Sweet Malida: Memories of a Bene Israel Woman

by Zilka Joseph

Indian Jewish history, food, culture, journeys, childhood memories, and legends – in poetry as well as in prose – celebrate a community, the Bene Israel (“sons of Israel”). This community is relatively unknown even inside India, even though they probably arrived, according to genetic tests, sometime between the 8th and the 6th centuries BC.

And “malida” is the name of a dish that is typical of Indian Jewish cuisine, but also the name of a celebration or ceremony (e.g. a marriage). Each such occasion is an excellent example of the coming together of Jewish and Indian customs in the community – the dish itself blends Indian and Jewish cuisine traditions, while the celebration adds music and dance.

Members of the Bene Israel community held important positions in the Raj, and in the Indian Defence Forces, distinguishing themselves also in the world of Indian culture – e.g., in Bollywood, as actresses/actors, producers, and directors.

Zilka Joseph won a Best Indie Book Award, was nominated thrice for a Pushcart award, and has been a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book Award, for a PEN award, for a Griffin award, and for the National Book Award. She was the University of Michigan’s Zell Fellow (MFA program) as well as Elsie Choy Lee Scholar (Centre for the Education of Women). Previous books: What Dread, Lands I Live In, Sharp Blue Search Of Flame, and In Our Beautiful Bones. Born in Mumbai, she lived in Kolkata, and now lives in Ann Arbor, USA.

Sweet Malida: Memories of a Bene Israel Woman is published for Canada and the USA by Mayapple Press (Woodstock, NY, USA) in February, 2024;  and published for the rest of the world by Pippa Rann Books, U.K. on 14 November 2024

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Sweet Malida: Memories of a Bene Israel Woman is published for Canada and the USA by Mayapple Press (Woodstock, NY, USA) in February, 2024;  and published for the rest of the world by Pippa Rann Books, U.K. on 14 November 2024.

“Deeply moving” — Nancy Naomi Carlson, professor, poet, translator, USA

“A rich, multilayered portrait of the Bene Israel—and of herself” — Dr. Joan G. Roland, Professor, Pace University, New York City.

“Evocative and skillfully crafted” — Menka Shivdasani, poet, editor, author, and Founder of the Poetry Circle, Mumbai, India

“Steeped in rich imagery and keen insight, Joseph’s poems make for a fascinating journey of faith, family, and culture” — Kirkus Reviews

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“Sweet Malida is Joseph’s fine artistic expression of a life’s unfolding, assimilation, and transformation” – review by Carole Mertz https://heavyfeatherreview.org/2024/11/25/sweet-malida/

Excerpt from the book: The Laadu Makers: My Mother and Grandmother’s Legacy | Jewish Book Council

Interview with Zilka Joseph: https://jwa.org/programs/bookclub/zilka-joseph

Zilka Joseph featured in the January 2024 Washtenaw Jewish News: http://mayapplepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Zilka-Joseph-Sweet-Malida-Janurary-2024-WJN-article.pdf

Article in Pulp (Ann Arbor local mag):  https://pulp.aadl.org/node/626774 https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/the-laadu-makers-my-mother-and-grandmothers-legacy

Essay by Zilka Joseph: https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/in-my-bones

NPR interview (look down the page to just below the big headline, below which there is a line “stateside staff”, below which is the button that needs to be clicked, then fast forward to the section starting at 1325) https://www.michiganpublic.org/show/stateside/2024-02-07/stateside-wednesday-feb-7-2024