Who Are the Jews of India?Of all the Diaspora communities, the Jews of India are among the least known and most interesting. 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. Who Are the Jews of India? is the first integrated, comprehensive work available on all three of India's Jewish communities. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Nathan Katz brings together methods and insights from religious studies, ritual studies, anthropology, history, linguistics, and folklore, as he discusses the strategies each community developed to maintain its Jewish identity. Based on extensive fieldwork throughout India, as well as close reading of historical documents, this study provides a striking new understanding of the Jewish Diaspora and of Hindu civilization as a whole. |
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Arabic Baghdadi Jews became Bene Israel Bene-Israel bimah blessing Bombay Bombay's brahmin bride brit milah Calcutta caste celebration century Cheraman Perumal Christians Cochin Jews Cochin Synagogue Cohen community's conversation with author Cranganore culture customs David Sassoon Diaspora Dutch Eliahu Hanabi Elias European festival Fischel gogue Halachah halachic Hallegua Hebrew Hindu History Holy Ibid identity India's Bene Israel Indian Jewish Indian Jews Isenberg Jerusalem Jew Town Jewish Jewish community Jewry Jews in British Jews of Cochin Jews of India Joseph Rabban Judaic Judaism Katz and Goldberg Kehimkar Kerala king known Koder kohen Konkan Last Jews legend Malabar Malayalam Malida rite meshuchrarim meyuchasim milah minhag Musleah Muslim Nayars observances Paradesi Passover Pesach Portuguese prayer Rabbi Rahabi reference groups religion religious ritual Salem Sattu schools Sephardic Shabbat Shingly Simchat Torah social songs status story subcastes symbols syna Tamil Temple Torah scrolls trade traditions unique wedding women