Book tour: Experiences of the Jamatkhana

Dr Aliaa Remtilla continues her North American book tour, engaging with the Jamat in Texas and Georgia. Expanding on her book, Experiences of the Jamatkhana: Stories of the East African Jamat, Dr Remtilla shares her personal experiences and her family’s journey.  “The history and immigration [of the East African Jamat] have always been a mystery for me,” one Jamati member notes, “she explained it well and was very engaging.” Dr Remtilla participated enthusiastically in Q&As as part of ITREB USA’s Reading Circle (an adult RE initiative). “The speaker kept it real and shared her own personal experiences and stories,” said another Jamati member.

Photos are provided by ITREB USA and The.Ismaili USA

Nearly 97% of Jamati members polled said this book was personally interesting to them, and some said it taught them aspects of their own history that they didn’t know before. “[I liked learning the] history of the Jamat and how it relates to my family’s migration,” commented another Jamati member.

Dr Remtilla will continue her tour through Alabama, New York and across Canada, sharing her experiences exploring East Africa and the Jamat’s history there. She relates many stories from her life, her family, and many Ismailis she’s met along her travels in her new book: Experiences of the Jamatkhana: Stories from the East African Jamat. This is the second book in IIS's Living Ismaili Traditions series, which seeks to highlight the personal experiences of the Jamat around the world. In the first book in the series, Ismaili Festivals: Stories of Celebration, Dr Shiraz Kabani takes us on a journey of celebration and self-reflection, sharing his own personal experiences.