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Bombay Brides
When Juliet and Romiel get married and relocate to Israel, they rent out their Apartment 107 in Ahmedabad's Shalom India Housing Society to Jews. Each character who inhabits the house has a story to about run-ins with the other residents, the diminishing community of Jews, cross-cultural conflicts, and the difficulty of choosing between India and Israel. Prophet Elijah, whom the Bene Israel Jews of western India believe in, plays an important role in their lives, appearing at critical or amusing moments and wreaking havoc with his mischief, but ensuring that ultimately peace prevails. Bombay Brides - as most Jewish men of Ahmedabad are married to women from Mumbai - is drawn from Jewish homes in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kochi, Kolkata and Alibaug. This is a story about home, heritage, rites, rituals, roots and what it means to be one of the last survivng members of a community in a vast multi-cultural country like India.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2018
5 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 9, 2019
Edit: 4.5
I want to give it a 4 but I really enjoyed the experience of reading it so it definitely deserves a 0.5 more
--
I am torn whether this would be a 4 star or 4.5. I've got to mull over it. Meanwhile great read! Interconnected stories with vivid characters. The tradition and rituals of the Indo Jewish community of Ahmedabad is laid out in a subtle, not overwhelming manner. The Prophet Elijah who is a major face in their relief threads the narratives together. Plus there is food and lots of interconnected stories with flawed characters. Loved it
Much thanks to HC for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
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I want to give it a 4 but I really enjoyed the experience of reading it so it definitely deserves a 0.5 more
--
I am torn whether this would be a 4 star or 4.5. I've got to mull over it. Meanwhile great read! Interconnected stories with vivid characters. The tradition and rituals of the Indo Jewish community of Ahmedabad is laid out in a subtle, not overwhelming manner. The Prophet Elijah who is a major face in their relief threads the narratives together. Plus there is food and lots of interconnected stories with flawed characters. Loved it
Much thanks to HC for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
March 13, 2019
Bombay Brides was a breeze 😍
This was my first book about the Bene Israel Jewish community of India and I absolutely loved it.
~
Juliet and Romiel (Rahul) fall in love, get married and shift to Israel. Their parents had bought them a flat in the fictitious Shalom India housing society in Ahmedabad and they rent the flat on one condition, to only keep Jews as tenants. The stories mostly revolve in and around the A107 flat and the quirky residents of the soceity. It offered a nice insight into the culture of the community and their traditions. Prophet Elijah is the glue that holds the book.
Indian Jews remain largely unknown in literature and I am glad this book came along. I am glad David wrote this book and highlighted the lives of the quirky residents and the eccentric Bombay Brides.
~
Each character is flawed and unusual. They'll certainly make you laugh and tickle your funny bone. David's writing shines throughout. A very interesting read about the trails and tribulations they face as a minority. There are lots of food mentions too which is a win-win for me 😁😁
4.5⭐
Pick this up if you're looking for a light and peppy read. Can be read in one sitting 😁
#thebookishtalesreviews #femmemarch #femmemarchfest #bookstagramindia #estherdavid
This was my first book about the Bene Israel Jewish community of India and I absolutely loved it.
~
Juliet and Romiel (Rahul) fall in love, get married and shift to Israel. Their parents had bought them a flat in the fictitious Shalom India housing society in Ahmedabad and they rent the flat on one condition, to only keep Jews as tenants. The stories mostly revolve in and around the A107 flat and the quirky residents of the soceity. It offered a nice insight into the culture of the community and their traditions. Prophet Elijah is the glue that holds the book.
Indian Jews remain largely unknown in literature and I am glad this book came along. I am glad David wrote this book and highlighted the lives of the quirky residents and the eccentric Bombay Brides.
~
Each character is flawed and unusual. They'll certainly make you laugh and tickle your funny bone. David's writing shines throughout. A very interesting read about the trails and tribulations they face as a minority. There are lots of food mentions too which is a win-win for me 😁😁
4.5⭐
Pick this up if you're looking for a light and peppy read. Can be read in one sitting 😁
#thebookishtalesreviews #femmemarch #femmemarchfest #bookstagramindia #estherdavid
July 18, 2020
Stories of the people in Shalom Housing society was very interesting. I enjoyed reading it
November 5, 2019
Reading slump? What is that, I would ask. Until it hit me like a truck. Oh, the despair. Eventually I gave in and started looking for easy to read books to get out of this annoying slump. And this one really helped me.
It is a collection of short stories, with all the characters inter linked. It gives great insights into the lives of the Bene Israel Jewish community of India, and it was quite interesting to read about them. The stories and their timelines jump between Ahmedabad, Bombay and Israel, and since I have lived in Ahmedabad and am currently living in Bombay, it was quite easy for me to visualise it.
Reading about a culture you have zero idea about is always fun, you get to know so much more about the world around you, and this book did just that. The characters are simple, like everyday people who exist around us. They have their own sets of flaws, and all of them add their own texture to these stories. The stories are dramatic, address a different issue in every story and mostly revolve around the lives of women in this community. The book is filled with lovely illustrations, and numerous references to food, which look so appetizing and drool worthy!
The language is simple, and you can decide to pick this one up if you are looking for an easy yet interesting read.
It is a collection of short stories, with all the characters inter linked. It gives great insights into the lives of the Bene Israel Jewish community of India, and it was quite interesting to read about them. The stories and their timelines jump between Ahmedabad, Bombay and Israel, and since I have lived in Ahmedabad and am currently living in Bombay, it was quite easy for me to visualise it.
Reading about a culture you have zero idea about is always fun, you get to know so much more about the world around you, and this book did just that. The characters are simple, like everyday people who exist around us. They have their own sets of flaws, and all of them add their own texture to these stories. The stories are dramatic, address a different issue in every story and mostly revolve around the lives of women in this community. The book is filled with lovely illustrations, and numerous references to food, which look so appetizing and drool worthy!
The language is simple, and you can decide to pick this one up if you are looking for an easy yet interesting read.
August 2, 2020
As interesting it is to hear about the Bnei Israel community from India, but the consistent philandering of men and the victimization of the women got tiring. It felt like every story featured a selfish man lording himself over his wife and discounting her desires. Yes, women did rise up over it in some of the stories, but it is just to pathetic to see that these selfish men continue to exist and thrive in this culture. I couldn't take it anymore.
September 23, 2020
This book is a series of short stories, with each story based on a different member residing in Shalom India Housing society, Ahmedabad. All members in the A block of this society are Bene Israelis, who are a community of Jews in India concentrated majorly in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Alibag, Cochin and Kolkata.
I liked that through this book I was introduced to a world I was completely unaware of. In that sense, this book was a learning experience for me, in terms of giving me insights into the food, lifestyle and cultural practices of this diminishing community of Indian Jews.
However, I didn’t particularly enjoy the content of the stories per se. I couldn’t really connect with any character. When it comes to short stories, there is as it is very little time for reader to engage with the central character of that story, and thus demands that much more of the writer's skills, to be able to create a compelling narrative. In my opinion, that was missing in David's writing of these stories. Frankly, I enjoyed the author’s note the most in the book 🙈 Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a light read- something that doesn’t require too much thinking, and to anyone wanting to be acquainted with this lesser known Jewish community in India.
I liked that through this book I was introduced to a world I was completely unaware of. In that sense, this book was a learning experience for me, in terms of giving me insights into the food, lifestyle and cultural practices of this diminishing community of Indian Jews.
However, I didn’t particularly enjoy the content of the stories per se. I couldn’t really connect with any character. When it comes to short stories, there is as it is very little time for reader to engage with the central character of that story, and thus demands that much more of the writer's skills, to be able to create a compelling narrative. In my opinion, that was missing in David's writing of these stories. Frankly, I enjoyed the author’s note the most in the book 🙈 Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a light read- something that doesn’t require too much thinking, and to anyone wanting to be acquainted with this lesser known Jewish community in India.
September 10, 2020
Week 37 Book 58
Bombay Brides by Esther David
Rating: 4/5
BB is a book about Bene Israeli Jews of India, based in Ahmedabad. It revolves around the Shalom India Housing Society that is inhabited by Indian Jews.
Juliet and Romiel aka Rahul leave for Israel after marriage and rent out their apartment in Shalom to a series of tenants, who have interesting adventures in the apartment, and the society. The mischievous Prophet Elijah presiding over the community, occasionally creates havoc but finally ensures peace.
I love the writing style, the characters, their back stories, the anecdotes, and most importantly, learning about the Indian Jewish community's traditions. I am glad I came across this book and would love to read more by the author. This one is a must read, especially for those interested in Bene Israeli Jews.
Bombay Brides by Esther David
Rating: 4/5
BB is a book about Bene Israeli Jews of India, based in Ahmedabad. It revolves around the Shalom India Housing Society that is inhabited by Indian Jews.
Juliet and Romiel aka Rahul leave for Israel after marriage and rent out their apartment in Shalom to a series of tenants, who have interesting adventures in the apartment, and the society. The mischievous Prophet Elijah presiding over the community, occasionally creates havoc but finally ensures peace.
I love the writing style, the characters, their back stories, the anecdotes, and most importantly, learning about the Indian Jewish community's traditions. I am glad I came across this book and would love to read more by the author. This one is a must read, especially for those interested in Bene Israeli Jews.
December 17, 2021
This is a collection of short stories chronicling the lives of Jewish women and their families living in Shalom India Housing Society, Ahmedabad. I picked up this book because someone had recommended it on YouTube saying that it would give you an insight into the lives of Jews. Well it definitely does that to some extent but I think it could have been better. Some of the stories are very good as the book is about women trying to break stereotypes. However I cannot say that there was any story that would leave a lasting impression.
August 13, 2019
Interesting vignettes about a little known community. The writing is ordinary.
What worked was the concept of wearing stories within an apartment complex and introducing characters who keep appearing. The illustrations are beautiful. Some of the stories were nice and stayed with me.
What worked was the concept of wearing stories within an apartment complex and introducing characters who keep appearing. The illustrations are beautiful. Some of the stories were nice and stayed with me.
March 26, 2020
Bombay Brides by Esther David is a light and refreshing read. The book talks about the Bene Israel Jews who live in India specifically in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
The characters of the book are the residents of the fictional Shalom India Housing Society, who wonderfully co-exist in the Indian space while preserving their culture and community with Prophet Elijah gracing their lives with his plans for his people. Rituals, eating habits and dressing styles have stirring descriptions. The book gives a great doze of information about the religion and way of life the community follows without making it preachy in any way.
Bombay Brides talks about the lives of the women of the community- their lives before and after their marriage. Finding love, facing betrayal, loss of a loved one or a new beginning make up the core of the book.
Umpteen mentions of the food from their traditional cuisine and various others will make you salivate while you read all the stories. I love this book for the simplicity of the plot, the interrelated characters and the stunning illustrations in the book. I hope you love it too!😇
The characters of the book are the residents of the fictional Shalom India Housing Society, who wonderfully co-exist in the Indian space while preserving their culture and community with Prophet Elijah gracing their lives with his plans for his people. Rituals, eating habits and dressing styles have stirring descriptions. The book gives a great doze of information about the religion and way of life the community follows without making it preachy in any way.
Bombay Brides talks about the lives of the women of the community- their lives before and after their marriage. Finding love, facing betrayal, loss of a loved one or a new beginning make up the core of the book.
Umpteen mentions of the food from their traditional cuisine and various others will make you salivate while you read all the stories. I love this book for the simplicity of the plot, the interrelated characters and the stunning illustrations in the book. I hope you love it too!😇
March 28, 2019
I seem to be reading a lot of short stories of late. This one was an interesting knit- a group of people who appeared in different stories of the same residential complex. I didn't know much about the Indian Jewish community hence this was a very interesting read. The most interesting part was how people move between India and Israel as we go from Delhi to Gurgaon! Some of the stories were far more interesting than the others but it was a good read nonetheless
February 20, 2019
♥Bombay Brides By Esther David♥
♥Genre: Fictional romance
♥Publisher: Harper Collins
.
Plot: When Juliet and Romiel get married and relocate to Israel, they rent out their Apartment 107 in Ahmedabad's Shalom India Housing Society to Jews. Each character who inhabits the house has a story to tell. Prophet Elijah, whom the Bene Israel Jews of western India believe in, plays an important role in their lives, appearing at critical or amusing moments and wreaking havoc with his mischief, but ensuring that ultimately peace prevails.
.
My Opinion: What a cool concept, the author bought into this book, it's so marvellous. After reading, The Diary of a Young Girl, I was always curious to know more about jews & in this book I got my all answers. Firstly, the book was a very easy yet so fascinating read. After each chapter you will feel more enthusiasm to start the next one, though I had different experiences reading each chapter but how easily & beautifully the author compiled then all was truly amazing. I had altogether different expectations from this book but it was much more than my expectations. The plot unfolds slowly & learning about jewish peoples was such a pleasure. The plot was definitely unique because I haven't read anything like this before. No questions, the cover too is so eye catchy.
.
Pros: The book was a two hour read with easy language & lucid flow. There were alot of funny moments, wow moments & this book would be always in my favourite's list. The characterisation was well done. The concept used was new, I completed it in a single sitting, so it's that intriguing. The fun was the heart of the book. I highly recommend it, everyone should give it a try. Such a refreshing & light read. I am now extra willing to read more such books by Esther! The words were very healing & very much needed for a avid reader.
Cons: The ending was really unexpected & painful, I wish it would have been more modified though it's an amazing read.
.
Rating: 4.25🌟
♥Genre: Fictional romance
♥Publisher: Harper Collins
.
Plot: When Juliet and Romiel get married and relocate to Israel, they rent out their Apartment 107 in Ahmedabad's Shalom India Housing Society to Jews. Each character who inhabits the house has a story to tell. Prophet Elijah, whom the Bene Israel Jews of western India believe in, plays an important role in their lives, appearing at critical or amusing moments and wreaking havoc with his mischief, but ensuring that ultimately peace prevails.
.
My Opinion: What a cool concept, the author bought into this book, it's so marvellous. After reading, The Diary of a Young Girl, I was always curious to know more about jews & in this book I got my all answers. Firstly, the book was a very easy yet so fascinating read. After each chapter you will feel more enthusiasm to start the next one, though I had different experiences reading each chapter but how easily & beautifully the author compiled then all was truly amazing. I had altogether different expectations from this book but it was much more than my expectations. The plot unfolds slowly & learning about jewish peoples was such a pleasure. The plot was definitely unique because I haven't read anything like this before. No questions, the cover too is so eye catchy.
.
Pros: The book was a two hour read with easy language & lucid flow. There were alot of funny moments, wow moments & this book would be always in my favourite's list. The characterisation was well done. The concept used was new, I completed it in a single sitting, so it's that intriguing. The fun was the heart of the book. I highly recommend it, everyone should give it a try. Such a refreshing & light read. I am now extra willing to read more such books by Esther! The words were very healing & very much needed for a avid reader.
Cons: The ending was really unexpected & painful, I wish it would have been more modified though it's an amazing read.
.
Rating: 4.25🌟
June 12, 2020
I think there’s a subconscious part of our brain which makes us like books with illustrations a lot more than the ones with plain text. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the caricatures of the characters in this book. It was just a little something that put a lot more life into them. Moreover, they were illustrated so well that they reflected each character’s unique personality.
This book was refreshing in the way that it gave a rare insight into the lives of Bene Israeli Jews in India. Each chapter tells a different story, but there’s a common link that binds every story together and that is the apartment where each of these characters live. It is such an intelligent metaphor woven into the bigger narrative that remains unchanging while everything around it is so fleeting and transitions quickly.
It was an absolute delight familiarising myself with the struggles, dreams and lives of this minority community, something that hasn’t usually been covered in popular culture that I know of. It was a fun read and didn’t require a lot of investment from my side. I have been curling up with this book and my evening tea for the past two days and I finished it easily in two sittings.
If you wanna lose yourself in an alternate reality at least for some time (which becomes necessary for our mental well being sometimes, with all that is going on around us at the moment), this is the perfect book to pick up. There’s hardly anything to dislike about this one.
This book was refreshing in the way that it gave a rare insight into the lives of Bene Israeli Jews in India. Each chapter tells a different story, but there’s a common link that binds every story together and that is the apartment where each of these characters live. It is such an intelligent metaphor woven into the bigger narrative that remains unchanging while everything around it is so fleeting and transitions quickly.
It was an absolute delight familiarising myself with the struggles, dreams and lives of this minority community, something that hasn’t usually been covered in popular culture that I know of. It was a fun read and didn’t require a lot of investment from my side. I have been curling up with this book and my evening tea for the past two days and I finished it easily in two sittings.
If you wanna lose yourself in an alternate reality at least for some time (which becomes necessary for our mental well being sometimes, with all that is going on around us at the moment), this is the perfect book to pick up. There’s hardly anything to dislike about this one.
March 27, 2019
#bookrecommendation
Bombay Brides by Esther David 👰
After reading amazing reviews of this book by @thebookishtales and @thebooksatchel , I picked up this beauty for my #readingwomenchallenge Prompt 11 A book featuring a religion other than your own and #femmermarchfest book #3.
- Bombay Brides is a short collection of stories based on women of Bene Israel Jewish Community in India. The stories are set in Ahemdabad’s Shalom India Housing Society. All the stories are related to tenants to rent Apartment 107 and somehow they all are interlinked.
My favourite character is Prophet Elijah, who uses his mysterious and mischievous ways to guide this community during tricky times so that peace can prevail.
- This is my second book regarding Jewish community ( I have previously read Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer) and I loved it. 😍 The stories are so much full of drama that it captures your attention like anything. The more you read it, the more you fall in love with Esther’s writing ✍️. - Apart from the drama and sequences, I really liked the way Esther David has presented this community. Their, food and festivals, even their insecurities regarding diminishing traditions and lineage makes up for an absolutely brilliant read.
Hands down, this is one of my best read of 2019! 😁❤️ Verdict: Don’t miss out on this gem! (5 🌟)
Bombay Brides by Esther David 👰
After reading amazing reviews of this book by @thebookishtales and @thebooksatchel , I picked up this beauty for my #readingwomenchallenge Prompt 11 A book featuring a religion other than your own and #femmermarchfest book #3.
- Bombay Brides is a short collection of stories based on women of Bene Israel Jewish Community in India. The stories are set in Ahemdabad’s Shalom India Housing Society. All the stories are related to tenants to rent Apartment 107 and somehow they all are interlinked.
My favourite character is Prophet Elijah, who uses his mysterious and mischievous ways to guide this community during tricky times so that peace can prevail.
- This is my second book regarding Jewish community ( I have previously read Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer) and I loved it. 😍 The stories are so much full of drama that it captures your attention like anything. The more you read it, the more you fall in love with Esther’s writing ✍️. - Apart from the drama and sequences, I really liked the way Esther David has presented this community. Their, food and festivals, even their insecurities regarding diminishing traditions and lineage makes up for an absolutely brilliant read.
Hands down, this is one of my best read of 2019! 😁❤️ Verdict: Don’t miss out on this gem! (5 🌟)
May 23, 2021
I was instantly intrigued with this book when I saw it.
It's an anthology on the Bene Israeli Jews in India written by an author of the same origin. I didn't even know Jews existed in India and it was so fascinating to read about their lives and cuisine and customs. They essentially exist along the Konkan belt near Bombay in Alibaug, Panvel, and in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The stories range across regular domestic affairs, Jewish culture, and peculiar (often recurring) characters living in and around a Jewish Housing Society in Ahmedabad.
This book made me ponder upon how culture constitutes two elements - Religion and geography, and is so integral to preserving one's identity. While I know very little about the Jewish culture in general, I couldn't help but notice how particularly Indian it was. I understood the need to belong, the need to stick close to the culture, the people who are a part of it, and the need to keep it alive.
To me it was more of a brisk and refreshing educational read. Don't read the book expecting exceptionally nuanced writing. It's simple, it's easy. Just like our routine lives.
Not to forget that the author - Esther David has won several accolades for her representation of this diminishing community.
It's an anthology on the Bene Israeli Jews in India written by an author of the same origin. I didn't even know Jews existed in India and it was so fascinating to read about their lives and cuisine and customs. They essentially exist along the Konkan belt near Bombay in Alibaug, Panvel, and in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The stories range across regular domestic affairs, Jewish culture, and peculiar (often recurring) characters living in and around a Jewish Housing Society in Ahmedabad.
This book made me ponder upon how culture constitutes two elements - Religion and geography, and is so integral to preserving one's identity. While I know very little about the Jewish culture in general, I couldn't help but notice how particularly Indian it was. I understood the need to belong, the need to stick close to the culture, the people who are a part of it, and the need to keep it alive.
To me it was more of a brisk and refreshing educational read. Don't read the book expecting exceptionally nuanced writing. It's simple, it's easy. Just like our routine lives.
Not to forget that the author - Esther David has won several accolades for her representation of this diminishing community.
November 9, 2019
Bombay Brides by Esther David is a sneak peek into the life of Bene Israel jews community of India. This my first read of this author. So I don't know what to expect from this book.
🌻
Juliet being a jew falls in love with Rahul who is not from her community. Jewish community is very strict in this particular matter as they've to always marry in the same community. Juliet and Rahul eloped & got married. Eventullay her parents agreed & accepted their marriage. Then they gifted a housed to the bride and groom. The housed is called 107 Shalon India Housing Society. Juliet decides to rent out the new apartment only to jews who offen come to Ahmedabad for a year or two, so that she would have some extra income as they are leaving for Israel.
🌻
Next the stroty mainly resolves around the people who stay in the Shalon India Housing Society. Almost every character has a story to tell. Some of the characters are connected to each other. Some of them are quirky. In every tale Prophet Elijah plays an important role.
🌻
Its actually a collection of short stories. The writing style is lucid. I love the fact that almost every female characters stand up for themselves. Though the ending is unexpected. My favourite were Malkha, Sangita, Golda. This is the first time I'm reading about Jewish community. I got to know so much about them like their food habit, their rituals, customs, their favourite dishes.
🌻
So I recommend this to everyone who wanna read some light book. It could be perfect companion for your travel. You can easily finish this book with one or two sittings.
.
My rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
.
#bookstagram #bookstagramindia #bibliophile #jewish #jewishcommunity #bookworm #booknerd #booklover #fiction #goodreads #goodreadschallange #reader #readerscommunity #bookhaul #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagramcommunity #bookstagrammersindia #bookstagrammers #bookshelf #happyreader #bombaybrides
🌻
Juliet being a jew falls in love with Rahul who is not from her community. Jewish community is very strict in this particular matter as they've to always marry in the same community. Juliet and Rahul eloped & got married. Eventullay her parents agreed & accepted their marriage. Then they gifted a housed to the bride and groom. The housed is called 107 Shalon India Housing Society. Juliet decides to rent out the new apartment only to jews who offen come to Ahmedabad for a year or two, so that she would have some extra income as they are leaving for Israel.
🌻
Next the stroty mainly resolves around the people who stay in the Shalon India Housing Society. Almost every character has a story to tell. Some of the characters are connected to each other. Some of them are quirky. In every tale Prophet Elijah plays an important role.
🌻
Its actually a collection of short stories. The writing style is lucid. I love the fact that almost every female characters stand up for themselves. Though the ending is unexpected. My favourite were Malkha, Sangita, Golda. This is the first time I'm reading about Jewish community. I got to know so much about them like their food habit, their rituals, customs, their favourite dishes.
🌻
So I recommend this to everyone who wanna read some light book. It could be perfect companion for your travel. You can easily finish this book with one or two sittings.
.
My rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
.
#bookstagram #bookstagramindia #bibliophile #jewish #jewishcommunity #bookworm #booknerd #booklover #fiction #goodreads #goodreadschallange #reader #readerscommunity #bookhaul #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagramcommunity #bookstagrammersindia #bookstagrammers #bookshelf #happyreader #bombaybrides
July 21, 2019
Bombay Brides is a collection of stories revolving around the lives of people of the Bene Israel Jewish community in Ahmedabad. Esther David, an Indian Jew, paints a vivid portrait of the “Bombay Brides”, who struggle to fit into the fictional world of the Shalom India Housing Society.
Esther takes her readers on a roller-coaster experience into the ups and downs in the everyday life of Indian Jews. This book gives an unprecedented insight into their culture, festivities and rites, acquainting the readers with picturesque details of the preparations for synagogue or recurring motif of the prophet Elijah in his chariot.
This book celebrates the sacred tradition of marriage, however, also manages to bring out the cross-cultural conflicts to the forefront. Each new chapter begins with a new illustration, which allows the readers to catch a glimpse into the life of the character, even before the chapter begins.
A beautiful insight into the lives of a slowly receding minority, is definitely a must read!
Esther takes her readers on a roller-coaster experience into the ups and downs in the everyday life of Indian Jews. This book gives an unprecedented insight into their culture, festivities and rites, acquainting the readers with picturesque details of the preparations for synagogue or recurring motif of the prophet Elijah in his chariot.
This book celebrates the sacred tradition of marriage, however, also manages to bring out the cross-cultural conflicts to the forefront. Each new chapter begins with a new illustration, which allows the readers to catch a glimpse into the life of the character, even before the chapter begins.
A beautiful insight into the lives of a slowly receding minority, is definitely a must read!
May 5, 2019
A beautiful selection of stories about the Bene Israel Jewish community in Ahmedabad. I felt like I was allowed to watch from these windows as the lives of the residents of the Shalom India Housing Society---a fictional apartment complex primarily inhabited by members of the community---went by. The illustrations by the author that begin each story add a lovely touch, along with those wonderful moments where the many narratives in the book interconnect. The only story that did not work for me was "Sangita" where I felt the Hindi insertions seemed too forced and disrupted the flow of the narrative, especially given that it was one of the last few stories. I felt those bits could have been in English and nothing much would have changed about the narrative (but that's just my personal opinion of course). But that doesn't take anything away from the remarkable piece of storytelling that this book undoubtedly is.
September 12, 2020
Rose, Salome,Romiel but most of all the most amusing Maa Myramai. Put Bombay in the title of a very pretty yellow covered book plus black inked illustrations of caricatures of the people in this book made their stories so enjoyable. Esther David's novel gives us a secretive sneak peek into the lives of Bene Israeli jews of Bombay and those who settled in Ahmedabad. Prophet Elijah who is a mischievous well wishers and whose intervention is what keeps the connection throughout these short stories. This community is no doubt strikes my interest and hope it brings the mazel tov of having the opportunity to visit our acquaintances in Tel Aviv,Israel.
Its a rainy day out there and was glad I could complete this half left off read.
Its a rainy day out there and was glad I could complete this half left off read.
February 3, 2019
Esther David, the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award winner, in her novel Bombay Brides, portrays the lives of Bene Israel Jews living in Ahemdabad.
The lives of the Jews inhabiting the fictional housing complex Shalom intersect and intertwine as they engage in exuberant matchmaking, which is sometimes foiled by Prophet Elijah, the orchestrator of mischiefs and mercies. We see these people in a flux as they endeavour to preserve the ethos of their small community while going about their everyday routine.
David touches upon many significant rituals that form an essential part of these people’s identity as Jews, thereby giving us a glimpse into a community’s ways and traditions that remains largely obscured from mainstream literature & art.
I liked the stories but they failed to capture my imagination as I had thought they would. The language felt lack lusture and I would have loved it if David had delved deeper into the narratives and given us a more intimate portrait of the Jewish life.
The lives of the Jews inhabiting the fictional housing complex Shalom intersect and intertwine as they engage in exuberant matchmaking, which is sometimes foiled by Prophet Elijah, the orchestrator of mischiefs and mercies. We see these people in a flux as they endeavour to preserve the ethos of their small community while going about their everyday routine.
David touches upon many significant rituals that form an essential part of these people’s identity as Jews, thereby giving us a glimpse into a community’s ways and traditions that remains largely obscured from mainstream literature & art.
I liked the stories but they failed to capture my imagination as I had thought they would. The language felt lack lusture and I would have loved it if David had delved deeper into the narratives and given us a more intimate portrait of the Jewish life.
October 5, 2021
I had no idea about Jewish culture in India, didn’t even know it existed. So, initially, Esther David’s book Bombay Brides was an entertaining field trip for me. Entertaining, but not much more and only in the beginning. After a few episodes of match-making, getting married and related topics I was overwhelmed and, ultimately, bored by the multitude of religious terms (traditions, festival, rituals, cooking, etc.) that would have deserved to be explained in a glossary.
January 30, 2019
It's a lovely read and was so interesting to get a glimpse of the Israeli community and culture in Gujrat and Bombay. I wish the book was longer! It wasn't complicated prose at all, sometimes a bit too simple, but nevertheless a very interesting read about the trials and tribulations about the men and women living in Shalom Housing Society in Ahmedabad.
April 17, 2019
Each story was unique and different but also they were connected beautifully and that's what made it cool to read. I really enjoyed reading it right from the beginning till the end. This was my first time getting to know about Bene Israel Jews of India and they were fascinating to read about. The writing style and everything was perfect. I would definitely recommend it.
4.5 🌟
4.5 🌟
April 25, 2021
My 1st book about Bene Israile Jews and it was a wonderful read plus a great introduction to a community I knew very little about. A light read of short stories where charters of stories flow into each other's life. Bases in Ahmedabad's make believe society, the book will give you a lot of insight on the Bene Israile Jews community.
May 21, 2021
This is a light read and you can breeze through it. I loved the characters with their flaws, quirkiness and shyness but having one thing in common.. being a Jewish community in Ahmedabad. The book makes you a part of celebration and the writing style is easy! Pick this one up and smile or shed a tear through the journeys of people from flat A107
May 8, 2021
Nice stories
February 10, 2022
Such simple, beautiful and cute stories surrounding the Bene Israel Jews of India. The research done by Esther David for writing this book is really commendable.
May 12, 2022
This book is favourite of one of my close friends but somehow I do not have a taste for this. The stories are short and crisp some might like it and some may not. Maybe teenagers would love it.
January 5, 2023
Vivid characters. Simple language. Tons of food. A refreshing read. Definitely do not regret picking this one up after a series of unfortunate reads.
April 1, 2019
Bombay Brides is the first book I have read about Jews living in India. This book is a collection of beautiful short stories about Jewish women who get married and move from Bombay to Ahmedabad. The book gives a wonderful insight into their customs, traditions, food and lifestyle. Highly recommend this easy read.
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