february 2018 editor tarun vijay associate editor sameer chandra creative director noah israel raj chilamakuri art director foram gandhi avlani shruti mahimtura senior picture coordinator ritwik creative layout virat tiwari editorial advisory board rajeev chandrasekhar member of parliament, rajya sabha poonam mahajan member of parliament, lok sabha kenneth robbins collector, archivist & scholar ralphy jhirad president & managing trustee, bene israel heritage museum and geneological research centre p.r. kumaraswamy professor, centre for west asian studies jawaharlal nehru university cfo kush kumar bansal sales circulation & marketing chitwan sharma kunal singh cover photo kobi gideon/gpo/flash90 delhi office: p-11, green park extension, new delhi, 110016, india mumbai office: bihmgrc, d-10, model house, proctor road, grant road east, mumbai 400004, india usa office: 11511 cavalier landing ct, fairfax, va 22030 usa israel office indian jewish heritage and bene israel genealogy research 12/3,anderson street,petah tiqwa, israel,49203: contact us at editornamasteshalom@gmail.com printed and published by tarun vijay, hon president bene israel heritage museum and genealogical research centre, mumbai on behalf of mount kailash media pvt. ltd. and printed at indian printing works, 4 e jhandewalan extn., new delhi 110055 and published at p 11 green park extn, new delhi . editor - tarun vijay 2 namaste shalom | february 2018

israel is our partner to achieve high growth chief minister devendra fadnavis on importance of israel as an important ally i n t e r v i e w eddna samuel on her experiences as a jew in india. aarti tikoo singh on the hopes of peace in israel 38 45 52 56 there is a long standing love affair between india and jews kenneth robbins on the lives of prominent jews in india 43 what it means to be a jew in india 48rays of hope in israel 54from my own garden renewal of an ancient bond vijeta uniyal on ancient indo-israel friendship hindi section annu kalra on kabbalah and jewish mysticism r#.k fot; 4 namaste shalom | february 2018

welcoming a friend prime minister narendra modi receiving israel’s prime minister benjamin netanyahu at delhi’s vip airport on 14th january, 2018 - a friendship beyond protocols. 6 namaste shalom | february 2018

namaste shalom | february 2018 7

w e l c o m i n g netanyahu growing strategic partnership the indo-israel relationship has had a long history, despite most of that history being behind closed doors and kept secret. it is only in recent years that the relationship is becoming more visible and formal. communities have always had a home in india and have been treated with warmth and respect. i, like many, have admired the advancements made by israelis amidst odds stacked against them over the last many decades and appreciate the dogged determination of succeeding that they have exhibited to the world. indians and many israelis are conscious of the cultural links between our nations which serve as a foundation for strengthening ties in this modern age. jewish presence in india goes back millennia, with jewish sailors trading with kingdoms which are now parts of modern day kerala. india has always served as a home for jewish people seeking from persecution – from as way back during troubled times such as –the destruction of jerusalem in 587 bc by the forces of babylon and during their expulsion the iberian peninsula following the inquisition and in contemporary times during the nazi holocaust of world war2. therefore, it is a recognition of that long and deep historical connect sanctuary spanish from india and israel – a friendship that was in the making for decades. for many in india – a more engaging relationship with israel was a long time coming. the two cradles of civilizations have nurtured their respective heritage centuries. throughout history, the jewish over rajeev chandrasekhar prime minister narendra modi’s historic visit to israel in july 2017 clearly signalled india’s intention to formally build a multidimensional strategic relationship between the two countries. prime minister netanyahu’s visit to india catalyzes that further, ending years of an ambiguous and transforming that to one of the enduring ones going forward. relationship significantly cooperation has india-israel since expanded prime minister 2014 with modi assuming office. the two countries continued their positive relationship into 2015, with israeli defense minister moshe ya’alon making the first ever official visit to india in february where he along with many other top israeli defense officials, attended the aero india exhibition held in bangalore. the visit fulfilled the purpose of increasing interaction and cooperation between israel and india. following the visit of the israeli defence minister, mrs. sushma swaraj, the external affairs minister visited israel in january 2016 which clearly intentions established of engagements henceforth. positive india’s 10 namaste shalom | february 2018

netanyahu in india a new milestone the personal rapport between netanyahu and modi is without doubt one of the factors that has helped jumpstart the bilateral relationship which had fallen into the doldrums during the ten year rule by the congress led united progressive alliance (upa) government. rupa subramanya important the burgeoning relationship between india and israel achieves an new milestone with the visit to india in january by israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu. this is only the second official visit to india by a sitting israeli prime minister since formal diplomatic relations were established in 1992. netanyahu’s visit follows hard on the heels of indian prime minister narendra modi’s visit to israel in july 2017. that was a first, the first ever official visit to israel by a sitting indian prime minister. the personal rapport between natanyahu and modi is without doubt one of the factors that has jumpstart the bilateral helped relationship which had fallen into the doldrums during the ten year rule by the congress led united progressive alliance (upa) government of prime minister manmohan singh and upa chairperson sonia gandhi. 12 namaste shalom | february 2018

relationship have bilateral occurred when a member of the nehru-gandhi dynasty of the congress party has not been in power. notably, important steps were taken by rao already mentioned and apart from modi, former prime minister atal bihari vajpayee who presided over a bjp led nda government. ideological kinship political economy considerations help explain this. as suggested, nehru’s reluctance to embrace israel was quite explicitly a function of his unease at upsetting india’s allies in the arab world. rao, who broke with this reasoning was a maverick in many different ways, most famously for ushering in india’s era of economic liberalization. and the congress and the bjp under both vajpayee and modi have had a markedly more pro-israeli pro-american foreign policy and security stance than left governments which apart from the bjp have led india since the early 1990s. one reason for this is an obvious ideological kinship between the principles of zionism and of hindutva. just as zionism proclaims that the land of israel is the natural and permanent home of all jewish peoples, hindutva theorists believe that india is the natural and permanent home of the world’s hindus. in other words, proponents of hindutva have a basic and instinctive sympathy for the jewish claim to the land of israel. on my visit to israel, i was struck by the incredible warmth of the israeli people toward an indian visitor unlike any other country in the world i’ve visited. in my experience, india continues to inspire the average israeli in a way that’s unique in indian soft power anywhere in the world. their compulsory completing military service, many israeli young men and women choose to spend weeks, months or even a year of more decompressing in india. they return to israel with fond feelings for the country, its people, culture, fashions and cuisine. on my visit to israel last year, i was struck by the incredible warmth of the israeli people toward an indian visitor unlike any other country in the world i’ve visited. in my experience, india a land of acceptance continue to inspire the average israeli in a way that’s unique indian soft power anywhere in the world. in netanyahu’s likud party, like modi and the bjp are hawkish on foreign policy and security. another kinship between the two countries and their present leaders is a recognition that each country is surrounded by hostile, unstable and dangerous neighbours, many of whom would like to extinguish or emasculate israel or india, as the case may be. another root of the increasingly warm bilateral is indeed the human element. after relationship one important ongoing conduit for the people to people relationship are the jewish communities from india who’ve resettled in israel but keep ties with family and friends back home. these communities are a reminder of the unique experience of judaism in india. indians should be proud of the fact that india is the one country in the world where jewish settlers faced no indigenous anti-semitism. 14 namaste shalom | february 2018 to india anti-semitism came brought by outsiders, whether the portuguese or the british colonizers. we should also recall that the outmigration of members of the jewish community from india to israel is not to escape persecution, as it is in many other places but rather to seek better opportunities and a better life surrounded by their co-religionists. we should hope and fully expect that the india-israel relationship will continue to go from strength to strength following netanyahu’s upcoming visit to india. whether it is economic or defence cooperation, india and israel are natural partners, brought together not just by mutual self-interest but by shared values. for india in particular, the main challenge will be to continue to wean ourselves from the habitual and knee-jerk support of arab causes and recognize fully the natural kinship with israel. this will involve making some tough decisions down the road, such as for example, if the jerusalem question again features in a vote at the united nations. india must not be squeamish about proclaiming the virtues of our friendship with israel and our foreign policy cannot be helped captive by outmoded and irrelevant ways of seeing the world that go back to nehru’s failed non-alignment. even with that cautionary note, it is important to stress that india- israel relations are at an all time high and only set to get better from here. the friendship between india and israel as netanyahu put it best himself when he said: “it’s a marriage really made in heaven but we’re implementing it here on earth.” is rupa subramanya an economist and researcher based in mumbai. she’s co-author of indianomix: making sense of modern india (random house 2012).

israel has created a system of reviving, preserving and recontexualising own knowledge system to carve out the niche for self on the global scene. india is still finding hard to come out of the colonial mindset, especially in the intellectual space. difficult times of 1962 war with china and 1971 war with pakistan, when israel was ready to support india militarily in exchange of full diplomatic ties. only in 1992, under india established a the leadership of p.v. narasimha rao, full- fledged diplomatic relationship with israel by opening an embassy in tel aviv. fortunately, the process was taken forward in the post cold-war environment by all the successive governments. of course, the ability of defence- strong nation exhibited its ability to supply military technology and equipments to india during the times of duress at the time of kargil conflict. the last thaw in this process was prime minister modi visiting israel in july 2017, without visiting palestine. rekindling the natural alliance primarily, there are two reasons that should be foundation of india-israel relations – civilisational ethos to democracy. these two should be positive imperators of the bilateral relations and not on the negative presumption of alliance against commitment and the muslim world. common experience derived from ‘deep history and culture’ is an important factor not appreciated by many while assessing this relationship. the indian and jewish civilizations are much older than many other existing religious with a strong tradition of inter-religious dialogue and acceptance. words of sanskrit origin appeared in the hebrew bible 3,000 years ago, while jewish authors of roman times, rabbis of the talmud, and jewish traders and philosophers in the middle ages spoke of india. both hinduism and judaism do not practice religious conversion as a method of propagation and still believe that ‘the supreme being’ is one and omnipresent. the strong connect with the nature and belief in knowledge society is also common to both the civilisations. the common experiences of historical persecution and present day terrorism are important add on factors to this. 16 namaste shalom | february 2018

india is a special country for israel all we need is to speed up the implementation level of all the moas signed till now. david keynan india and israel have both shared an unparalleled history that dates to pre- independence period. india being a cultural-rich nation has been an influential support system for both; israel as a nation and its citizens. we consider india as our strongest friend in asia and as israelis have deepest regards for the association that we have with india in different facets of trade and personal relationship. our former honorable pm ariel sharon in 2002, deemed indian foreign minister visit by somanahalli mallaiah krishna a historical step towards the building of the strong foundation of economic relations between the two nations. as india would agree, the key objective of israeli chamber of commerce is to promote indo-israel business, trade, and economic relations through various business-oriented initiatives such as information and technology transfer, strategic alliances, etc. we have been over the years growing leveraging each other’s capabilities in the field of information technology, focus on ventures joint water technologies, solar etc. defense equipment procurement, agriculture, foreign diplomacy and tourism hold extremely important position in indo-israel relations.india and israel have deep defense and security ties. israel has emerged india’s 3rd largest arms suppliers following its exemplary support extended to india during kargil in 1999.i believe conglomeration of india and israel entrepreneurs and businessmen will not only help both the economies grow rather it will also help the governments of both the nations in bringing sustainable reforms in their governing policies that will also reduce the role of red- tapism in our bureaucratic-bound culture. when we talk of start-ups, the first nation that world thinks of is silicon valley. a startup nation it delights me to see israel now emerging as a “startup nation” on a global platform. our strength lies in our people who possess extreme 18 namaste shalom | february 2018 in in fields technology technology, determination, enterprise, and enthusiasm. we have worked extensively to develop the most ecosystem robust and have grown like water robotics, manufacturing equipment, military etc. the world is a testimony to the success we achieved in “the six day war and the yom kippur war”. this has been possible only because of our robust technology systems developed over the years. israel sees india as a powerful and influential country and we share similar socialist roots and i am grateful for the trust that india has shown on us and would be very happy to see indian youth grow and flourish. with strong infrastructure and skilled manpower availability, we see india as a huge opportunity for israeli startups and investors looking to expand in india. this has been substantiated in various delegation to and from india. the recent nasscom delegation visit the prospects for strengthening the existing alliances between the two countries and seeking new partnerships. initiatives like these israel discussed

the world is a testimony to the success we achieved in “the six day war and the yom kippur war”. this has been possible only because of our robust technology systems developed over the years. israel sees india as a powerful and influential country. during the visit of israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, israel and india havesigned a series of bilateral agreements, including in the fields of aviation, renewable energy, cybersecurity, alternative medicine, and cinema. these agreements will help boost the numbers significantly. we only lack in our speed of implementation and we need to be more aggressive in pushing this area. india space agency isro launched a satellite for israel that shows we have very good trade relationships with india when it comes to military and arms. all we need is to speed up the implementation level of all the moa’s signed till now and joint- ventures under process. we have made a strong push in our relationship with the change in leadership. hurdles have been started to move out of the way and i am very positive with the government initiatives of both the nations. shared concerns about terrorism have proven to be a key driver. david keynan is vice chairman at federation of indo-israel chamber of commerce. he was previously member of the intel capital india team. his diverse roles in the workings of india israel trade relations include experiences such as being the vice chairman of the technology committee at the israel-asia chamber of commerce and also as the chairman of the india committee at iati. for technology of desalination of water as well as recycling of water for irrigation purposes. pm modi catalyzed to initiate joint-ventures between india and israel in the field of water management. india is an agricultural farming nation and we would be delighted to extend our support to india in leveraging our irrigation management. first, i believe, british irrigation policies and plans in through canals need to be iterated and should be amended from time to time. government should increase focus on organic farming that will reduce water consumption in the agricultural sector. water treatment plants are being established by the local and state governments in india. this water can be used for irrigation in the rural and suburban agricultural areas. india is israel’s 10th largest trading partner. after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992, civilian bilateral trade has grown from $200 million in 1992 to about $5 billion. with the proposed free trade agreement (fta) in the pipeline, this is expected to more than double in future. we have import-export relationships with each other. historical we rely on india for import of items that include precious stones and metals, chemical products, plants and vegetable products etc. while we export items such as precious stones and metals, chemical and mineral products, base metals, machinery, and transport equipment etc. israel is making a strong push for fta and we have had multiple discussions with india on this. israel had bilateral relations between india and strengthened significantly to us$ 5.04 billion in 2016-17. israel is keen to boost the bilateral trade to us$ 10 billion by 2021-22 and it believes that a comprehensive trade pact will be instrumental in increasing two-way trade as well flow of investments. 20 namaste shalom | february 2018

it is mentioned in ashoka’s edicts of sending ambassadors to the greeks of the eastern mediterranean, and of course, what is now the state of israel, a 19th century bene israel family editor: namaste shalom! sanjeev, it’s an honour to speak to you. we are very grateful that in spite of the busy budget days you found the time and a window to speak to us on the indian jews’ history. sanjeev sanyal: it’s a pleasure to be here for me too. editor: the first jews arrived in india at alibaug, in 175 bc. they came from canon, the northern part of israel. how do you look at their history and the way they came from various parts of the world to india? sanjeev: it is a very long history. so it would take me quite some time to take you through it. but in brief, india and the middle east have had a relationship going back to the bronze age, to the harappan civilization. we have records of indians in the middle east in the iron age, records of indian soldiers as part of the persian army, during the time of alexander. even before that, herodotus mentions indians. so, indians were familiar in the middle east from a very early period although we do not know if these early indians came across jewish community. even if we are unsure exactly when the jewish community and indians first began to interact, we know that by the 3rd century bc, there was a fair amount of trade going back and forth between india and the eastern mediterranean. in fact, emperor ashoka’s edicts mention that he sent ambassadors to egypt and the levant, which was then under the macedonian generals. so, there were indian mercenaries, traders, scholars, going to alexandria, and the coast of what is now israel and 22 namaste shalom | february 2018 lebanon. similarly, greek and roman merchants were coming to india. this is about the time that jews would have begun to regularly come to india. editor: is it documented? sanjeev: yes, we have a lot of evidence of indian interactions with the eastern mediterranean. there is a greek manual called periplus of the erythraeansea which describes the trade routes of first century ad in detail. editor: interesting. sanjeev: as i said, it is mentioned in ashoka’s edicts of sending ambassadors to the greeks of the eastern mediterranean, and of course, what is now the state of israel, that area was under greek domination and so, it is highly probable that indian mercenaries, merchants, and ambassadors would have interacted with the jewish population there. there are indications that around 175 bc, jewish merchants turned up in the west coast of india. so, clearly, there was a relationship. the periplus also mentions the trade route. so if a jewish merchant, started out from the eastern mediterranean, he probably came from one of the port cities like caesarea maratima or tyre, , and probably made it overland through petra, in jordan, to aqaba. then, through the gulf of aqaba, one reached the red sea, and then sailed all the way down the arabian sea, to an island called socotra, which is now a part of yemen. its name is derived fromdweepasukhadara, which is a sanskrit name meaning the island of bliss. and from there you had a choice. by about the first century ad, the sailors were able to able to use

yemen on to india. so, that was the vibrant trading path so to speak. thus, the indo-jewish interaction started in the roman period, and continued to the medieval period, well through the islamic conquests and the arab domination, and then continues, till the colonial period. so we have an example of david sassoon, who was a baghdadi. editor: a legendary figure in bombay. sanjeev: exactly. in the mid-19th century, he fled the local ottoman ruler, the governor of iraq, who became increasingly despotic, and he arrived in bombay. here again, he became fabulously rich in mumbai, (erstwhile bombay). it needs to be mentioned here that he has left for us majestic buildings in mumbai. editor: the david sassoon dock, library, sanjeev: correct. editor: schools, colleges… sanjeev: absolutely. not only that, his own house. editor: now turned into a hospital. sanjeev: if you visit the hospital, it looks like a 19th- century merchant’s lavish house. this relationship between india and israel as i said, was like this- during the good times a place to do business, and a place to seek refuge during bad times. editor: was it just becoming successful traders that brought persecution to their doors or was it religion, their faith and their belief in their traditions? sanjeev: this is a long subject, which is not directly related to indian or indo-jewish interaction. the jews were very brutally persecuted throughout history. it is true that their religious beliefs certainly had a lot to do with it. as i said, indian interactions with the jews go back to thousands of years and throughout that history, there has been no instance of hindus persecuting the jews. it is not just the jews; the zoroastrians faced a similar welcome, as did the syrian christian community and many others as well. maybe, as two civilizations that have gone through many ups and downs in their long history, it is a friendship that is interconnected and intertwined. the discovery of the jewish links with mizoram is very modern. actually, jewish communities resided even on the eastern coast of india, which people forget. and some of them have been there for a very long time.some of them aretelugu speakers. they were in calcutta (now kolkata), which was a very major hub of trade. calcutta also had a close link with the armenians, another persecuted community. the ottomans persecuted them too, at about the same time. so, india has, as i said, been linked to many of these communities, but the jews have been here both as refugees as well as business partners for a very long time. editor: and they contributed greatly to india’s growth history. sanjeev: absolutely. editor: we have not just david sassoon; we have had the best of their military generals, like general jacob. sanjeev: absolutely so. the story of the jews in india 24 namaste shalom | february 2018 david sassoon is not just that they came and escaped persecution, but they also contributed a lot to our history. for example, if you look at early indian cinema, these are completely mainstream and similarly as you mentioned, in military field, general jacob was one of the heroes of the 1971 bangladeshi liberation. that period came to an end, when india liberated east pakistan and made bangladesh, and a jewish general was a very important part of that history. editor: we find indians and hindus a number of times in the jewish memory. but where are jews in the hindu memory? because they intermingled and became one of us ? sanjeev: they are completely accepted, so became one of us. nonetheless, there will be clear records, but perhaps we have to look for them. you will find sculptures in ajanta and ellora, depicting people jewish communities resided even on the eastern coast of india, which people forget. and some of them have been there for a very long time.some of them are telugu speakers. they were in calcutta (now kolkata), which was a very major hub of trade. from the middle east, many of those could have been jewish, we cannot say. ancient sanskrit texts need to be revisited. you will be amazed that the vast majority of sanskrit texts have not been translated to this day. till recently, no one thought of looking for indians in ancient texts of the eastern mediterranean. when we began to look recently, we find indians everywhere in roman, greek and even sumerian texts – merchants, scholars, mercenaries and even astrologers. i have already mentioned the findings in cairo of jewish merchant records that are full of india and indians..

my israel my israel journey journey a moving account of a young indian scholar who ‘fell in love’ with israel. overwhelmingly anti-israel than pro-arab. first an eye opener formal that was my introduction the state of to israel. until then i knew nothing about israel, zionism or jews. dr. swamy’s article was an eye- opener for a villager who had been commuting daily by the morning jolarpettai express for the master’s programme in the university of madras. the arguments were moving and logical. diplomatic relations between states do not signal political concurrence or even agreement. despite differences and serious conflicts, india had no qualms about having normal relations with china and pakistan. by the same logic, relations with israel do not imply to agreeing with all its policies. that was a powerful message for a fertile mind. if one were to have relations only with those with whom we agree, there would be little interactions, relations and even fun. appeal to reform israel policy the world of likeminded people would be boring, tiresome and uneventful. moved by the power of dr. swamy’s argument, i decided to act and drafted a brief appeal addressing the government of india. it ran something like this: we the students of m a (defence studies) of the university of madras strongly urge the government of india to re- consider its israel policy and normalize relations with it. diplomatic relations do not imply india’s agreement with israel’s policies but they are an indication of india’s willingness to interact with it as a normal state. p r kumaraswamy you know what, it will go to the dustbin’ my articulate friend was blunt, brutal but honest. her answer hurt me deeply but transformed my journey. it was november 1982, as usual, i bought a copy of the latest issue of sunday weekly of the ananda bazar patrika (abp) group with mr. m j akbar, the present minister of state for external affairs, as the editor. the cover story was a long essay by dr. subramanian swamy, then a member of parliament representing the janata party dr. swamy had just visited israel and met senior israeli figures including prime minister menachem begin. the jewish state was on the receiving end of international criticisms and this time over its invasion of lebanon. ‘ it was nearly a decade before normalization relations between israel and hence the indian media has been of india and ‘ 26 namaste shalom | february 2018

the golden dome in jerusalem, photograph from 1600s millions of others, i was hoping to find a job and financially ease the family burden. indeed, i heard about jnu for the first time only a few months earlier when the front pages of newspapers carried the pictures the ‘1983 incident’ when a group of student leaders took over the office of the vice-chancellor. this led to the declaration of sine die and temporary closure of the university for a few months. o’ jerusalem geographically both and financially, new delhi was not even a distant dream. however, providence thought otherwise. when the university was reopened in 1984, the jnu decided to expand and entrance exams were held in different centres in the country, including madras. i was fortunate to have joined the institution in august 1984 and submitted my thesis on india’s israel policy in 1990. however, it is a different story that i had to wait for more than 18 months for the viva voce because one external examiner was too busy to send his report. journey of studying that tiny country and daily challenges has been a blessing and intellectually rewarding. the hand of god that short meeting in vellore in march 1984 transformed my life irreversibly. until then i never heard of leon uris and his exodus and did not know about o’jerusalem by larry collins and dominique lapierre. indeed, i never even met a jewish person until 1987 when i started the process of applying for a visa for my field work in israel. more than me, appa was moved by dr. swamy’s ‘go to jnu and study israel’ remark, and my life was transformed. israel studies has become my life and more than three and half decades after that cover story, one is still trying to understand israel and its choice was excruciatingly difficult and financially daunting but the complexities. the the hand of god is not just powerful but it shows up at unexpected times. mine came through a cover story in the long-forgotten and now-defunct magazine. it has been a long and fruitful journey since then. one of the most renowned authorities on india-israel relations, dr. p.r. kumaraswamy is a professor at the school of international studies, jawaharlal nehru university (jnu), new delhi. he was a research fellow at the harry s. truman research institute for the advancement of peace, the hebrew university of jerusalem (1991-1999). his works include india’s israel policy (columbia university press, 2010) and a to z of arab-israeli conflict (scarecrow, 2009). 28 namaste shalom | february 2018

prime minister narendra modi made history by becoming the first indian prime minister to visit israel. during his three day visit from july 4th-7th 2017, he not only pondered over the immediate defense, security, and strategic diplomacy, but he also created a new chapter by reinvigorating the age old civilization threads between indians and peo- ple of jewish faith, thus etching a beautiful poem of love and brotherhood amongst an- cient friends on the millennium old chapter of jewish memory. more than being bold, decisive and an affectionate prime minister of india, visiting the lovable, brave and courageous friends, he was a humble representative of the memory of two cultures collected in the last two thousand years. this memory is still fragrant in the air along the eastern konkan coast in places like mumbai, alibaug, navagaon, kochi and on the western coast of kolkata. people of jewish faith in india have been an inseparable part of mother india’s joys, sorrows, victories and turbu- lent periods. their relation with all indians and vice-versa is based on mutual trust and respect and this thread hasn’t been broken since it’s inception. -editor 30 namaste shalom | february 2018

modi in israel pm modi enjoying a few light moments with pm netanyahu modi checks out the gal mobile desalination jeep with friend bibi 32 namaste shalom | february 2018

modi in israel amidst the indian community 34 namaste shalom | february 2018

modi in israel paying tributes to the great indian soldiers at haifa memorial 36 namaste shalom | february 2018

an exclusive interview with chief minister of maharashtra devendra fadnavis israel is our partner to achieve high growth. israel has been a success story in the field of agriculture with the growth in agro-technology getting a big boost through remarkable cooperation between farmers, researchers and agriculture-related industries. m a h a r a s h t r a ’ s c e o devendra fadnavis is one of the youngest chief ministers in india who has put his state on a fast track development while winning hearts across the political divide. maharashtra is one of india’s fastest growing industrial state, an international centre of indian cinema and the ancient place that gave shelter to the jew- ish community two thousand years ago- when fourteen survi- vors of a shipwreck found home and warmth at navgaon and ali- baug. they are known as bene is- rael who contributed enormously to india’s growth story. devendra fadnavis shares special cordial relations with israel and jew- ish community holds him in high esteem. he has also assured them to help build india’s first ever museum of tolerance and peace and a memorial to the jews who arrived india two thou- sand years ago at navagaon. namaste shalom, editor, tarun vijay met him at his residence varsha. following are excerpts from the exclusive interview. editor: what are your first memories of israel ? when you visited israel in 2015 as cm, you were given a very warm and extraordinary wel- prime come minister you. devendra fadnavis: and received 38 namaste shalom | february 2018

risen the mid-19th century, have moved in to create a strong entrepreneurial class in the british port cities of india like calcutta (now kolkata), bombay (mumbai) and rangoon (yangon). the by baghdadi jews had in wealth and status and established jewish schools, kosher markets and ritual baths. one of the most influential names in the history of jewish presence in india is that of businessman shaikh david sassoon who arrived in bombay in 1828. he was also a reputed philanthropist and went on to build several synagogues, schools, hospitals, libraries and charitable institutions.sassoon hospital in pune was constructed by david sassoonbesides building as india is a major arm bank of india’s head office in mumbai, victoria garden and albert museum, masina hospital, david sassoon library etc. hostels, what were your experiences in israel and how you envisage the cooperation from israel can be used for the overall benefit and development of maharashtra ? in specifically what fields? israel has been a success story in the field of agriculture with the growth in agro-technology getting a big boost through remarkable cooperation between farmers, researchers and agriculture-related industries. the cooperative efforts led to breakthrough achievements in all for its unique greenhouses, branches of agriculture here and have fostered a market-oriented agri-business that exports its agro- technology solutions all over the world. the country has drawn global attention remarkable innovating unique in progress the field of technologies in irrigation, dairy farming, seeds, poultry farming, fertilisers and plant protection that has revolutionised the agriculture sector.india and israel have already been cooperating in a big way in the field of agriculture realising quite early the complementarities existing between the two countries in the field. agriculture israel’s techniques, which give “more crop per drop’ have impressed me most. we not only want to import technologies, but also sector.india and israel have already been cooperating in a big way in the field of agriculture realising quite early the complementarities existing between the two countries in the field. agriculture israel’s techniques, which give “more crop per drop’ have impressed me most. we not only want to import technologies, but also want to develop these in maharashtra. that is what ‘make in india’ and ‘make in maharashtra’ stand for. we appreciate israel’s ‘more crop per drop’ and look forward for technological collaborations for such initiatives. unique 40 namaste shalom | february 2018 the maharashtra government will surely extend all support for construction of jewish memorial at navagaon. besides this, the community demanded land for development of museum of tolerance and a proposal for providing land of 4 acres at village awas is in process.

israeli prime minister mr. benjamin netanyahu and his wife mrs. sara netanyahu being received by chief minister shri devendra fadnavis in mumbai on 17 th january 2018 the jewish community, through their culture, architecture and arts, has contributed immensely in the development of india. since their arrival in india, they have been at the frontiers in bringing development through numerous establishments, hospitals and institutions built in and around pune, mumbai and coastal towns in konkan. other structures built by the community sassoon general hospital, nivara sanstha in pune, kala ghoda and masjid bandar in mumbai. include also been notably, their contributions to language and culture marathi have remarkable, mumbai, pune, areas in konkan, ahmedabad and karachi were popular settlements for jews. this is indicated by the excavations that the presence of crematoriums and places of worship at these places. show the baghdadi jews are said to be purchaser of israel, already there are commercial links between both the countries but after prime minister’s visit, the equation of buyer and vendor has been changed. both countries are proceeding beyond a vendor-buyer relationship by promoting joint ventures in india for customised design and production, and with israel lending its technologies and know-how to india’s critical sectors like food security, water management and efficiency, space, cyberspace and data protection, e-learning and innovation, and digitalisation. significant agreements were signed between india and israel that could be beneficial to both the countries in the long run. the decision of establishing a bilateral technology innovation fund worth 40 million dollars for research and development will help us in develop implement mutually beneficial solutions. ,build and we have heard of a proposal to build a jewish memorial in navagaon - museum of tolerance taking shape and what are your plans to develop it as an international jewish place of respect? in maharashtra jews are known as bene israeli. large group of bene israeli is residing here for almost two millennium. it is not surprising that villages on konkan coast like alibaugh have colonies named after bene israeli. a memorial pillar has been constructed near jewish cemetery in the memory of that 14 people who took refuge in nawagaon near alibaugh. it was a demand by the jewish community that a memorial should be developed near this pillar. the maharashtra government will surely extend all support for construction of jewish memorial at navagaon. besides this, the community demanded land for development of museum of tolerance and a proposal for providing land of 4 acres at village awas is in process. 42 namaste shalom | february 2018

icebreaking at taglit-birthright israel trip, tel aviv to be a vegetarian. there are innumerable avenues available for today’s generation. under this circumstance as parents we can motivate our children howeverwhat is important is how they get inspired is what going to make a difference.i respectto his decisions to live wherever he choose.our jewish people are strong and independent to deal with any odds. there are community organization like jdc, ort, synagogues and chabad, who are doing excellent work by bringing youthtogether by various engagements and activities. i have endeavored my mission to promote goodwill between israel and india through business and cultural tie ups for which i have very high appreciation for my embassy and the consulate which has supported whole heartedly. fortunately with the new prime minister indo israel relationship will touch new heights in the coming years making my dream and mission a reality!! eddna samuel is among those young bene israel jewish leaders in india who show devotion to india as their motherland while having equally great respects for their dharmabhoomi, israel. she’s the director of motif india, a successful entrepreneur who has had a decade long dynamic in the world of media, stint entertainment, and events. she lives in mumbai. fashion get on board by subscribing and spreading the word to your friends subscription type no. of issues annual individual institution within india outside india within india outside india 12 12 12 12 subscription 500 $ 30 600 $ 40 please transfer directly in our account: name : mount kailash media pvt ltd. bank name : yes bank (chanakya puri) account no. : 000363700000639 ifs code : yesb0000003 44 namaste shalom | february 2018 or send your cheque / dd drawn in the name of mount kailash media pvt ltd. address : p11 – green park extension, new delhi 110016 *single copy 50 or $ 1.5

there has been a long standing “love affair” between india and jews. each jewish community created a distinct culture based on positive adaption to local conditions while maintaining jewish religious traditions. only in india has jewish life not been shaped by anti-semitism or forced assimilation. these all themes are being documented in a series of multi- authored books like western jews in india and jews and the indian national art project. these volumes raise multiple issues: does the term “indian artist” apply to any person born into an indian family? what has been the role of foreign artists like magda nachman and fredda brilliant and painters from minority communities like fyzee rahamin and siona benjamin in the “indian national art project”? some persons of jewish origin have taken on new identities in india. the painter mirra alfassa. became, in collaboration with aurobindo, one of india’s greatest spiritual leaders. another jew sarmad became a great sufi poet involved in 17th century mughal politics. sarmad’s writings had a great influence on maulana abul kalam azad. jewish architects working in south asia were able to adapt their vision to the aspirations of local communities as in the cases of moshe safdie’s khalsa heritage centre and louis kahn’s national assembly building in dhaka. joseph a. stein’s indian international centre and indian heritage centre are at the core of intellectual life in new delhi today. currently, i am working on an edited volume and documentary reviewing the contributions to indian cinema by baghdadi jews and the bene israel before and behind the camera. sulochana was only the india’s greatest stars in silent movies and early talkies. other jewish actresses included nadira, pramila, ramola, and rose. the prolific ezra mir was responsible for many feature movies and lt gen. jfr jacob photo credit: monirul alam of hundreds documentaries. eventually, i hope to edit a book on this long history of jewish traders and business men. it dates back long before baghdadi jews sufi saint sarmad posters 46 namaste shalom | february 2018 mirra alfassa the mother of aurobindo ashram pondicherry like the sassoons came in the nineteenth century to bombay and calcutta. trade history can be documented using the ninth century kollam copper plates and hundreds of slightly later india trade letters found in an egyptian synagogue. let us not forget herman kallenbach and sonja schlesin who worked so closely with gandhi in south africa. maurice frydman tried to create a “gandhian democracy” in aundh state. an italian jew, general venture, once commanded the sikh armies. general jfr jacob, a baghdadi jew, was one of the heroes of the war for bangladeshi liberation.

rays of hope rays of hope in israel in my first visit to israel, early this year, muslims and jews cohabiting together in peace and with dignity did not appear to be such an impossible idea. besides jaffa and jerusalem where arabs and israelis co-exist in harmony, the most striking ray of hope i noticed was at golan heights aarti tikoo singh israel was such a monstrous idea and evil occupier in the native imagination that in kashmir if one were to hurl an insult on a bully, people would say, “israel hyuv chhuk (you are like israel)”. in jammu and kashmir, the only muslim majority state in india, there was no alternative way to look at israel and palestine. in fact, post-independence, this was the national outlook and official position of india. keeping in view the sensibilities of muslims who had chosen to stay back and not join pakistan, india had officially opposed the partitioning of palestine plan of 1947 and also against israel’s admission to the united nations in 1949. the creation of israel on religious lines also stood in contradiction with the founding principles of india which rejected the two nation theory that led to partition of the sub-continent and the creation of pakistan. across indians, growing up as refugee so it was natural for india and most the religious divide, to empathize with palestinians who were displaced by the creation of israel and settlement of jewish immigrants. the israeli settlement expansion over the years in palestinian territories has only evoked more sympathy for palestinians. supported even as successive governments in new delhi have unequivocally opposed the isareli settlements and two-state solution, the cry for palestine is so central to the political discourse among muslims in india, and of kashmir valley particularly, that when islamist jihad broke out 1989, kalashnikov-wielding militants in 48 namaste shalom | february 2018 with arab keffiyeh around their necks and masking their faces became the most ubiquitous sight on our streets. it was only after the jihadis targeted and drove out around 300,000 pandits, an ethno-religious minority out of kashmir, the history of the persecution of jews by the nazi germany felt closer home. and yet, growing up as a refugee in my own country, i could not help draw parallels with the plight of the internally displaced palestinians either. in the ironically, last 27 years of displacement from kashmir, every time there was a government proposal discussed for the return and rehabilitation of pandits in kashmir, separatists and their terrorists likened it to israeli settlements in palestinian

is an three major of religious communities, at temple mount on its western wall, dome of the rock and al-aqsa mosque, and the church of the holy sepulchre, ideal that human civilization seems to have accomplished. besides jaffa and jerusalem where arabs and israelis co-exist in harmony, the most striking ray of hope i noticed was at golan heights, the area that came under the israeli control during the six-day war in 1967. druze show the way are an around 26,000, the arabic and hebrew-speaking people who 11th-century offshoot of ismailism, live on golan heights, concentrated in four villages, some of which are a from the syrian border. the druze had few yards kashmiri hindus it was only after the jihadis targeted and drove out pandits, an ethno-religious minority out of kashmir, the history of the persecution of jews by the nazi germany felt closer home. been historically loyal to the syrian regime. their political affiliation notwithstanding, the druze, who are neither muslim nor christian, have not only survived but flourished in israel. they have their own schools and religious courts and are increasingly identifying themselves as israeli druze. around 140,000 druze live in israel with many of them as full citizens and most druze men serving in the israeli army, many as top-ranking officers. palestinians would do well by drawing from the example of the druze people and the kashmiri pandit community too. pandits who were ethnically cleansed by jihadists from kashmir, chose not to take up arms and avenge their displacement and destitution. even today, the return of pandits impractical given how radical islamism and pakistan terror network have taken root in kashmir. but no community can survive until its members are well- fed, educated, self-reliant and prosperous. seems aarti tikoo singh is a senior journalist with india’s largest selling english news daily, the times of india. she is based in new delhi. 50 namaste shalom | february 2018

the renewal of an ancient bond vijeta uniyal since the dawn of human history, indian and jewish civilizations have traded with each other. the sacred jewish scriptures record how once every three years king solomon received the fleet of merchant ships laden with gold, silver, ivory, sandalwood and exotic animals. modern linguistic analysis points to india as the destination of these voyages. for centuries, jewish travelers and traders were welcomed on indian shores. in 10th century c.e., a powerful king in south india even granted special privileges to jewish trading community of the port city of cochin – comparable with modern tax breaks and free-trade zone. the flourishing of bilateral india- israel ties, which began almost 25 years ago with the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two countries under the prime ministership of shri pv narasimha rao and reached its zenith during prime minister shri narendra modi’s visit to the jewish state – first ever by a siting indian head of government, is not only a beginning of a new era of cooperation between the two nations, but also a restoration of an ancient bond between the two ancient peoples and civilizations. and india israel if are civilizationally ancient, they are also demographically young. over 40 percent of the jewish state’s population is below the age 25, almost half of india’s population is also in that age group. young men and women in the both countries share a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. prime minister modi’s start up india-initiative aims to channelize these dormant energies among the indian youth. unsurprisingly, india looks to israel, the proverbial ‘start up nation’ for inspiration and capacity building in this area. israel’s technology and start up sector alone contributes more 52 namaste shalom | february 2018 than 26 percent to its national gdp. a promising example for india to follow. startup ecosystem india in helping infrastructure. israel, too, has offered its generous support to build up a vibrant start up and innovation “israel applauds this initiative and would be happy to share its experience in developing suitable ecosystems, comprehensive mechanisms that will encourage unique and sustainable economic growth in india,” israel’s envoy to india ambassador daniel carmon, said during a public event last year. india corporate has discovered israeli technology and start up ecosystem in a big way. indian multinationals, such as tata group, reliance industries and tech mahindra, have set up development centers israel and made substantial long-term too, in

annu kalra kabbalah and jewish mysticism mysticism is an integral part of chasidic judaism having some similarities with hinduism, and passages from kabbalistic sources are often find a space in traditional prayer books. from my own garden to an art teacher i had once learn approached calligraphy advised me to “share only that which is from my own garden”. he even wanted me not to paint sufi dancers; just focus on painting hindu deities! it was like someone was denying me access to rumi. can the beauty of a mystic be denied to those who do not belong to the same culture? i am writing not on kabbalah, but my experience of exploring kabbalah, my limited understanding of it. just as i write about my interpretation of hindu scriptures, or the resonance deep within me of a sikh guru, or my insight into jesus christ’s compassion! the first time i heard about kabbalah was in the context of pop star madonna. later in a rather dark period of my own life, some online resources and books on the subject helped me stay afloat and even crawl out of that dark space. it was a period when i explored spirituality and religions looking for resolution of many issues that were personal to me. though i am no longer surprised, i remain impressed by the commonality of the fundamental message of all religions. what i found even more staggering were the similarities in various concepts of kabbalah from judaism and some facets of hinduism. the concept of reincarnation is central to the manner in which philosophy of life is explained by both kabbalah and hinduism. whether is to correct one’s tikun as per the kabbalists or to alter the karmic cycle according to the ancient hindu wisdom, both emphasise on the concept of the soul going through multiple lifetimes, learning & evolving, learning to be closer to god and expressing their godliness. it there are similarities even in the traditions from kabbalah and hinduism. as an example, the concept of wisdom being shared orally from the teacher to the student has been a very important aspect of both their histories. while neither need an intermediary to reach god, a teacher or guru is essential in both in order to show the right path. in both the cultures there are scriptures that cannot be attributed to specific people and also commentaries on those scriptures by saints that have attained the stature of scriptures themselves. the kabbalah offers instructions on how to lead a more spiritual life as well as become more connected with god; which is also the main purpose of the upanishads, the study of which is integral to vedanta. vedanta is basically the philosophical foundation of hinduism. just as it is not necessary to be jewish to understand and accept kabbalah, the concepts of vedanta are also applicable universally. ‘kabbalah’ means to receive, not necessarily a book, but receive an understanding of the important books and concepts. the word ‘upanishad’, though commonly understood as the scriptures in hinduism, means ‘sitting down near’ and have a dialogue, one that shall lead to an unfoldment and understanding within. 54 namaste shalom | february 2018

वाराणसी गंगा घाट, भारत जाफ़ा बंदरगाह, इजराइल ftu fnuksa hkkjr dh laln vksj ehfm;k esa blzk;y ls laca/k u j[kus ds ukjs cqyan gksrs fks] mu fnuksa hkh blzk;y us hkkjr dh fcuk ‘krz lgk;rk dh- hkkjr ls mis{kk rfkk gj varjjk”vªh; eap ij fojks/k lgk] ij dhkh hkkjr ds f[kykq u ,d ‘kcn dgk] u ukjktxh trk;h- ,sls ns’k ls vk;s csatkfeu usru;kgw iaæg lky ckn vk;s igys blzk;yh ç/ kkuea=h gsa- finys lky tc ujsaæ eksnh blzk;y x;s fks] rks lora=rk ds ckn og igys hkkjrh; ç/kkuea=h fks] ftugksaus rsy voho rfkk ts#lye dh ;k=k dh- hkkjr dk blzk;y ls laca/k <dk&nqik jgk gs- eksnh ljdkj us blzk;y ls vius laca/k eqflye ns’kksa] vjc&dwvuhfr o fqyhlrhu ç’u ls i`fkd djus dk lkgl fn[kk;k r#.k fot; vksj hkkjr ds fgrksa ,oa lqj{kk dks çfke ojh;rk nsrs gq, bu laca/kksa dks ,d lora= vk;ke fn;k] ijarq bldk vfkz ;g ugha fd hkkjr dh vjc&fqyhlrhu uhfr esa cnyko vk;k gs- gky gh esa tc vesfjdk us ts#lye dks blzk;y dh jkt/kkuh ?kksf”kr djus dk çlrko j[kk] rks hkkjr ds mlds fo#) ernku fd;k] ftldh ;|fi hkkjr ds blzk;y fe=ksa us vkykspuk dh] ijarq blzkby us ;g dgdj fo”k; dks vky fn;k fd ‘hkkjr&blzk;y laca/k fdlh ,d oksv ij fuhkzj ugha-’ d;k mu eqflye ns’kksa ls] tks d’ehj vksj vkrad tsls ç’uksa ij vk;sa&ck;sa ns[krs gsa& ,sls [kqys eu ls hkkjr es=h dh lohdkjksfä dh vis{kk dh tk ldrh gs\ blzk;yh ç/kkuea=h dh ng fnolh; hkkjr ;k=k esa uks ls t;knk egroiw. kz le>ksrs gq,& tks —f”k] fokku] lvkvzvi] u;h igy okyh çks|ksfxdh] lkbcj lqj{kk rfkk hkkjrh; j{kk o;olfkk gsrq vk/kqfudre gffk;kjksa dh vkiwfrz ,oa rduhdh lfkkukarj.k ls lacaf/kr gs- phu&ikfdlrku lhek ij hkkjrh; lqj{kk cyksa ds ikl vf/ kdrj jkmkj ç.kkfy;ka blzk;y ls vk;kfrr gsa vksj :l ds ckn blzk;y gh vc hkkjr dks gffk;kjksa dh vkiwfrz djusokyk lcls cm+k ns’k gs- lkbcj lqj{kk vkt lsuk dk pksfkk vax ekuh tkus yxh gs- fmftvy o;ogkj] ysu&nsu] csad] bz&esy] og‚v~l,i vkfn reke bavjusv vk/ kkfjr ç.kkfy;ka vksj ,il tklwlh vksj ‘k=q ns’k dks vf/kdre pksv igqapkus ds vklku ekxz hkh cu x;s gsa- fo’o esa vkt blzk;y lkbcj&lqj{kk rduhd dh csrkt jkt/kkuh ekuk tkrk gs- ogka çkfkfed ‘kkykvksa ds 56 namaste shalom | february 2018

namaste shalom monthly magazine ; rni title code delbil 11599-30/11/2017