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'''Indian ]s''' are a religious minority of ]. ] was one of the first religions to arrive in India and assimilate with local traditions through ]. The Jewish population in India is hard to estimate since each Jewish community is distinct with different origins; some arrived during the time of the ], others are descendants of Israel's ]. Of the total Jewish population in India, about half live in ] and a quarter live in the city of ]. Unlike many parts of the world, Jews have historically lived in India without ] from Indians (though they have been victims of anti-Semitism from the ] and the Christian ]). Anti-Semitism in India has manifested itself through the rhetoric of ] outfit ], who have declared Jews and Hindus to be enemies of ] .

In addition to Jewish members of various diplomatic corps, there are five native Jewish communities in ]:
#The ] arrived in India 2,500 years ago and settled down in ], ] as traders.
#The ] arrived in the state of ] 2,100 years ago.
#The ] arrived in the city Mumbai from Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, and Arab countries about 250 years ago.
#The ] are ] and ] tribesmen in ] and ] who claim descent from the tribe of ].
#The ] (also called '''Telugu Jews''') are a small group who speak ]; their observance of Judaism dates to ].
{{Jew}}
==Cochin Jews==
{{main|Cochin Jews}}
<!--
]n Jews in front of a ]. Jewish women in India dress in traditional Indian clothes like the ]]] -->

The oldest of the three Jewish communities, traders from ] and ] arrived in the city of ] 2,500 years ago. Assimilated with the local population, the community built synagogues and colonies there. The ], is a protected heritage site and is a popular tourist destination although it actually doesn't belong to the Cochin Jews, but rather to Pardesi Jews. There are currently 53 Cochin Jews in Kerala.

Also see ] and ].

==Bene Israel==
{{main|Bene Israel}}
The ] arrived 2,100 years ago after a shipwreck stranded seven Jewish families from ] at Navagaon near ], just south of Mumbai. The families multiplied and integrated with the local ] population adopting their language, dress and food. They were nicknamed the ''shanivār telī'' ("Saturday oil-pressers") by the local population as they abstained from work on Saturdays which is Judaism's ].
The Bene Israel claim a lineage to the ], which claims descent from ], the brother of ]. In ], a ] test confirmed that the Bene Israel share the same heredity as the Cohanim.

==Baghdadi Jews==
{{main|Baghdadi Jews}}
Despite the name, the ] are not exclusively of Iraqi origin: many came from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen as well. These Jews emigrated to ] around 250 years ago and settled down in the city of ]. They were traders and quickly became one of the highest earning communities in the city. As philanthropists, some of them donated their wealth to public structures. The David ] and a Sassoon Library are some of the famous landmarks still standing today.
<!--
] in Fort, ], ]]]
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As well as ], Baghdadi Jews spread to other parts of India, with an important community in ]. Scions of this community did well in trade (particularly ], but also ]) and, in later years, contributed officers to the army. One, Lt-Gen ] PVSM, becoming state governor of, first, ] and then ].
<!--
]]]
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== Bnei Menashe ==
{{main|Bnei Menashe}}
An estimated 9,000 people in the northeastern Indian states of ] and ] started practicing Judaism in the ], claiming to be descendants of the ]. They have since been recognized by Israel as a lost tribe.

== Bene Ephraim ==
{{main|Bene Ephraim}}
The Bene Ephraim are a small group of ]-speaking Jews in eastern ], whose recorded observance of Judaism, like that of the Bnei Menashe, is quite recent, in this going back only to ].

==Today==
Jews in India typically have not intermarried with ]s. In recent years, however, Indian Jewish Rabbis such as ] have presided over inter-faith marriage .The majority of Indian Jews have made ] to ] since the creation of the modern state in ].

==See also==
{{Asia in topic|History of the Jews in}}
* ] and ], Christian groups in India with strong historical ties to Judaism
* ]

==References==
* "Indian Jewish Heritage: Ritual, Art and Life-Cycle" Dr. Shalva Weil (ed). Mumbai: Marg Publications

==External links==
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{{Link FA|fr}}

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Revision as of 07:16, 27 November 2006

A map of India, showing the main areas of Jewish concentration.

Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first religions to arrive in India and assimilate with local traditions through cultural diffusion. The Jewish population in India is hard to estimate since each Jewish community is distinct with different origins; some arrived during the time of the Kingdom of Judah, others are descendants of Israel's Lost Ten Tribes. Of the total Jewish population in India, about half live in Mizoram and a quarter live in the city of Mumbai. Unlike many parts of the world, Jews have historically lived in India without anti-Semitism from Indians (though they have been victims of anti-Semitism from the Portuguese and the Christian Goa Inquisition). Anti-Semitism in India has manifested itself through the rhetoric of Islamist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, who have declared Jews and Hindus to be enemies of Islam .

In addition to Jewish members of various diplomatic corps, there are five native Jewish communities in India:

  1. The Cochin Jews arrived in India 2,500 years ago and settled down in Cochin, Kerala as traders.
  2. The Bene Israel arrived in the state of Maharashtra 2,100 years ago.
  3. The Baghdadi Jews arrived in the city Mumbai from Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, and Arab countries about 250 years ago.
  4. The Bnei Menashe are Mizo and Kuki tribesmen in Manipur and Mizoram who claim descent from the tribe of Menasseh.
  5. The Bene Ephraim (also called Telugu Jews) are a small group who speak Telugu; their observance of Judaism dates to 1981.
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Cochin Jews

Main article: Cochin Jews

The oldest of the three Jewish communities, traders from Judea and Israel arrived in the city of Cochin 2,500 years ago. Assimilated with the local population, the community built synagogues and colonies there. The synagogue in Cochin, is a protected heritage site and is a popular tourist destination although it actually doesn't belong to the Cochin Jews, but rather to Pardesi Jews. There are currently 53 Cochin Jews in Kerala.

Also see Paradesi Jews and Desi Jews.

Bene Israel

Main article: Bene Israel

The Bene Israel arrived 2,100 years ago after a shipwreck stranded seven Jewish families from Judea at Navagaon near Alibag, just south of Mumbai. The families multiplied and integrated with the local Maharashtrian population adopting their language, dress and food. They were nicknamed the shanivār telī ("Saturday oil-pressers") by the local population as they abstained from work on Saturdays which is Judaism's Shabbat. The Bene Israel claim a lineage to the Cohanim, which claims descent from Aaron, the brother of Moses. In 2002, a DNA test confirmed that the Bene Israel share the same heredity as the Cohanim.

Baghdadi Jews

Main article: Baghdadi Jews

Despite the name, the Baghdadi Jews are not exclusively of Iraqi origin: many came from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen as well. These Jews emigrated to India around 250 years ago and settled down in the city of Mumbai. They were traders and quickly became one of the highest earning communities in the city. As philanthropists, some of them donated their wealth to public structures. The David Sassoon Docks and a Sassoon Library are some of the famous landmarks still standing today. As well as Mumbai, Baghdadi Jews spread to other parts of India, with an important community in Kolkata. Scions of this community did well in trade (particularly jute, but also tea) and, in later years, contributed officers to the army. One, Lt-Gen J.F.R. Jacob PVSM, becoming state governor of, first, Goa and then Punjab.

Bnei Menashe

Main article: Bnei Menashe

An estimated 9,000 people in the northeastern Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur started practicing Judaism in the 1970s, claiming to be descendants of the Tribe of Manasseh. They have since been recognized by Israel as a lost tribe.

Bene Ephraim

Main article: Bene Ephraim

The Bene Ephraim are a small group of Telugu-speaking Jews in eastern Andhra Pradesh, whose recorded observance of Judaism, like that of the Bnei Menashe, is quite recent, in this going back only to 1981.

Today

Jews in India typically have not intermarried with gentiles. In recent years, however, Indian Jewish Rabbis such as Ezekiel Isaac Malekar have presided over inter-faith marriage .The majority of Indian Jews have made aliya to Israel since the creation of the modern state in 1948.

See also

History of the Jews in Asia
Sovereign states
States with
limited recognition
Dependencies and
other territories

References

  • "Indian Jewish Heritage: Ritual, Art and Life-Cycle" Dr. Shalva Weil (ed). Mumbai: Marg Publications

External links

Template:Link FA

Categories: