E
xperiences gained during
20 trips to India and
more times to Israel,
joined with research gleaned
from dozens of texts, enter into
the pages of Susan Adelman’s
third book, From Jerusalem to
Delhi, through Persia (Gorgias
Press), published
this March.
Adelman, a
Southfield resident
active with Adat
Shalom Synagogue,
is scheduling pre-
sentations to intro-
duce her book-ex-
pressed impressions exploring
interreligious connections —
from legends, through customs
and into languages.
Two speaking/book-signing
engagements represent the reli-
gious reach of her chapters: 3:30
p.m. Sunday, March 27, at Adat
Shalom in Farmington Hills and
2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at the
Bharatiya Temple in Troy.
“I’ve allowed myself to tell
personal stories and to express
my feelings about India, as
well as spiritual and mystical
experiences, in a way that I’ve
never allowed myself to express
before,
” Adelman said.
“My first book, The Rebel: A
Biography of Ram Jethmalani,
is about an extremely famous
Indian lawyer and friend, and I
felt my job was to tell his story
and not intrude with my own
thoughts. My second book, After
Saturday Comes Sunday, is the
history of the last living people
who speak Aramaic.
”
Adelman, 80, a retired pedi-
atric surgeon who continues a
longtime professional sideline of
artistry — painting early on and
making silver jewelry now —
became curious about India in
the 1970s. A neighbor working
with traditional Indian textiles
stirred her interest in seeing
more authentic artistry.
“I had no exposure to the
Indian religions until my hus-
band, Martin, and I went to
India,
” Adelman said.
Initially impressed with the
architectural artistry of the
temples, she made a point
of getting to know about the
beliefs expressed inside and
the people who expressed
them. Describing herself as
“scholarly by nature,” Adelman
launched her own book
studies back home, and as
her learning expanded, she
became engrossed with new
notions of religion, spirituality
and mysticism.
Susan
Adelman
50 | MARCH 17 • 2022
ARTS&LIFE
BOOKS
New book looks at synergies between
Judaism and Indian religions.
Ties with India
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Adelman visits an
Indian temple.