India

Information

CJC Vice President: Ralphy Jhirad

Community Organisation: Council of Indian Jewry

Demography

The Jewish population in India is approximately 4,800. The largest community is in Mumbai with smaller congregations in Kolkota, New Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi. They are well assimilated whilst maintaining their heritage and customs.

History

Jews have lived in India for hundreds of years; the first date back to the 9th century BCE and were members of the lost tribes of Israel.

3 different communites formed in 3 different regions: The Cochin Jews (South West India), The Bene Israel Jews (Mumbai region), The Baghdad Jews (Kolkota region).

The Cochin Jewish community was established in 1524 in Southern India. The had the favour of regional rulers at the time. The Spanish Inquisition resulted in the expusion of Jews from Iberia. The Pardesi Jews fled to Southern India. However, shortly after, the region was under Portuguese rule and they were persecuted once more until in 1660, the region became a Dutch colony.

The Bene Israel community was established around what is now Mumbai and Karachi (Pakistan). They assimilated and lost their Jewish practices, but teachers arrived from Baghdad and Cochin to teach them mainstream Judaism. In 1796, the first synagogue in Bombay was built, enabling the community to practice freely once again.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Jews arrived from the Middle East, North Africa and Spain in search of trading opportunities.

Baghdadi Jews, fleeing persecution in the 19th century from surrounding Muslim countries, arrived in India. This included the well known Sassoon family in 1832.

The communities grew and prospered through the 20th century.

During the Holocaust, 5,000 Jews sought refuge. Nehru, who became the first prime minister of India, worked to obtain visas for the refugees. Germans in India during WW2 were considered enemies and were interned in camps. This included German Jewish refugees. 

1,000 Polish children arrived on kindertransport via Tehran and Karachi in 1943, on their way to Palestine. 

Also during WW2, Baghdadi Jews living in Burma were threatened by the Japanese invasion and fled to India.

Following Indian independence in 1947, many Jews emigrated to Israel - they identified more as British than Indian and were therefore anxious about the new rule.

Public Life

Indian Jews have been involved in all aspects of public life, including government posts, economics and Bollywood.

Community Life

The main centre of Jewish life is in Mumbai, including the Council of Indian Jewry headquarters.

The majority of synagogues are in Mumbai, although there is the Shaar Hashamaim Synagogue and mikveh in Thane, and communities in Thrissur, Pune, Kerala, Kochi and Kottareddipalem.

The Kochi (Cochin) synagogue is a heritage landmark. 

All the synagogues have cemeteries attached to them.

There are also four Chabad houses in India.

There is no resident rabbi in India.

The main practice is Orthodox Sephardic combined with local customs.

Kashrut

Kosher food is available, especially in Mumbai. 

Education

There are a few Jewish schools in India offering general education and Hebrew/Torah learning.

Pre-barmitzvah extracurricular programmes are taught.

There is no yeshivah or rabbinical studies opportunity in India.

Youth

There are some local youth groups run, affiliated to the Council of Indian Jewry.

Media

The Bene Israel community publish infrequent newspapers and journals.

Affiliations

American Jewish Joint Distribution

B'nai B'rith

Commonwealth Jewish Council

Euro-Asian Jewish Congress

Hadassah

ORT

World Jewish Congress

WIZO

Zionist Association