Indian jewry has three main communitiesthe bene israel, the cochin jews, and the baghdadis. According to their own legend, they are descended from jews who fled persecutions in palestine in the 2d cent. The community traces its origin to jews who escaped to india to avoid persecution in galilee in the 2nd century bce. And israel is facing the greatest dangers in her brief history. The bene israels population at their height was perhaps 30000 in india and that was in the 1950s. Information is gathered from various sources including mr. Preservation of jewish, indian customs on display in freehold. The world library list, around the world one book from each country, books on the israel palestine conflict, bes. Initially, baghdadi bene israel relations had been positive, but the baghdadis in bombay, where the bene israel were concentrated, gradually drew away from the nativeborn community.
A history offers a comprehensive account of the development and rise of the state of israel from the development of political zionism in the mid1800s to the aftermath of the peace process following the assassination of yitzhak rabin in 1995. Persia, afghanistan, tibet and into china for 1,600 years before arriving in southern india more than 1,000 years ago. Bene israelis, the ancient jewish community of india. The only other indian or pakistani population except cochin jews and bene israel showing evidence for a recent admixture was the pakistani hazara, in accordance with their oral tradition of being an admixed population with east asian mongol origin around the time of genghis khan and with previous genetic studies zerjal et al. All those interested in archaeology and history of the land of israel during the bronze and iron ages, as well as biblical scholars. Big choice of books on israel history holy land book. The history of the bene israel of india by hyeem samuel kehimkar.
Doubtful about the jewish status and religious observance of the bene israel, they were also anxious to protect their status in european society in india. The book covers more than 100 years of history from colonial india through independence, the creation of israel and the emigration of the majority of the population to israel. Israelpalestine history, middle eastern history, books. Sons of israel the largest and oldest of several groups of jews of india. The original tradition, as related to christian missionaries early in the 19 th century, is that the bene israel are the descendants of the survivors seven men and seven women of a shipwreck off the konkan coast at navgaon, about 26 miles south of bombay. Haeem samuel kehimkar, one of the notable beneisraeli jews, historians and author of the book the history of the bene israel who wrote extensively on the community, mentions varied theories from different sources about the origin of the bene israel. Bene israel studies in the archaeology of israel and the levant during the bronze and iron ages in honour of israel finkelstein. This collection of twelve papers, dedicated to professor israel finkelstein, deals with various aspects concerning the archaeology of israel and the levant during the bronze and iron ages. Samsons argument for bene israel arrival in india at some time between 740 and 500 b. Jan, 2014 israel is the only ally we have which regularly fights our shared enemies on our behalf instead of vice versa. The most authoritative book written about the community. The bene israel arrived at navgaon, in konkan region, on the west coast of india near the twin rocks of andheri undheri when they were struck by a storm in the arabian sea. The 2,200year history of indias bene israel jews began with seven shipwrecked couples a new book examines the communitys heritage and origins through a series of stunning photographs.
The bene israel jewish community from west india is a unique population whose history before the 18 th century remains largely unknown. This first edition, signed by david bengurion is available at bauman rare books. Preservation of jewish, indian customs on display in. Travel, archaeology, technology, literature and more. Although the area under discussion runs from southeastern turkey alalakh down to the arid zones of the negev desert, the main emphasis is on the land of israel. Holy books from israel for both the serious bible student seeking a clearer understanding of the roots of christianity and everyone interested in the history, culture and events that shaped the holy land.
This 2008 edition also includes new chapters covering the period from 2000 to. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Aden already amongst the beneisrael amongst the jews ancestors ancient arabia arabic babylonia benisraelite beneisrael of bombay benjamin of tudela black jews bombay gazeteer bombay presidency briihl burnell census century cheul china christian colour community of jews cranganore customs descendants ernakulam existed fast feast festival. The community claims that their ancestors reached indian shores some 2,000 years ago. Big choice of books on israel history holy land book christian. Sep 22, 2017 history in images the 2,200year history of indias bene israel jews began with seven shipwrecked couples a new book examines the communitys heritage and origins through a series of stunning. It is hard to know what to read, when there are hundreds of books on israel covering every topic imaginable. The calcutta jews, unlike the cochin jews or the bene israelis.
Aden already amongst the bene israel amongst the jews ancestors ancient arabia arabic babylonia benisraelite bene israel of bombay benjamin of tudela black jews bombay gazeteer bombay presidency briihl burnell census century cheul china christian colour community of jews cranganore customs descendants ernakulam existed fast feast festival. He has published extensively on interactions between the aegean and the levant during the second millennium bce. Many thousands of others have settled in israel since 1948. This standard history of the bene israel, written at the end of the nineteenth century although published forty years later by a leading member of the community, refers throughout the book to the roles and practices of bene israel women in that period. Haeem samuel kehimkars book the history of the bene israel jews of india. Sadia shepard is a new york citybased documentary filmmaker and author of the girl from foreign, a memoir that traces the history of her grandmother to bene israel, a small, jewish community in india, and uncovers the disparate influences and. It has been suggested that it is made up of descendants of one of the disputed lost tribes and ancestors who had settled there centuries ago. Each location provides a cross section of indian jewish culture and history. Biblical studies, ancient near east and early christianity ebooks online. In 1838, for example, the total bene israel population of india was estimated at 8,000, far more than the combined numbers of baghdadi and cochin jews. Believed by tradition to have shipwrecked on the konkan coast of western india more than 2,100 years ago, they were absorbed into indian society. The zumbar was used by the bene israel on holidays.
All but seven couples survived and the bene israel community is the descendents of those seven couples. Here are five books which can help you to understand israels complex history and serious challenges. Bene israel studies in the archaeology of israel and the. In 1951 a small number of the bene israel claimed discrimination and demanded repatriation.
Researchers assume the move from the middle east to india was accomplished mainly by men who arrived and married local women, possibly after their conversion. Some books on display are more than a century old, such as a bible written in marathi, a language spoken in western india, from which perrys grandmother used to tell him stories. Religious development was also very much facilitated for the bene israel by translations of the old testament by an association of protestant christian missionaries of all denominations beginning in the early twenties of the 19 th century. Although the bene israel resemble the nonjewish maratha people in appearance and customs, they have maintained the practices of jewish dietary laws, circumcision and observation of sabbath as a day of rest. Study finds genetic connection between indian bene israel. The jews of india jews of india history of the jews. The bene israel community has lived in india for the past 2,000 years, but unlike the.
He narrates that the jews came to india some two thousand years ago from palestine through egypt via the red sea. A treatise on the origin and early history of the beniisrael of maharashtra state shellim samuel. The most famous of these legends takes you to a small village called sagaon in east raigad district near alibaug. At a point in history which is uncertain, an indian jew from cochin named david rahabi. In his book, the history of the bene israel of india, kehimkar theorizes that. List of books and articles about jewish history online.
Discover librarianselected research resources on jewish history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Believed by tradition to have shipwrecked on the konkan coast of western india more than 2,100 years ago, they were absorbed into indian society, maintaining many jewish observances while operating within the caste system. Studies in the archaeology of israel and the levant during the bronze and iron ages in honour of israel finkelstein culture and history of the ancient near east by alexander fantalkin author, assaf yasurlandau author. The 5000 people strong bene israelis or children of israel are a fascinating albeit fast dwindling community that has clutched on to its history and legends along the coast near mumbai. Study finds genetic connection between indian bene israel and. The bene ephraim claim descent from the tribe of ephraim, and say that they traveled from israel through western asia. This site was developed to expose indian jews to hebraic literature for deeper understanding and for making a better use of the literature. Eight best books israel here is our list of recommended books on everything to do with israel. The genetics of bene israel from india reveals both. Books on israel travel, history, art, christianity, archaeology and so on, not to mention the prickly topic of israel wars and. According to their tradition, their ancestors were shipwrecked off the konkan coast and lost all their holy books. The beneisrael arrived at navgaon, in konkan region, on the west coast of india near the twin rocks of andheri undheri when they were struck by a storm in the arabian sea. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. This readable study, full of vivid details of everyday life, looks in depth at the religious life of the jewish community in cochin, the bene israel from the remote konkan coast near bombay, and the baghdadi jews, who migrated to indian port cities and flourished under the british raj.
She also made significant contributions in the field of education in western india, serving on many. Bene israel members consider themselves as descendants of jews, yet the identity of jewish ancestors and their arrival time to india are unknown, with speculations on arrival time varying between the 8th century bce and the 6th. The most exciting part of these books is that people with limited hebrew knowledge will be able to sound like native hebrew speakers with minimal effort. The bene israel communitys integration into israeli society was not easy. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Indian jewish community in israel hitory of bene israel. The 2,200year history of indias bene israel jews began with. The bene israel community in india and in israel today hebrew edition kollet, shimeon on. The history of jews in pakistan dates at least as far back as 1839. A smaller community of jews also lived in peshawar. The bene israel sons of israel, also the shanivar teli caste saturday oil presser caste or native jew caste are a community of jews in india.
Kehimkar history of the bene israel of india 1937 written in 1897. Later, in the light of the study of the bible, of other jewish literature, of ancient history sources relating to india, the middle east, etc. Sophie judah is a living treasure in our bene israel community, and her stories are whimsical, truthful and playful all at the same time. Books on israel travel, history, art, christianity, archaeology and so on, not to mention the prickly topic of israel wars and conflict with its neighbors. The cochin jews of kerala, the bene israels of gujarat and maharashtra, particularly in bombay and poona and the baghdadi jews of bombay and calcutta, have left behind a rich heritage in the indian cities where they settled. Since the 1950s most of the bene israel have immigrated to israel, and some to english speaking countries like australia and england. In mumbai formerly bombay, its possible to see a handful of bene israel and baghdadi synagogues. The text was developed in a way to produce a rhythmic flow, while allowing the reader to pronounce each letter, word, and vowel with great ease. They had lost all their prayer books and scrolls in the shipwreck. A treatise on the origin and early history of the beni. In 1838, for example, the total bene israel population of india was estimated at 8,000. Yet they have left their distinct mark in the economic, commercial, socio cultural history of india. What five books should you read to be an educated jew.
Though, the bene israel have never been a rich community, they have by indian standards, been ranked as moderately well off. A comprehensive inquiry and sourcebook shirley berry. Each hebrew text was accompanied by a parallel translation into marathi, for the first time giving the bene israel access to a wide range of jewish texts. The bene israel claim that they are members of lost tribes that reached india as long ago as 175 b. Kehimkar history of the bene israel of india 1937 written in 1897 favored the theory that the ancestors of the bene israel left the galilee because of persecutions by antiochus epiphanes 175163 b. All but seven couples survived and the beneisrael community is the descendents of those seven couples. Various estimates suggest that there were about 1,000 jews to 2,500 living in karachi at the beginning of the twentieth century, mostly bene israel jews from maharashtra, india.
The bene israel community in india and in israel today hebrew edition. The 2,200year history of indias bene israel jews began. Kehimkar history of the bene israel of india 1937 written in 1897 favored the theory that. Israel is the only ally we have which regularly fights our shared enemies on our behalf instead of vice versa. A good number of books and articles relating to the studies on the bene israel community in india have. In konkan, bene israels synagogues down from 300 to 20. Study finds genetic connection between indian bene israel and middle eastern jews. Studies in the archaeology of israel and the levant during the bronze and iron ages in honour of israel finkelstein culture and history of the ancient near east 9789004152823.
Sadia shepard is a new york citybased documentary filmmaker and author of the girl from foreign, a memoir that traces the history of her grandmother to bene israel, a small, jewish community in india, and uncovers the disparate influences and cultures that have shaped her family. Jun 12, 2019 the book covers more than 100 years of history from colonial india through independence, the creation of israel and the emigration of the majority of the population to israel. Bene israel article about bene israel by the free dictionary. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. This is because of the mass migration to israel and elsewhere, which was much more from konkan initially, followed by exodus from bigger cities in the late 1960s to the first half of 1970s, says punebased dr irene judah, who has written the book evolution of the bene israels and their synagogues in the konkan. She organized activities for the bene israel stree mandal womens association and the progressive jewish religious union. Good choise of books on israel history at the best price. These bene israel scholars published marathi translations of classic hebrew texts, jewish prayer books, rabbinical commentaries, and sermons. The bene israel have always been the largest of the three jewish communities in india. Tel aviv university, is an assistant professor of archaeology and history at the department of history, university of california.
1138 816 1433 451 155 624 242 644 1370 19 437 682 1499 414 1532 366 886 495 1092 1275 27 1389 686 349 1039 49 983 532 108 1215 564 366 877 872 594 232 446 934 248 1265