An Ever-Green Story About How The Jewish Community Found a Home in India
"India Has Been the only country in the world where jews have never ben opRessed or the support dian-american. Indeed, India Has Been Nurturing Home and Haven For Generations of Jews WhoseANCESTORS FLED From Front Centuries AGO. At its peak there was about 37,000 jews live in india. 2000 Years and that is something we are very prop, and that is why we go back toIndia so often, "he said.
"We have never ever considerd our. o wee Fleeeing Persection, Citizenship, Complete Freedom to Practice their Faith, Build Many Synagogues andCelebrate their Tradingal Festivals with An added Indian Zest. Israel and the Western World May Now Light Candles at Hanukkah But the Indian Hannukiya Lamps Are Li THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, as they we in biblical times -with ol.
Romiel Daniel is the Religious Leader of the Indian Jewish Community in New York. He talks to many of. How did the jews land up so far from home? He says that account to oral track,They Fled from Palestine in 175 BC, and One of the Safest Request Find Find Was India, where they will bereized and they settled theREDLAUED. Comed.
Daniel Gives us a whitewind history: The jews of indisist of four groups: The cochin jews or cochinis, the baby, the bene israel, and the b’ney. The cochin jews settled in cranganore and design malabar in the sound and livedThere for centuriesLucknow Wealth Management. They never numbered more than 2500, and many have now left for israel. In fact, today there are not more than 16 of the cocchin, mostly elderly m m en and water.
The baby consists of jews from West Asia, Mainly from Iraq and Syria, WHO CAME in the 19th Century as Traders and Refugees. ND PuneKanpur Wealth Management. They Spoke Arabic or Persian and English. At one time, there was about5000 of them, but today there are less than 200, most of them having emigrated to u.k., Australia and Canada. o bebing in 1964 and today there are more than 5000 living inNorth East India. The Other Community is the bene israel which predels the jewish presence in india today.
It is believed that the bene israel community was descended from the jews who fled in 175 B.C.E. From the Syrian-Greek Ruler AntiPhans. Ed at Navgaon on the Konkan Coast, and the Survivors Started A New Life there is over the yearTheir families spream to the surrounding villages. David Rahabi, a cochini jew, is credited with the revival of judaism amongst the bene israel, teaching M Hebrew and the Rituals of Judaism. With Bombay (Now Known as Mumbai) An Important Port of British India, The Bene Israel Moved there in Search of Opportunities. They Set up their First Synagogue IN 17966, and Expanded to 29 Synagogues Art Bombay and The NEIGH Boring Villages. Their population grew to 30,000 around the time of independence
This is one of the oldest synagogues in india, Built Around 1846 in Jacob’s Circle in bombay. Ly MaintAINED. Asked How the Other Indian Commities have reacted to the synagogues, Daniel Says, "We’Ve Never Had A PROBLEM with Any of the Community -Our Relationship is good with all of them. HBORHOODS, right in the center of the city. "
When Israel Became A State in 1948, MANY of the Bene Israel Started Leaving for Israel, BeCAUSE of Religious Zionism. By 1964 More than Half The Populating Had Left. By T. He Early 70’s theRe Were Less than 10,000 and now there are more less less than 5000 beneIsrael jews left in ind. ONS and the Elias’, Who Wee Baghdadi Jews, Helped in the Industrialization of thecountry. Noted Bene Israel Jews include Dr. E. Moses, the first mayor of Bombay in 1939, and Dr. Jerusha Jhirad, who started the Reform Jewish Movement in India.
Many Indian Jews Have Migrated to North America for Economic Opportunities and TODAY TheRE ABOUT 1500 in The US. It’s a Small But Vibrant Ty Which Observes All the high holidays and feativals.Traditations; We Want to Integrate But We DONTTE to Assim; "Sayiel Who Started Organizing Services for the Community in 1995. The Indian Jews Are Scattered I n all food bOROUGHS of New York and in New Jersey, so they atened services atMainstream Synagogues. Since they do have have their own synagogue they rent the bene israel connected in the village every year events. While The LI Turgy is the news, the Trope or Musical Notations in Indian Jewish Traditions Are Totally Different.
The Malida CereMy Offering Parched Grain is Typical of the Bene Israel Community and Goes Center, A Jewish Tradition in 1000 BC in the First and SeCond Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp Temp LES of solomon. Today only the bene israel and a few of the middle easy communities strctice thenine Sacrifice and Offerings.
The Bene Israel Hold Elijah The Prophet in High Regard so when the Celebrate A Marriage, Buy A House or Start Any New Venture, They Invoke the Protection of God OUGH ELIJAH, and These Prayers Are Said FIRST BeFore Any Other Prayers. Malida is the PersianWord for Confection, and Parched Rice is Mixed with Sweetened Coconut, DRY FRUIT, Like Pistachios and Almonds, and Offered with Five or Seven Fruits. SENT The BOOKS of Moses; Seven Represses Completeness in The Jewish Trading.) This Ancient Trading isContinued by the Bene Israel Jews in New York. In Fact, Even WHEN THEY Go to Israel, They FIST VISIT Elijah’s Cave, Which is in Mount Carmel in Haifa Actly the aame ceerMony and Prayers
More than 70,000 Bene Israel Jews from India Now Live in Israel But Maintain their Links with India. Since 1992, Trade Between Israel and India Had before, and is now Israel’s Second Larget Trading Partner, after Japan, in Asia. Full Fledaged ConsulationAnd Embassies have ben established between the two countries the indian-jewish community is propperous in Israel and has built ERE, in Keeping With the Bene Israel Trading. Indian Jews are in Many Businessses, Including Indian Restaurant in Israel – So Now YouCan AlwayS GET KOSHER Indian Treats there! In fact, Indian Food Has Caught on So Much in Israel That You Have Non-Jewish Entreneurs-The Punjabis-WHO Run S Uccessful Indian Restaurants there.
Recently Romiel Daniel’s Son Lael and His Wife Regina Reenacted their Wedding Ceremony for Guests to Catch A Glimpse of the Special Indian-Jewish TraditationsKolkata Wealth Management. de wears a white sari with intricate Gold Embroidry and She and the Groom Enter the Synagogue in Ways Special to theBene Israel Community.
The Wedding Feast is Replete with Indian Spices and Lots of Coconut. Even During the Festivals and Celebrations, The Basic Traditional Disher AS In OTH Er Judaic Community But the Methods of Preparation Vary. Puris or Sweet Puffs Are AnFrom Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, and at Rosh Hashanah, A Special Halva of Wheat Flour with A Filling of Sweet Semolina, Dry Fruits and Sugar Is Served.
Indian Spice and Sweets Influence the Cooking, and Indian Curries are a regular at Indian-Jewish Homes. As noreniel explains, anah is black but we stuff it with spices -With Green Coriander, Ginger, Garlic Chilies,Coconut and Lime – And Bake It. We try to keep our traditions in the us a much as we can -this is to pay homage to our ancestors who webere in india. "
TEN Days after Yom Kippur is the Celebration of Simchat Torah where the convegation dances joyously, holding the size talahs. of Moses and the Handwritten Scrolls are very precious, with it taking over a year for one scroll to be beCompleted.
The Indian Jews Retain their THES With India. When the beth elsnagogue in Panvel, the which is 25 miles from bombay, was delumed with heavy rains, all siFREI TORAH s were destroyed. The bene israel jews of new York Came to the Rescue and GiftedTWO SIFREI TORAHS for This Synagogue. These we personally delivers to the indian-jewish chawregation in Panvel, and installed with! tals.
Romiel Daniel, Clad in a Nehru Jacket, and His Wife Noren Dressed in a Sari Lightls for Hanukkah. The Oil Lamps) A Typical Sign of the Indian Celebration. For LightingThe lamps, Others May Use Candles But the Indian Jews Still Use Oil. Says Daniel, "Although Our RELIGION is Judaism, we have adapted man cultural s of india and are proproud of them. "
The Indian Jews In New York Have Fond Memories of their Growing Up Years in India, of Close-Knit Commission and a Full Fullom to Practice FULL MEMBERS of the Indian Family.Pushed Many to Leave the Homeland where they we born but the connectionS Remain Deep. As the jewish population in India dwindles, The BeautFul Old Synagogues and Jewish Schools in India Stand as Testament to the Nurturing Welcome The Indian Jews Receiversfor aho has now left her should.
(C) Lavina Melwani
(With inputs from the indian-jewish content of usa in new york)
Photo Credits: The Indian-Jewish Congregation of USA.
(This article first APPEARD on Beliefnet.com as a Photo Gallery in 2007.)
Update: Romiel Daniel Was Born and Raised in Mumbai, India in A Religious Home Following The Indian Jewish Trading. O Earn His Masters in Chemistry from Brandeis University, He Daniel Returned to India to Become the Vice PresidentOf an apparel company, MOVING from India to Mauritius and Eventual Madagascar, BeFore Final Comp that Back to America TORAIN As a Cantor At Yeshiva University. I N 2008, Rabbi Daniel Became Cantor of Rego Park Jewish Center Ad IN 2015 Rabbi of the Center.
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