Updates etc

It's been some time since I have put a post on this blog. I have returned to Australia and am awaiting confirmation about my Sri Lankan citizenship. G-d willing, all will be well. Speak of which, I have been unwell since contracting dysentery in the June Colombo floods, one thing after another. I have been asked about my research on Jews in SL up until 1949. The article was sent to 2 Jewish journals and REJECTED ... I am used to sending in pieces and so was surprised. Usually one is asked to undertake revisions. I believe that there is a level of politics involved here. One aspect involves possible claims to another lost group of Jews in Sri Lanka (we all are aware of the Indian controversies), the other concerns "evidence", "proofs" etc - a very difficult point for underground communities and the destruction of historical materials, which I might add is not unusual in the Sri Lankan situation. Another fine point is that my piece is not arguing for the existence of a community as such, but it about identifying Jewish "presence" - these are not the same. Enough of gripes, I will submit the piece in modified form to an intercultural journal. Meanwhile Chabad Sri Lanka have kindly hosted the paper on their web site.

Great News - Chabad has an Official Presence in Sri Lanka

http://www.chabadsrilanka.com/

First Jewish center in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka too was placed on the map On November 2005, when Rabbi Mendi & Mrs. Talia Crombie arrived on the island to establish a Sri Lankan Jewish center for the first time in history. From November 2005 to April 2006 the Chabad house operated at the Hikkaduwa resort, where hundreds of Israeli surfers come for holiday. During those months the Chabad house held Evening activities, Shabbat dinners and Holiday activities on Chanukah and Purim. In the following months the activity expanded to Jews living in the capital of Colombo and gatherings began to be held for them also, mostly on holidays.n April, the Chabad House was permanently situated in Colombo in order to establish a Jewish community there and to provide Jewish necessities for the Jews living in the city and for businessmen and tourists who visit it.Within a short period of time, the Jews living in Colombo were forged into a vibrant active community. The activity included gatherings on Shabbat and Holidays and many Jewish related activities for adults and children. The peak was in the Yom Kippur prayers held at the Hilton hotel, with all of the community members participating. This was the first time Sri Lanka saw a Jewish Minyan in High Holidays prayer. Chabad House also became an address for Jews visiting Sri Lanka and are looking for Kosher food and other Jewish services.We are now working G-d willing to establish a Jewish Center in cooperation with Ascent of Zefat. The center will include a Synagogue, a Mikva, a Kosher Restaurant and a library. We are also working to complete the writing of a book of Torah.Let's be partners, and may the almighty bless you and bestow upon you goodness both physically and spiritually from his ever full hand.

In U.S.A: 170 College Ave. New Brunswich, New Jersey. 08901

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Ascent of Zefat - CSL Project.

Tax ID#: 11-2879462

In Canada: Ascent, 20 Shenstone Rd., willowdale, ON M2R 3B5

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Ascent of Zefat - CSL Project.

In Israel: 221/11 Kiryat Chabad, Tzfat. 13410

In U.K: 3 Sunny Gardens Parade, London NW4 1JA, Charity #: 328625 (please send us your gift aid form).

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Friends of Ascent – CSL Project.

The Strange World of Statistics - lies, secrets and silences

I finally purchase an old book by Michael Roberts (1989) "People in Between", you don't see it in the shelves much these days. I came across a list drawn from the 1871 census in Colombo/coffee estates listing Nationalities, p 202. :

According to this list there was ONE Jew in Colombo/Coffee estates and she was FEMALE!!!!!!!!!!

There are other listings for nationality - Pole, Portuguese etc. Mmm, so we know there were others - they ended up in the cemetery! (to be blunt). Maybe they decided being Jewish, is not a nationality , which is true and they are correctly represented under other nationalities. Don't always believe what you see.

Jewish Gravestones in Kanatte

Today (6th March 2007) in the heat a friend and I walked through the Kanatte (Borella) cemetery. After showing mock pictures of Jewish graves stones - I have found 4 verified Jewish graves. So much for there not being Jews in Sri Lanka!!!!!!!!! I will be entering the data on the International Jewish Cemeteries Web site. For security reasons, to prevent these graves being desecrated I will not reveal on this site complex details. I can tell you there is [surnames deleted]... (all with Hebrew inscriptions, which need to be translated) and a [surnames deleted] ... (came via China) - all are early to mid 1800's. There are others - but their status is speculative at this point in time. A fruitful day indeed!

Update 2011: here are some photos. I have not identified where they are from, not to who's graves they are for security reasons.

Inscription of the Grave above.

A Quicky - Getting there with the research

I have nearly finished my article for publication in a journal - and will make it available online once it has been submitted to a journal. Unfortunately there are issues with people copying people's work, so one has to be careful. I have not had much luck with substantiating the matter of the building called "The Synagogue" - so will have to do some archival research. I will be putting in an advert in the English paper "The Daily News" to see if I get any responses. I do have some good historical material which is strong up till the British time. The British period at this stage is filled with colonials who came and went - and not so much on a community as such. The research conditions are a little difficult as there is some tension around the Israeli issue. Sri Lanka has broken off relations with Israel in the late 1960's and has resumed them in an offshore arrangment- does anyone have any information on this. The SL govt I understand buys Israeli military hardware.

I've arrived and open a book with a chapter on Sri Lankan Jews

I've arrived in Colombo (Jan 6, 2007) and will use the opportunity to visit gravesites and generally sniff around. But, a great surprise today - J. B. Mullers new book "The Burghers" has a chapter, yes a chapter called " Semitic Ancestors" on Sephardi Jews in Sri Lanka, Complete with family names. I will create a PDF version of this chapter soon. I am very excited because I had a email from Dr Nathan Katz who is an expert on Indo_ Jews and has lived in SL, but did not have lots of information.