________________
FEATURES
he is not a child, takes a large gulp of wine from his mother's glass, before shuddering in silence. The head of the table then leads his family and friends to the utility room. Sarah and Louise, both three, enthusiastically raise their index fingers to their mouths, motioning everyone to remain silent. Taking Jonty's lead, everyone washes their hands and return to their seats at the dining table. Paul, a ten-year-old with a penchant for melodrama, grunts and stares wildly at little Louise, who is unwittingly holding her middle finger up to show the guests they are still not allowed to talk
meant," the cacophony of crying in the background begins to subside. "is that I thought Jains don't stay out after sunset because they don't want to hurt the tiny creatures that come out at night?" Jonty and Rita hold hands under the table, collectively praying their son has not offended their guests.
They sit down and look silently at the West Pier. Jwala's bottom lip begins to quiver. Arati wraps her daughter under her wing, grateful for her kind heart and inquisitive nature. Never again, she thinks, will she apologise for her daughter.
Jwala explains that Orthodox Jains do not eat after sunset for several reasons including the one Mark stated, but there is nothing in the Jain tradition related to staying out at night. Arati kindly praises Mark for asking the question. If he didn't ask, she states, he wouldn't have known any better.
Sarah and Louise Goldman are tucked up in bed, dreaming of tiny creatures of the night called Jane. Paul mournfully walks downstairs in his pyjamas with his head bowed and apologises to his parents. Rita and Jonty kiss him goodnight. Mark ridicules his little brother for his wimpish behaviour and is promptly sent to bed himself.
Jwala and Arati sit respectfully, mesmerised and touched by the rituals being performed before them. Jonty then lifts the cover off the bread, says a prayer and passes a piece to each of his guests. Paul waves across the table to Jwala and Arati and proclaims, a little louder than necessary, "It's ok, you can talk now." By this time, Jwala was practically bursting with curiosity. "What was that language you were praying in, what is the month of Av, what do the candles mean, why do you eat so late...?"
Following the after dinner prayers, the ten-year-olds' tantrum, several songs and a reciprocated question and answer session, the friends part company, having made arrangements to see each other the following week. The Goldman's stand at the door to wave good-bye; Sarah and Louise cling on to their father's legs stubbornly fighting sleep, while Mark stands arm in arm with his mum just behind them. Paul watches from his bedroom window with his bottom lip defiantly erect.
Rita and Jonty sit in each other's arms on the living room sofa. They have bellies full of vegetarian delights. Their ears still resonate with the sapiential sound-bites from their new friends. Their interfaith meal has somehow infused them with empathy and faith. Tisha B'Av, the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, is a day of mourning and remembrance. We must remember, Jonty muses, to show respect and to move forwards with a clearer perspective. Rita smiles and says softly, "I will always remember tonight." •
"Please excuse my daughter; she has a habit of asking question after question." "That's OK, Arati," Jonty replies knowingly. "After all, that's how we learn."
Jwala and Arati turn right on to Kings Road and
walk
Simon Cohen is passionate about inter-faith friendship. For more details on inter faith eating, please visit www.faithandfood.com or www.globaltolerance.com
Hi, I'm Jane
I'm Jane
too!
hlustration:
The guests enjoy a wonderful vegetarian meal. Rita reassures Arati that it was really no effort to prepare a Jain-friendly meal, as during the first nine days of Av, observant Jews refrain from eating meat and drinking wine (except for on the Sabbath) and there were plenty of vegetables in the house. Jonty recalls his Kings Road trek in the sun, but says nothing. Rita goes on to say that the other restrictions on ingredients encouraged her to be more creative in the kitchen and she actually really enjoyed it.
Me too
My name is Jane
Hayden Peek, hayden peek@hotmail.com
too!
m
I'm Jane as well
Jane
mane
This predictably leads to a further inquisition from Jwala. Before Rita can answer, Mark interjects, "Don't you have to be going soon?" "Mark Goldman, how DARE you?" Jonty is usually a mild mannered man and considers himself to be a pacifist (something, he discovers later that evening, consistent with the Jain principle of ahimsa) but the severity of his tone incites floods of tears: first from Sarah and then Louise. Realising that his turn of phrase sounded far from hospitable, Mark continues, "What
What coincidence, I am
called Janel
serenely along the Esplanade. The beach is now deserted and only the whisper of waves and the occasional car break the silence of the night. They look to their left. The lights of the Palace Pier look more beautiful than ever. The warm summer breeze then shifts their attention towards the bench where Jwala had met Jonty.
MI ma
0.01
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
My name 18 Jane too!
Janetowyway.com
SU
