Jewish Communities of India


All Photos by Ellen Goldberg. To View Images in Full, Click on Images.

Jacob Dandekar, chazar, Magen Avot Synagogue, Alibag. 2016.

Detail of the colorful Magen Avoth Synaogue, Alibag, 2016.

Caretaker of Magen Avot Synagogue, Alibag, 1987.

Traditional Bene Israel Chanukah lamp, made of brass and wood, at Magen Avoth Synagogue, Alibag, 2016.

Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) in front of Holy Ark (containing Torah scrolls) at Magen Avot Synagogue, Alibag, 2016.

Star of David design over doorway of former Jewish home, Alibag, 2016.

Ornate mezuzah cover at Magen Avot Synagogue, Alibag, 1987.

Jewish cemetery, Navgaon, 2016.

The Bene Israel Jews tell the legend that when their ancestors were exiled from Israel 2,200 years ago, they came to India and were shipwrecked off the Konkan coast, south of Mumbai. The survivors came ashore, kept the faith and lived in interior villages. In the cemetery of Navgaon, in the Konkan region, is a monument to those who died in the shipwreck. Navgaon, 1987.

Chazan, Beth El Synagogue, Panvel, 1987.

Beth Ha'Elohim Synagogue, Pen, 1987.

Jewish woman kisses home's mezuzah, Panvel, 1987.

Kenesseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, 1987.

Interior of Kenesseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, 2016.

Magen David Synagogue, Mumbai, 1987.

Plaque for Tiphaereth Israel Synagogue, Mumbai, 2016.

Aaron Benjamin, third generation in his family to be president of Tiphaereth Israel Synagogue, addresses a group from the synagogue bimah (pulpit), Mumbai, 2016.

Tiphaereth Israel Synagogue's three daily worship times - Shacharit (morning), Mincha (afternoon) and Arbith (evening) - are posted on the wall for worshipers, Mumbai, 2016.

Ner tamid (Eternal Light), Tiphaereth Israel Synagogue, Mumbai, India

Award-winning poet, writer and editor Nissim Ezekiel, a member of the Bene Israel community, Mumbai, 1987.

Ohel David Synagogue (Lal Deval) , Pune, 1987.

Interior of Ohel David Synagogue, Pune, 1987.

Succath Shelomo Synagogue, Pune, 1987.

Succath Shelomo Synagogue, Pune, 1987.

Magen Abraham Synagogue, Ahmedabad, 1987.

Interior of Magen Abraham Synagogue, Ahmedabad, 1987.

Beth-El Synagogue, Kolakata, 1987.

Magen David Synagogue, Kolkata, 1987.

Chendamangalam Synagogue, recently restored to its former glory by the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (Muziris is the name the ancient Romans gave to the region), which is in the process of restoring Kerala's historic religious and cultural sites. Chendamangalam, 2016.

Grave of Jewish woman, dated 1264, at Chendamangalam Synagogue, 2016.

Chendamangalam Synagogue, recently restored to its former glory by the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (Muziris is the name the ancient Romans gave to the region), which is in the process of restoring Kerala's historic religious and cultural sites. Chendamangalam, 2016.

Detail of the Chendamangalam Synagoguge's Holy Ark, a beautiful example of Kerala's woodcarving artistry. Chendamangalam, 2016.

Paravur Synagogue, recently restored to its former glory by the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (Muziris is the name the ancient Romans gave to the region), which is in the process of restoring Kerala's historic religious and cultural sites. Paravur, 2016.

Paravur Synagogue, recently restored to its former glory by the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (Muziris is the name the ancient Romans gave to the region), which is in the process of restoring Kerala's historic religious and cultural sites. Paravur, 2016.

Silver-encased Torah scrolls in Ark, Paruvur Synagogue, 1986.

Paravur Synagogue, recently restored to its former glory by the state-run Muziris Heritage Project (Muziris is the name the ancient Romans gave to the region), which is in the process of restoring Kerala's historic religious and cultural sites. Paravur, 2016.

Holy Ark at Kadavumbagam Synagogue, Ernakulam, 2016

Kadavumbagam Synagogue interior details, Ernakulam, 2016.

Kochi's Paradesi Synagogue clocktower, built in 1761, boasts three different dials: one with Hebrew letters, one with Roman numerals, and one with Devanagiri (Malayalam) characters. Kochi, 2016.

Kochi's Paradesi Synagogue decorated for Simchat Torah, featuring a temporary Ark on which the Sifrei Torah are displayed as well as a carpet (before the Ark), gifted by former Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie.

For Simchat Torah, the walls of Kochi's Paradesi Synagogue are lined with gold-colored silk and adorned with female congregants' mundus (sarongs), made into colorful parochets (curtains for the Ark).

Lone man praying in Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi. 1986.

Ner tamid (Eternal Light), Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, India

Silver-encased Torah scrolls, topped by decorative gold crowns, at Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, 1986.

Woman's mundu (sarong), sewn onto backing, all embroidered with Biblical verses, and used as a paroket (Ark covering), Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, India

Woman's mundu (sarong), sewn onto backing, all embroidered with Biblical verses, and used as a paroket (Ark covering), Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, India

Details in the Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, 1986.

Copper plates, dating from the 11th century, was a decree by the Cera king of Cranganore Bhaskara Ravi Varma who granted the local Jews a number of proprietary rights enjoyed by high-ranking nobles of the Cera kingdom. The plates are kept in the Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi (Cochin). 1986.

Queenie Koder Hallegua holds a silver tube containing her husband's and her ketubah (traditional Jewish marriage contract). Kochi, 1986.

Raymond Salem celebrates the festival of Sukkot, Kochi, 1986.

Yosef Hallegua blows shofar (ram's horn) to usher in the Jewish New Year at the Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, 1986.

Star of David window grill in Jewish home, Kochi, 1986.

Star of David window grill in Jewish home, Kochi, 1986.

Mezuzah cover at Jewish home, Kochi, 1987.

Reema Salem cleaning wheat kernels to be ground into flour to make Passover matzah. Kochi, 1986.

Sarah Cohen and her servant Mary clean wheat kernels to be ground into four to make Passover matzah. Kochi, 1986.

Queenie Koder Hallegua, community leader of the Kochi Jewish community. at the Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, 2016.

Shalom Cohen worships at the Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, 1987.

Jeremy Lalflanmawia at the gate of his home business - bearing a sign that notes that, as a Jew, he does not work on the Sabbath - in Aizawl, Mizoram, 2016.

Jewish woman, Aizawl, Mizoram, 2016.

Jewish family at home in Aizawl, Mizoram, 2016.

Torah scrolls at Khovevei Tzion Synagogue, Aizawl, Mizoram, 2016.