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A HinJew Target in Mumbai
Whenever I fly my habit is to whisper two prayers to myself just before takeoff and landing. The first is in Hindi: Sadgurunath Maharaj Ki Jai, which can be translated, "I hail the master who revealed the truth to me." The second is in Hebrew: Shema yisrael adonoi eloheinu, adonoi ehad, "Hear, oh Israel, the lord our God, the lord is one."
Both are expressions of my spiritual life. Both ran through my mind as I followed the news of last week's terrorist siege in Mumbai.
I am a Jew. But before I became Jewishly self-aware my religious outlook could best be described as "HinJew." I came of age in the sixties, and like many of my generation, my search for meaning led me to Eastern-style meditation before turning back toward my roots.
Hindu-derived Siddha Yoga was my path. I came by it in 1980 as a journalist sent by a Los Angeles newspaper to cover California's latest guru sensation, Swami Muktananda. The assignment ended with my gaining a spiritual teacher and a wife, an Israeli-American woman who served as one of Mutananda's press aides. Talk about getting involved in a story! Little more than a year later, Ruth and I were in Mumbai, then-still called Bombay, staying at the Oberoi, one of two hotels at the epicenter of last week's terror attack.
In February 1982, the Oberoi hosted a conference organized by the International Transpersonal Association, the theme of which was "East and West: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science." Hundreds gathered at the Oberoi to discuss the scientific parallels that physicist Fritjof Capra, author of the then-hugely popular "The Tao of Physics," and others where connecting to long-held spiritual beliefs about the physical world. Capra, Mother Teresa, the Anglican mystic Bede Griffiths, Jewish Renewal pioneer Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi, neuroscientist Karl Pribram, and an eclectic assortment of Buddhist, Hindu and Zoroastrian holy men and women, not to mention shamans, Jungian psychologists, philosophers and theologians, were among the headliners.
Ruth and I were the conference media coordinators. Much of our work consisted of convincing Western foreign correspondents to take the intersection of spirituality and science seriously. Following the conference, we spent several weeks at Muktananda's ashram an hour or so north of Mumbai. My son, Brady, then a teenager, joined us. As it happens, it's the same ashram, now run by another guru, that "Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert describes, but does not name, in her memoir.
Muktananda's death ended our deep connection to Siddha Yoga. Judaism became the next stop on the pilgrims' path Ruth and I shared. A Los Angeles Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi named Shlomo Schwartz and his wife Olivia turned out to be the conduit for our return.
Yoga categorizes spiritual seekers according to their personality types. I'm a bhakti, which means I'm attracted to heart-centered - read emotional - worship styles, such as the devotional chanting and dancing that characterizes Siddha Yoga's traditional meditation practices. Chabad-Lubavitch is part of Judaism's Orthodox Hasidic stream, which is also highly emotional and devotional, substituting a rebbe for a guru. No wonder I was attracted to both Siddha Yoga and Chabad-Lubavitch.
Outside the Hasidic world, Chabad-Lubavitch is known primarily for its outreach to disconnected Jews through its centers around the world. The aim is to draw them closer to traditional Judaism. That's why Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah, both murdered in the Mumbai attacks, were in India in the first place. India is a must-visit location for thousands of young Israeli backpackers. The Holtzbergs were Chabad-Lubavitch shluchim, or emissaries. Their Mumbai center was one of 3,500 such facilities in 72 countries.
I did not know the Holtzbergs, but I have known many Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries. (Full disclosure: I did some freelance editorial projects for Chabad-Lubavitch in Los Angeles in the late 1980s.) Shlomo Schwartz was one of the very first emissaries the movement sent to do outreach among Jewish college students, at UCLA. Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries are known throughout the Jewish world for their extraordinary devotion to their work; their deep faith is evident in their passion.
Nor did I know Alan Scherr, a member of the Virginia-based Synchronicity Foundation community, and another victim of the Mumbai attack. Scherr, along with daughter Naomi, died at the Oberoi. Scherr is a common Ashkenazi (German) Jewish surname. I can't be sure, but my Jewdar tells me Scherr was another disaffected Jew who found spiritual solace outside the tribal faith.
I am, however, familiar with his meditation teacher, Master Charles Cannon, a one-time Siddha Yoga monk who went by the name Vivekananda before he left the organization and acquired devotees of his own. Charles' self-described high-tech shortcut approach to spiritual growth is not my way. But I have no doubt that Scherr was a serious spiritual seeker who found his path just as meaningful as the Holtzbergs did theirs. I see something of myself in Scherr, which is why, along with the coincidence of his dieing at the Oberoi, I've scoured the Web looking for bits of information about his life, and death.
Another aspect of the Mumbai tragedy also draws me in. I am horrified and angered that Jews and Hindus are the repeat targets of Muslims radicalized by the disputes in Israel and Kashmir. There is, for me, something absorbing about that grim shared fate that yokes the wildly disparate poles of my spiritual journey. Was I to go to Mumbai today I'd likely stop by the Chabad-Lubavitch center and also journey to Ganeshpuri, the village in Maharashtra state that is home to the Siddha Yoga ashram.
Today, I am neither Hindu nor Chabad-Lubavitch Hasid. Rather, I am just one of many contemporary American Jews who came of age in an environment that allowed for unprecedented spiritual exploration. I lean heavily these days toward liberal Judaism, but the truth is I'm still deciphering my way.
In the meantime, I'll keep up my back-to-back in-flight prayers. You know, just in case.
Ira Rifkin is the author of "Spiritual Perspectives on Globalization: Making Sense of Economic and Cultural Upheaval" (SkyLight Paths). He was formerly a national correspondent for Religion News Service, news director for Beliefnet.com, and a Washington correspondent for The Jerusalem Report.
By Ira Rifkin |
December 1, 2008; 8:44 AM ET
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Posted by: observer12 | December 2, 2008 9:41 PM
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Mr. Rifkin,
you have considered several spiritual beliefs but
omitted the the oldest, the most simple and in my opinion the best: The Golden Rule!
Posted by: ThishowIseeit | December 1, 2008 7:26 PM
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I am totally surprised to read the responses from some of the members here. On one hand they are ridiculing terrorism but on the other hand, they are also giving excuses on behalf of the terrorists.
Now we know that out of 52 islamic countries, only 2 countries are secular. We all know well the laws the hardcore islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran have for their minorities. We also know well the treatment minorities recieve in countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia. But when did we see that jews, christians or hindus build up a terrorist organization and kill the innocent people in these islamic countries?
The so called freedom struggle in Kashmir raided the villages and specifically asked the hindus to form a separate queue. All were shot by the terrorists later. The population of Kashmiri Pundits in the valley has decreased drastically.
So if it is genuine freedom struggle, why hindus are killed and forced to leave the valley?
Posted by: truth4eternity | December 1, 2008 7:13 PM
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For Rivka, Gavriel, Moshe et al targeted because they were Jews, not because they were part of the oppressive Hindu regime that treats Muslims as second-class citizens and always has.
Lest we forget you, Gavriel, Rivka, Moshe.
England:
Report of the All-party Inquiry into Anti-semitism
http://www.thepcaa.org/Report.pdf
_________________________
US Report on Anti-semitism
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/102301.pdf
_______________________
EU Report on Antisemitism 2001-2007: Updated 2008
http://fra.europa.eu/fra/index.php?fuseaction=content.dsp_cat_content&catid=449677441f3f3
EU report: widely held that some incendiary information suppressed.
Posted by: observer12 | December 1, 2008 6:47 PM
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The Cocaine-Snorting Terrorist They Call "president" Is The Enemy Of Humanity!!
This is all utter rubbish and soooooooo transparent. Essentially, there's ONLY ONE weapon that the jew has reliably used for centuries: DIVIDE and STEAL!!!
And the stupid dimwit the Americans worshipfully call "president" provided the jew with this weapon in his DESIRE to make the jew who controls him happy. He offered the jew the "You are with us OR aganst us" weapon, which the jew has effectively used to cause STRIFE WORLWIDE against MUSLIMS, a classic tool the jew has been using to make a living for centuries now.
In short the jew profits ONLY when the world is DIVIDED and HATe is INCREASED and there is WAR. The jew has chosen DARKNESS and EVIL as his trade craft. ONly by DIVIDING and INCREASING HATe and WAR does the jew eat.
And this jew woman is attempting a version of this formula that has served the jew well for centuries. Here she aligns hersdelf with HINDUS to SEGREGATE MUSLIMS and WIDEN the suspicions and vast DIVISIONS that SCAR that country (India) that's badly divided by INSTIGATED HATE!!!!!
The jew's modus operandi is DIVIDE and EAT while the others are busy FIGHTING!!!!! This also has been done to Dumb Americans. Americans NOW hate Muslims and this happened ONLy since the FAKE terorist act of 2001, attrocities that were done to CREATE a new hate in America that did NOT exist before between Muslims and Americans!!!!
Woe unto the world!!!!
Posted by: Somali | December 1, 2008 6:02 PM
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Dear Ira Rifkin;
If you truly want spirituality in your life, I urge you to get a copy of The garden of Emuna by rabbi Shalom Arush available at http://www.lazerbrody.typepad.com/
Posted by: Rockout2006 | December 1, 2008 1:55 PM
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The preceeding poster "A.M. Khajawall" is a virual troll. It has posted this same message not only multiple times on the "on faith" site, but also on other sites today as well.
Any 'qualifications' it claims to have are inherently suspect, as are its claims of leadership positions in Khasmiri organizations.
Aside from that, any ACTUAL psychiatrist will tell you that the practioners of islamic terrorism today are likely to be well-educated and from unimpoverished families. Terrorists are driven by HATE.
May all mourning the victims of the Mumbai terrorist attacks be comforted.
Posted by: dahozho | December 1, 2008 1:55 PM
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Dear Ira Rifkin;
If you truly want spirituality in your life, I urge you to get a copy of The garden of Emuna by rabbi Shalom Arush available at http://www.lazerbrody.typepad.com/
Posted by: Rockout2006 | December 1, 2008 1:20 PM
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For the triumph of evil it is necessary that concerned people, parties and politicians around the world do nothing "
I as a concerned citizen of the United States of America and World. I do not justify and like any evil acts of terror and terrorism. As a psychiatrist I can say that as a consequence of occupation, suppression, alienation, victimization, degradation, desperation, helplessness, hopelessness, and depression the ordinary people are led to suicide.In the process, some times, they are driven to the evil acts and spread their pain and apathy around as they have resorted to these evil acts over centuries. We should not forget the plight of Kashmiris, Palestinians, and many more people around the world at the hands of state sponsored terror and terrorism as perpetuated by India in Kashmir and Israel in Palestine. These kind of situations result in these heinous and evil acts around the world. Do not expect U.S.A. and president elect Obama to do much about it. It is Global problem and all concerned people, parties, and politicians need to think out of
box and address these issues candidly and openly without shifting blame around. I suggest the President Elect Obama appoint Hon. former President Bill Clinton to resolve Kashmir issue between Kashmiris, Indians, and Pakistan and out going president Hon. George W Busy to resolve Palestinian issue between Is israel and Palestinian authorities as that has his goal to do so before he passes on the presidency onto president elect Obama.
Yours Truly,
COL. A.M. Khajawall[Ret] MD., ABFM., ABDA.
First Secretary: Kashmir American Mission[KAM]
Founder: Kashmiri American Council[KAC]
Chief Consultant: World Wide Professional Consultants[WWPC]
Colonel, USAR /MC Combat Stress Control[Ret], Disabled American Veteran
Consultant Psychiatrist: CA State, Medical Board of California, and Los Angeles Mental Health Department
Mailing Address: P.O.BOX 4040, Diamond Bar California, 91765-0040 USA,
Posted by: akhajawall | December 1, 2008 12:35 PM
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"As if any more disturbing details about the Mumbai massacre could emerge, it's now being reported that many of the victims were also tortured -- and no one more so than the Israelis killed in the Chabad house. DEBKAfile reports that Rivka Holtzberg, wife of the center's rabbi, Gavriel, was also six months pregnant, and that the toddler rescued from the house by his Indian nanny bore bruises indicating that the captors had beaten him."
http://worldnews.about.com/b/2008/12/02/signs-of-torture-on-mumbai-victims-especially-israelis.htm