The Israelis Are Coming

The Kulu-Manali valley, nestled in the Himalayas, is one of India’s most popular vacation spots. The Valley of Flowers is breathtaking in its majestic beauty. Over the past 15 years, old Manali village in the valley has been facing a yearly summer invasion. The Israelis are not just coming; they are already here.

The overcrowded-yet-quaint cafes along the Beas River have steadily emerged as the new paradise to which almost 70,000 Jews, most of them from Israel, annually migrate for an uninterrupted treat of drugs, rock 'n roll and nirvana.

Most of the Israelis are in their twenties, having just completed their compulsory, three-year military service. I suppose one cannot blame them for letting their hair down. This usually comprises getting high at wild rave and trance parties – which is not too difficult here. In the dense forests surrounding the valley, one can get an endless supply of Malana Cream. For the uninitiated, Malana Cream has, time and again, been rated as the best hashish in the world at the annual Amsterdam Cannabis competition. (They have a Cannabis competition?)

From April to September, the place is so packed with Israelis that no other tourists want to go there. And the locals have quickly adapted to the new reality. Shop signs are displayed in Hebrew, rather than English or the traditional Hindi, while the predominant chatter on the street, even among locals, is in Hebrew. Cafes along the step gradient serve couscous and other exotic Mediterranean dishes. The many German bakeries, with menus in Hebrew, have become meeting places for many Israelis; and serve mid-West food. Even auto-rickshaws sport Hebrew signs. The town even boasts a synagogue, complete with rabbis, who come down every summer to try and keep their flock from going over the top.

Not all shopkeepers and local residents are thrilled at the Israeli invasion, however. Many say they prefer other foreign tourists. The word on the street is that Israeli backpackers are misers. They bargain over everything, even a cup of tea. Maybe a few hundred high-rolling American Jews need to come there, to salvage the reputation of their co-religionists.

Personally, I admire the Jews; and count them among my close friends – and verily I say unto them: Shalom.