Home › Policy › Strategic Challenges › Intra-Asia

Being Indian, Being Israeli

Share

Maina Chawla Singh speaking in Washington, DC on Nov. 4, 2009.
enlarge image

Maina Chawla Singh speaking in Washington, DC on Nov. 4, 2009.

WASHINGTON, November 4, 2009 – Speaking at an Asia Society Washington Center event hosted at the Indian Embassy, Professor Maina Chawla Singh, author of Being Indian, Being Israeli: Migration, Ethnicity and Gender in the Jewish Homeland illustrated how the Indian Jewish diaspora in Israel is an invisible community, separate from the country's elite.

Thousands of Indian Jews, who emigrated to Israel from Bombay, Calcutta, and Cochin were sent to remote development towns with migrants from North and West Asia or the "Mizrahis" who, unlike the Ashkenazis or Jews of European origin, were discriminated against because of their "backward" origins or "dark skin."

Singh said that of the 70,000 Indians Jews, some are well positioned in business, education, and medicine, while the vast majority is in the middle class, with modest-paying jobs. This disparity is a result of the first two generations spending their lives in the moshavs (farming communities) due to language and cultural barriers that kept them away from educational pursuits. "The Indian Jews have a complete sense of comfort with what they left and what they chose. I do not recollect anybody saying that they regretted the aliya (ascent)," said Singh.

On the subject of the Indians' attachment to "Bharat Matha" or Mother India, Singh said that the Indian Jewish community is highly interactive with the Embassy of India in Israel and they are still very engaged with everything Indian—language, food, festivals, films, and clothing.

Joning the discussion was Professor Pamela Nadell, Director of Jewish Studies Program at American University, who said, "We are deeply indebted to Maina for documenting and bringing this critical Israeli section to the academic radar screen.”

In closing remarks at the program, Indian Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar said that the enormous diversity of India has become part of the fabric of the country and that "Indian-ness" remains in people even after they migrate from India.

Reported by Bincy Ann Ninan, Asia Society Washington

Related link:
Jael Silliman: Bringing India's Jews to Light

Vincent | 02:09:10 01:48pm
Israel discriminates -I could have told you that! Those Indian Jews deserve what they got. Why go to Israel when that land is so troubled by wars-If God wanted it to be the promised land there will be peace. Jesus is the New Testament and clearly he reaffirmed what God told Moses - thou shall not kill. If you live by the sword than you will die by it! If Israel was the blessed land why is there so much trouble-NO PEACE???? I suggest that the Jews mind their ways and look for peace and dont discriminate either Indian or Africa Jews! That is terrible, no wonder there is very little success in the peace process-Looks like God has turned away from Israel.

Post new comment

Your comments are welcome, please adhere to our guidelines

Be respectful. Personal attacks will not be tolerated; nor will profane, abusive or threatening posts.

Keep it short (150 words or less), Stay on topic.

Asia Society reserves the right to moderate all comments and remove or edit for guideline violations. Thank you.

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Type the characters you see in this picture. (verify using audio)
Type the characters you see in the picture above; if you can't read them, submit the form and a new image will be generated. Not case sensitive.