The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories: Seeking Jewish Narrative All Over the World

Two and a half millennia ago, a small party of Jews explored new trading routes for King Solomon, settled in the south of India, and lived there peacefully until today. Similarly, during the ancient Roman period, many Jewish merchants traveled to China over the Silk Route and some made it their permanent home. Also, before the Edict of Expulsion in 1492, Sicily was home to over 50 Jewish communities, possibly numbering 50,000 people. So, how did the Diaspora bring these wandering Jews to so many places around the globe? And why did Jews live happily in India and China for centuries and not experience antisemitism, while the story of the Jews in Europe went from persecutions and massacres to unspeakable horrors of the ? Finally, why do we see the rise of and violence again in the 21st century? You will find answers to these questions and much more in the current edition of Irene Shaland's artfully illustrated book . She collected these fascinating stories while visiting ten countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa and interviewing the locals in their homes, synagogues, and even cemeteries. Now, Irene Shaland's book, replete with her husband's photos, takes you on your own exciting journey of discovery from and the to , from and , and from to Stalinist .