Burnt Bread and Chutney: Growing Up Between Cultures - A Memoir of an Indian Jewish Childhood

by Carmit Delman

“From the outside, no matter what the gradations of my mixed heritage, the shadow of Indian brown in my skin caused others to automatically perceive me as Hindu or Muslim. . . . Still, I trekked through life with the spirit of a Jew, fleshed out by the unique challenges and wonders of a combined brown and white tradition.”

In the politics of skin color, Carmit Delman is an ambassador from a world of which few are even aware. Her mother is a direct descendant of the Bene Israel, a tiny, ancient community of Jews thriving amidst the rich cultural tableau of Western India. Her father is American, a Jewish man of Eastern European descent. They met while working the land of a nascent Israeli state. Bound by love for each other and that newborn country, they hardly took notice of the interracial aspect of their union. But their daughter, Carmit, growing up in America, was well aware of her uncommon heritage.

Burnt Bread and Chutney is a remarkable synthesis of the universal and the exotic. Carmit Delman’s memories of the sometimes painful, sometimes pleasurable, often awkward moments of her adolescence juxtapose strikingly with mythic tales of her female ancestors living in the Indian-Jewish community. As rites and traditions, smells and textures intertwine, Carmit’s unique cultural identity evolves. It is a youth spent dancing on the roofs of bomb shelters on a kibbutz in Israel—and the knowledge of a heritage marked by arranged marriages and archaic rules and roles. It is coming of age in Jewish summer camps and at KISS concerts—and the inevitable combination of old and ancient customs and modern attitudes, Jewish, Indian, and American.

Carmit Delman’s journey through religious traditions, family tensions, and social tribulations to a healthy sense of wholeness and self is rendered with grace and an acute sense of depth. Burnt Bread and Chutney is a rich and innovative book that opens wide a previously unseen world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Judaism, Jewish, India, Biography Memoir, Adult

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel rather split brained about Burnt Bread and Chutney the memoir by Carmit Delman. Her book is both a biography (that of her maternal grandmother's life as a Bene Israel (Indian Jew) and a memoir of growing up poor in the United States and Israel. I enjoyed the bits about the grandmother but was bored by the rest of the book.

Carmit Delman tries to show how exotic her own life was growing up in the United States being not quite Indian-American and not quite Jewish-American but her descriptions of life here are banal and ordinary.

Her choice of subjects are universal: conflict between older and younger generations, blending of cultures between families and between country of birth and adopted country, the embarrassment of being poorer than friends, and so forth. Whenever the memoir seems to be stalling in one of these ever so ordinary passages, Delman would throw in a reminder that her life was fundamentally different because of her Indian ties and that by itself was not enough to make this memoir interesting or all that memorable.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first few pages, I kept on thinking of "The Girl from Foreign" but this was quite different, a more personal and compelling tale of the Bene Israel. The difficulties fitting in were the same, and different, in the US and Israel: Jewish? Indian? American? ... but you don't look Jewish/Indian/American. In this memoir, Delman finds herself, and her identity, while reminding us that our past intimately influences, and constrains, our present and our future. That families can be so cruel should be no surprise, and yet the reader is shocked, dismayed, and yes, deeply saddened, by what family can do to marginalize, trivialize and deeply hurt others. The power of connection, of mother-daughter and grandmother-granddaughter relations, of food, of the land (most potently, Israel), and of religion make for a melodic and fascinating memoir.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would be better than it was. I like memoirs, but this one just didn't hold my attention. I didn't even finish it.

[Nana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whenever I read a good book, I find myself amazed and a bit intimidated, feeling like there is a clear difference between the writer and myself, namely his/her storytelling skill. Unfortunately, this was not the case with this book.

I was surprised by how awful this book was. The subject matter caught my interest at first, but I just kept waiting for the book to get better until at one point I realized that it was simply not well-written.

I finished the book today and the biggest disappointment for me came at the end-- about Nana-bai's tombstone. I felt that if the author had managed to change it, by herself, out of sheer will and determination by moving to Israel and doing whatever it took to get it changed, at least that could show the power of her love and respect for her grandmother. (It could have even made up for the terrible writing... not completely, but a small part!) However, she seems to leave it up to her "family" to resolve. To me, THAT was the most heartbreaking part of the story.

It was also hard to understand the writer herself. She wrote about her own life and childhood and kept trying to make her life seem so different from those of everyone else... however, that is kind of unnerving because it assumes that everyone else has had a "normal" family; white, suburban, with family dinners and holiday gatherings. There was so much emphasis on her "exotic" background, but I didn't find her experience interesting at all. Perhaps it was due to the bad writing.

So, in a nutshell, if this writer managed to find someone to publish her book, maybe I should give writing a try!

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.
This started out really well and then kind of descended into a bit of nonsense. 'Oh look at me and my adolescent broodiness.' Yeah, that's just adolescence full stop.

But the first half is rich in smells and sights - the story of an Indian Jewish girl (half American Jewish, half Indian Jewish) and her lovely and close family life. The story alternates between her own tale and tales from her Nana-bai's early life. And while she's writing about her childhood or her Nana-bai's life, she held my interest. But then she enters late adolescence and college and just really lost me. Flowery language that described nothing in the end, relationships only alluded to, when before everything was very fleshed out. This would've made a very good book if only she'd stuck to her childhood and her Nana-bai's life. Instead it became a padded and somewhat self-indulgent memoir...which i realize can be a bit redundant when it comes to memoirs ;o)

[Susannah Skyer Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you push past the painfully self-conscious "look, I'm writing literature!" moments, this is an interesting biography/autobiography. Delman retells her own life story (thus far; she is young), as a Bene Israel descendant with roots in Israel, India and the US, interspersing it with that of her maternal grandmother, who faced much graver challenges in a far different time. It's difficult to say how much insight one gains into India's ancient Bene Israel Jews, as opposed to into this particular life story. In contrast, much of what she shares about being Jewish-plus -- Jewish as well as another minority -- is important reading for synagogue leaders committed to keeping the tent of welcome wide open.

As the non-Indian spouse in a HinJew marriage, I was excited to find this book on our temple library shelves.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shares her life experiences as a bi-racial American. Both of her parents were Jewish. Her father descended from the Eastern European Jews while her mother came from the Bene Israel, an ancient group of Jews in India. She felt she never fit in anywhere but finally came to grips with who she is as a person and her heritage. She discusses her life in both United States and Israel. Interwoven through out her memories is the story of her Nana-bai, an elderly female relative who grew up in India and was influential in the author's life. I found this book to interesting and felt like I personally became acquainted with the author and her family.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I slogged through this book disappointed in what I read. I had high hopes of what I thought would be an interesting dialogue of a culturally rich life/upbringing. Instead I found a rather uninteresting story of growing up - doesn't much matter if you're Indian or Israeli or American or Jewish when your parents embarass you as a teenager. The portions that told the story of her elderly relative gave the reader insight into the Indian mindset but overall this is one book that does not reward the reader with much.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carmit Delman tells her story of coming of age as an Indian (Bene Israel) Jewish girl, moving around and living in Ohio, Upstate New York and Israel, and never quite fitting in. Delman's memoir is also the story of her maternal grandmother who was born and raised in Bombay under less than fortunate circumstances. The family saga and the brief history of the Bene Israelis was fascinating, but I had some trouble with the narration and writing style. Nevertheless, the book was well worth the read.

[Liana · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book that I liked tremendously, and parts that were harder to get into. I loved the sections that dealt with Nana-bai and the old world, and the sections in which Delman delved into cultural difference. I was a bit less taken by some of the sections on teenage angst and rebellion. I also found Delman's writing style a little bit choppy at times. Overall, though, I did like it, and I think the interesting parts were worth the read.

[Rachel G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book has a totally fascinating subject - the life of an American girl of Jewish Indian descent - it's not told very well. Instead of piecing together anecdotes, there's a whole lot of sweeping overviews of telling. I was hoping for more stories, rather than Eat Pray Love style inner thoughts. I guess it reads more like a diary than a memoir, in that respect. But the story itself is very interesting, especially the parts about India.

[Dara · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some lovely turns of phrase in this memoir, which otherwise seems to largely miss the mark. The author's voice and her lived experiences too often are subsumed to larger ideas of post-colonialism, of gender politics, and of racial dynamics. The particularity of her lived experiences-- which are fascinating-- too often take the back seat. That said, she is clearly a writer of considerable talent and I wouldn't hesitate to read her future work.

[Cherity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know much (or, basically, anything) about Indian Jews before this book, so this was very eye-opening for me.
I liked the parts with the diary of the author's grandfather. I didn't quite understand how all this could be fit in one single notebook, as the author claims, but even if it's partly written by the author herself, it was still really good.
I highly recommend this book to everyone who likes memoirs and is interested in Jewish history

[Lorri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was prepared for a rich, illuminating tapestry of life within varied, familial cultures. I was not prepared for what I thought and felt was a constant display of whining and complaining, both as a child (understandably) and as an adult (not so understandably).

I understand families with cultural backgrounds that differ from each other's 'norm', regarding traditions, etc., having come from one, myself.

I did finish Burnt Bread and Chutney, and that is all I have to say regarding it.

[Judith Chazen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago and finally started reading it. It is a beautifully written memoir by a young woman of Indian and Askenazy heritage.l I found the history of her Indian Jewish heritage fascinating. More compelling was the story of her beloved grandmother Nana-Bei from the ancient Jewish community Bene Israel in India.
Also, I thought her insights into American Jewish culture were funny but true and right on target.

[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find the history and culture of the Bene Israel (Indian Jewish community) fascinating. The book was beautifully written and, having grown up between two cultures, I can relate to many of the author’s own experiences. Really worth a read if you have an interest in memoirs and Indian or Pakistani Jews.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bene_Israel

[Melissa]

Beautifully written and explores an interesting cultural situation, but I just don't like memoirs, particularly memoirs by people under 30. Do something, live, experience, reflect before you write a memoir. Delman's memoir is mostly about her grandmother's life--who had lived, experienced, done etc.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting in many ways--my second book, I think, on the Jewish community in India . . .I really wanted to like this, but the writing killed it, I think. It seemed poorly organized, and at times like the author was just trying too hard reaching for the metaphors and descriptions. I'm still a little confused---was the author's mother "Evie" or not?

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book and reading, "An interesting view of an exotic cross-cultural childhood" on the back of the book made it seem really sexy, but I was disappointed by it. Overall the book was just not as well written as it could have been.

[Magi · Rating 3 out of 5]

history of Bene Israel Jews from India. family history includes emigrating to israel,USA. polygamy,domestic abuse. grdtr (author mix of Bene jew and american jew) finds grandmother's diary,tells her tale...struggle to find identity in America,with such a diverse hx.

[Joyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you actually want to learn about the Bene Israel read The Girl From Foreign by Sadia Shepard. Burnt Bread and Chutney gave no insight into this interesting group of Jews that most people don't know anything about.

[Claudine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Although the book explores a truly unique cultural mix, I thought what made it good was the way it chronicles the universal search for identity and finding a place in society.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story with the sights, sounds, and smells of a girl and woman finding her way within the communities that rule her life.

Lusciously written-- a story about being lost and finding oneself and accepting it all with graciousness and a taste for adventure.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally interesting. Poignant about growing up in a family that is different from what is the conceived "norm" in the USA.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The scattered approach could have worked if it didn't end up feeling so contradictory. The conclusion bothered me a great deal.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really was disappointed in this book, it was much more of a personal memoir about trying to fit in and did not offer the insight into the Bene Israel community I was hoping would be shared.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really written (it jumps around too much) & probably wouldn't appeal to a wide audience base, but I really liked it because I am obsessed by the Indian Jews...Bene Israel.

[Janice]

spring 2010

[Julia Rojas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. The story sounded interesting. The writing kind of ruined this story.

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great potential, ultimately disappoints. The chapters about the author's grandmother are beautifully written; the chapters about the author's 'coming of age' - not so much.