Hanukkah Celebrations at the Consulate General of India in Atlanta

(Left) Ambassador Judith Varnai Shorer, the Consul General of Israel in the Southeast, at the Consulate General of India’s third annual Hanukkah celebrations. (Photos: Nandita Godbole)

The Consulate General of India in Atlanta observed
its third annual Hanukkah celebrations on
December 16, 2017, in a lavishly planned event. It was
the fifth night of Hanukkah.

The evening began with an hour of networking
and socializing as the guests arrived. A local
band played instrumental classical music to entertain
guests. The event was in two parts, community
addresses by illustrious dignitaries, followed by a
sumptuous dinner.

Consul General Nagesh Singh hosted the Hanukkah
gathering and kicked off the evening. He welcomed
the presence of Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty
Paul and Mrs. Paul, and thanked Ambassador Judith
Varnai Shorer, the Counsel General of Israel in the
Southeast, and her husband Oded, for their long-term
support and friendship towards the Indian consulate
and the Indian Jewish community.

(Left) Consul General Shri Nagesh Singh welcoming the dignitaries and initiating the evening.

Consul General Nagesh Singh shared a brief but
interesting speech on the long standing Jewish presence
in India, over several hundred years, as India
represented a haven for many communities. He noted
that while some early Jewish scholars visited in search
of exotic birds and animals, others came on account
of religious persecution elsewhere. The Indian Jewish
community embodied the doctrine of peaceful coexistence,
and India has always reciprocated, setting an
example for the rest of the world.

The Consul General mentioned that the first community
they reached out to when the mission opened
in Atlanta was the Jewish community. He noted how
relationships between India and Israel have been at
a historic high, when Indian PM Narendra Modi visited
Israel, and partook in the hospitality of Israeli
PM Benjamin Netanyahu and their entire cabinet for
three days earlier this year. He remarked that India
waited in great anticipation for an upcoming reciprocal
visit from PM Netanyahu in 2018.

The Consul General shared his observation that
nearly 80,000 Indian individuals of Israeli origin move
between the two countries for study, research, business,
and trade, highlighting the strong ties between
the two countries. In his closing statements, he recognized
that U.S. played an important role in fostering
and promoting a healthy relationship between India
and Israel, suggesting that their shared partnerships
as well as human interests likely represents an ‘Axis
of Stability’ between the three countries.

(Left) Ambassador Shorer’s spoke, saying “Hanukkah is not Hanukkah if you don’t light a candle here at the Consulate.”

Ambassador Shorer followed Singh’s address,
and fondly reminisced about PM Modi’s visit to Israel
as well. She brought to the attendee’s attention
the desalination unit on their dune buggy, one that
represented a simple yet important technology that
could have international application and benefit, especially
in regions that suffer from natural disasters.
She then talked about her relationship with the Indian
Consulate and noted, “Hanukkah is not Hanukkah if
you don’t light a candle here at the Consulate.” It was clear
that she has a special relationship with the Consul
General and his family, as well as the mission itself.

(Left) The Hanukkiah is a special menorah for Hanukkah, with nine branches (representing the miracle of the oil lasting 8 days) instead of the usual seven (for the days of the week).

Ambassador Shorer spoke about the deep symbolism
of the lighting of the Hanukkah candles for the
people of Jewish faith: the candles represented the
heroism of a small determined people; it spread light
and banished darkness, and was much like the story
of the State of Israel itself. This year, she remarked,
the Jewish community was lighting the Hanukkah
candles with even greater pride and joy, because President Trump’s declaration about Jerusalem and
Israel was at par with Israel’s declaration of Independence
and President Truman’s support of it.

She also
spoke about how the brightness of the candles illuminated
a room with light and love. She closed her
speech with this statement: “When Jews around the
world light their Hanukkiah around the world, we can
truly block the darkness out, and enjoy the love and
light with our friends and family… May we have lots
of light, all the time.”

(Left) Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul speaking about his visit to India.

Mayor Rusty Paul of Sandy Springs spoke next,
reminiscing about his seven-day trip, when his own
delegation visited India (Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
and New Delhi). He shared his excitement about
his upcoming trip to Israel. He stressed about the importance
of finding common ground, and noted that
the Hanukkah celebration represented such a “coming
together, sharing common values.”

Mr. Dov Wilker (2nd from right), Regional
Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC),
Atlanta.

Many members of the Jewish community also
attended the event, led by Mr. Dov Wilker, Regional
Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC),
Atlanta. In his speech he recognized attending representatives
from the Jewish National Fund, The Jewish
Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Anti-Defamation
League, APAC: American Public Affairs, Conexx: The
American Israel Business Connector, Israel Bonds,
and others.

He noted that the relationships of Jewish
communities span across political and religious borders,
and represent pluralism, idealism, and a shared
regard for democracy. He explained the symbolism
of lighting candles at this festival, and the difference
between the Hanukkiah and a menorah, as well as
the importance of only lighting as many candles as
the day of Hanukkah.

Nissim Reuben, Assistant Director (Asia Pacific
Institute), AJC spoke next. He shared his experiences
as an Indian Jew in India and abroad. He spoke about
the migration of nearly 80,000 Indian Jews to Israel,
an act he referred as “Left home, to go home,” sharing
their sentiments about the strong ties between
India and Israel, stating, “Israel is our fatherland, India
is our motherland; Israel is in our heart, India is
in our blood.” He spoke fondly of Jewish schools, built
more than 100 years ago in Muslim majority neighborhoods
in Mumbai and Calcutta, where the students
attended for good English education. He mentioned
that people continue to live in religious harmony,
and minorities coexist peacefully with local
religious communities. He thanked the hosts and the
attending dignitaries for their support and participation,
and mentioned an initiative between Indiaspora
and Global Indian Jewish Relations Institute (GIJRI),
that promotes diaspora partnerships in the Indian
communities in the fields of technology, encouraging
attendees to become engaged in their efforts.

Ambassador Shorer lighting the Hanukkiah, as Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, Mrs. Paul, and Consul General Nagesh Singh watch the ceremony.

Local author Nandita Godbole, sharing her latest cookbook with the Reuben family. Mrs. Reuben and Ms. Godbole share Bene Israel roots and are both from Mumbai. (Photo: Rick Desai)

Reuben’s wife, Lavina, joined in to sing the Hanukkah
song in Indian Jewish tunes, alongside
Mr. Oded, as Ambassador Shorer lit five candles on
the Hanukkiah. Attending community members
joined in the singing. Smt. Lavina Reuben grew up
in Mumbai and is a Bene Israel. Mr. and Mrs. Reuben
finished the ceremonies by singing the English translation
of the song.

Nissim Reuben leading the singing of the traditional Hanukkah song, flanked by Ambassador Shorer and Mr. Oded Shorer (far right), Smt. Lavina Reuben, and Mr. Dov Wilker and Consul General Nagesh Singh (back row).

Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt of Orlando emceed the
event and this part of the gathering ended with a
brief speech by Ritesh Desai, Vice-Chair of the Georgia
Commission on Equal Opportunity.

 (Left) Flowers in the traditional Hanukkah colors of blue and white.

 Pragya Singh, wife of the Consul General Nagesh
Singh supervised the tasteful décor of the consulate
and welcomed every guest with grace, regardless
of rank, sharing the Consul General’s goal to establish
a mission that was welcoming to all members of
the community.

This event was attended by many important dignitaries
including officials from the Embassy of India,
Washington DC, and important members of the
community: Indians, Indian Jews, as well as Atlanta-
based Jewish residents.

Although the Indian Jewish community is 5000
strong in India, many visiting guests remarked how
little they knew about them, perhaps because they
blended so well with other communities around
them, that made them indistinguishable from others.
India’s Jewish population includes: Bene Israel (Mumbai
and vicinity), Cochin Jews, Baghdadi Jews (Surat
and Kolkata), Chennai Jews, Bnei Menashe (Mizoram
and Manipur) and the Telegu speaking Bene Ephraim
community.

In lieu of Hanukkah, and keeping Kosher
dining practices, dinner arrangements came courtesy
of a pure-vegetarian restaurant, Madras Mantra
of Decatur.