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LYNNE MEREDITH COHN
Staff Writer
E
ACCENTS
IN NEEDLEPOINT
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DETROIT
JEWISH NEWS
. 3
1/16
1998
14
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(248)354.5959
yen though Judy Owens
studied in India on two Ful-
bright scholarships, she had
no idea India had a thriving
Jewish community. So it was an
enlightening experience for the Kimball
High School history and government
teacher to meet a few Indian Jews as
part of the American Jewish Commit-
tee's foreign policy delegation last
month.
"The thing that stood out the most
to me [was that the Jews] never experi-
enced any anti-Semitism whatsoever [in
India]," Owens said. "I always had a
strong affinity toward India; I always
felt very comfortable in India — that's
why I must have felt so comfortable."
ernment and international affairs
bureau and Asia and Pacific Rim Insti-
tute are based in Washington, D.C.
This was the AJC's third exchange in
15 months with Indian Prime Minister
I.K. Gujral, who also serves as foreign
minister. This year marks the 50th
anniversary of both India's indepen-
dence and Israel's founding, a motivat-
ing factor for the exchanges.
The group met with Gujral, U.S.
Ambassador Richard Celeste and other
top Indian officials, visited an ORT
training center, synagogues in Bombay,
New Delhi and Cochin (whose Jewish
population dates back two millennia)
and met with Gen. Jack Jacobs, a Jew-
ish Indian war hero who fought Pak-
istan in 1971 in Bangladesh's struggle
for independence.
Owens says the meetings were suc-
cessful, as Indian officials expressed
interest in U.S. and Israeli businesses
setting up shop in India.
Of India's 960 million people, 6,000
are Jewish. Many young Indian Jews
have plans to move to Israel for better
career opportunities, Owens said.
"This is a new chapter in the Israeli-
Indian relationship," Owens added.
When she lived in India in 1973-74
and 1986-87, Owens said, there was an
anti-Israel undercurrent, although no
anti-Jewish feeling.
"Russia is no longer investing in
India, so India is open to Israelis corn-
ing to invest there. Part of our mission
was to influence India in supporting
Israel's stands in the United Nations,"
The American Jewish Committee
Owens said. "The Indian people are
sent a delegation of six people, includ-
not averse to doing that, but they have
ing Owens, vice president of the AJC's
to look at where their oil supply is
Michigan chapter; Robert Rifkind,
coming from."
national AJC president, and his wife,
Owens noted that a major differ-
Dr. Arleen Rifkind; Dr. Judith Beiner
ence from when she
lived there is the slow
and her husband, Stephen,
emergence of an Indi-
AJC members who live in The American Jewish Com-
mittee's delegation to India,
an middle class.
Florida and New York;
in _front of the Taj Mahal.
More Indians are join-
and Jason Isaacson, AJC's
In the back are Stephen
ing foreign tourists at
director of government
Beiner, Jason Isaacson and
landmarks like the Taj
and international affairs
Robert Rifkind. In the front
and director of its Asia
Mahal.
are Dr. Judith Beiner, Dr.
"There's genuine affec-
and Pacific Rim Institute. Judith Owens and Dr.
tion of Indian people
The AJC sends delega- Arleen Rifkind.
for Israelis. It's like
tions to foreign countries
Israel: democracy, lots
as a way of building ties
between Jews and foreign governments,
of magazines, publications — so many
and teaching about Jewish interests,
people involved in what's happening."
which include Israel. The organization
is based in New York, although its gov-
c—x
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