjsheer emerald is of finer
quality in Afghanistan Pakistan
But I could not follow his advice. He
still comes now and then and whenever he comes he tries to convince me that
love of the soil is eternal and is not confined to any religious inclination.
(These expressions were taken and
translated from the Urdu Book “Yak Shehr-e-Arzoo” (A Desired City) written by
Dr. Syed Amjad Hussain.)
INTER-RELIGIOUS MARRIAGES:
According to Jewish Laws if the mother is
a Jew, the children born of that marriage, are Jews irrespective of the fact
whether her husband is a Jew or not.
Religious Artifacts:
1. The Original Golden Menorah:
It is a ritual candelabrum and was shaped
by Prophet Moses on the pattern of almond. Its seven branches symbolize the
seven days of Creation. The middle cup signifies the Sabbath. A nine-branch
candelabrum is used in the eight day Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
2. The Ark of the Covenant:
It is a gold-plated chest that housed the
two tablets of the Law given by God to Prophet Moses. It was originally kept at
Shiloh and brought out during battles. It was
put by King Solomon in the Holy Temple at Jerusalem Temple
3. The Shofar:
It was a curved Ram‘s Horn, it was used
as a bugle in the olden days. Its prescribed notes are now mainly heard on Rosh
Ha-Shana (The new year‘s Day) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement)
4. Bima/Tebah.
5. Holy Ark in the Synagogne.
Jews Customs and Culture:
The divine ties are emphasized at certain
milestone of a Jew's journey from the cradle to the grave. On the eighth day
after birth the male child is circumcised in accordance with God's covenant
with Abraham, that is when the child is also named.
·
For girls, there is a
religious ceremony too when they are named.
·
At the age of 13, the boy
becomes a Bar Mitzvah assuming the full responsibility of an adult and is
called up to read from the Sefer Torah in the synagogue.
·
For girls there is a
confirmation ceremony at the age of 12.
·
At the time of marriage,
bride and groom meet under the canopy (the Chupah on the Tebah/Bima) in the
presence of the congregation in the synagogue, with the rabbi or other leading
member of the community officiating. The custom of the bridegroom crushing a
tumbler towards the end of the ceremony is thought to be a solemn reminder for
every Jew in the time of his highest joy, of the tragedy of the destruction of
the Temple thousands of years ago. The ceremony ends with the recital of seven
benedictions chanted by one of the congregants given this special honor. The
couple then goes to the Holy Ark (where the Sefer Torahs are stored) and after
paying their respects to the Lord leave the synagogue. Confetti and rice grains
showered on the couple connote good wishes for fertility.
·
A Jew generally covers his
head in the synagogue and elsewhere during the various religious services. This
is considered a sign of male piety and female modesty.
·
There are certain dietary
laws laid down in the Torah like the prohibition of meat from animals that do
not have cloven hoofs and do not chew the cud, of fish that have neither scales
nor fins. The blood should be drained completely from the meat. The meat of a
scavenger animal is prohibited. They can only eat Kosher meat which is
slaughtered in a special way to minimize pain and make the blood flow out.
Another example of a food restriction is the law prohibiting the consumption of
meat and milk foods at the same time; even the utensils and dishes used must be
kept separate.
·
In India village
of Navgaon on the coast of Maharashtra .
·
Charity must be practiced
and proportion of one's income should be earmarked for this purpose, as a
visible expression of universal love.
·
Education is given high
priority in every family and children have to learn to read prayers when still
very young. The sanctity of family life is preserved by a number of home
ceremonies and practices that bind the family together. For instance, the
mother kindling the Sabbath lights before sunset on Fridays (and they remain
burning till sunset the next day) with a blessing sanctifying the weekly holy
day, the refraining from lighting the fire and cooking, and complete abstinence
from the daily round of duties, the special festive meals etc. all these make a
deep impact on the children's mind and serve to knit the family close together,
·
In conclusion the infinite
longing in Judaism for peace and goodwill finds expression at every time and on
every occasion. For example the form of greeting “Shalom Aleichem” (Peace be
unto you.) figures not only when Jews meet one another but can be heard as a
form of greeting by people of some other religions as well. There is hardly any
prayer where the word Shalom (peace) does not occur; most of the prayers are
not merely requests for personal favors from the Almighty but for blessings for
all people and for mankind in general. Many of the prayers are supplications
for the forgiveness of sins and comprise readings and contemplation of sublime
truths and principles of ethical living.
And thus it was that the Prophet Isaiah
in his vision of peace declare: 'And it shall be established in the top of the
mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into
it.‘
JEWISH FESTIVALS
1.
The New Year's Day (ROSH HA-SHANA)
is a solemn day of soul searching and self-examination devoted to
congregational prayers in the synagogue during which is heard the blasts of the
SHOFAR (Ram's horn) as a clarion call to repentance.
2.
Day of Atonement (YOM KIPPUR) on
the 10th day and is reckoned to be a day on which one's life is judged and
sealed by the Almighty according to one's past actions tempered by the degree
of true repentance. The day is devoted to a 24 hours rigorous fast and
confession of sins and wrongdoing with determination to make good the wrongs
done.
3.
Succoth (Tents) which is
celebrated two weeks later to remind Jews of the time when their forefathers
had to dwell in tents while wandering in the wilderness for forty years on
their departure from Egypt on their way to the “PROMISED LAND”.
4.
Simhath Torah (Rejoicing of the
LAW) when Jews dance joyfully around the SEFER TORAH (The Scroll of the Law) in
thankfulness to the Almighty for the precious gift.
5.
Hanukah (Dedication) to
commemorate the rededication is 165 B.C., of the Temple
in Jerusalem
6.
Purim (Feast of Lots) to celebrate
the deliverance of the Jews from the wicked HAMMAN, the Prime Minister of the
king of Persia at the intercession of his Jewish wife, Queen Esther, Hamman had
decided by casting lots, on a day for their destruction.
7.
Passover (PESAH) The passing over
of the Angel of Death over the homes when the Pharoah of Egypt would not agree
to let the Jews and Moses, leave the country. The killing of the first-born in Egypt
8.
Yorn Haa'otzmauth (Israel
9.
Shabuoth (The feast of Weeks)
observed Seven weeks after Passover and known nowadays as Pentecost. The day on
which Moses received the Ten Commandments. This is also a harvest festival.
TSHA-B'AV To commemorate the destruction
of the First Temple
Thanks: Book "Thread Not Scissor"
Common Spiritual Heritage for Peace and Harmony,
Heinrich Boll Foundation (HBF) Pakistan
Heinrich Boll Foundation (HBF) Pakistan
