Esther David

Shalom India Housing Society (Jewish Women Writers) Esther David

"Hilarious and heart-warming..."?Asian Age

?[Esther David?s] writing is a formidable work of literary art.??Nissim Ezekiel, poet

?A poignant tale of a group never quite at home in its homeland.??Nextbook

?Esther David perfectly portrays the individuals of the Bene Israel Jewish community in Ahmedabad, many of them torn between Israel's siren song and their own unique Indo-Jewish heritage.  Hers is a window into an all too human world, presided over by a comic though attentive Prophet Elijah.? ?Janet M. Powers, author of Kites Over the Mango Tree: Restoring Harmony Between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat

?A nice piece of social anthropology, with a good deal of heart thrown in.??Sunday Business Standard, India

Over two thousand years ago, remnants of one of the lost tribes of Israel appeared on the shores of India. They became known in India as the Bene Israel and nothing has been the same since.

After religious riots break out in modern Ahmedabad, a handful of the tribe?s descendants band together to live in a communal housing complex: the Shalom India Housing Society. Nestled amidst their Hindu and Muslim neighbors, the residents of these charming apartments find ways to laugh (the laughing club meets every morning on the lawn) and love, whether it is a crush next door or an Internet date with a distant Israeli.

Writing with wit and an artist?s eye for detail, Esther David vividly portrays a resilient group who share a fondness for the liquor-loving Prophet Elijah and costume parties. These true-to-life stories depict the joys and conflicts of a people continually choosing between the Indian traditions of their homeland and their Jewish heritage.

Esther David was born into a Bene Israel Jewish family in Ahmedabad, India, and she grew up in a zoo created by her father. She is the author of six novels and is also a sculptor, art critic, and columnist for The Times of India.