Evolution of The Bene Israels and their Synagogues in The Konkan - Paperback

by Irene Judah (Author)

Jews in India, mainly those in Maharashtra are called Bene Israels, which in Hebrew means 'Sons of Israel"". The author goes into their history, starting from the Galilee, going into details about the various possibilities about their journey, where, what, and how did they come, starting from their land of origin to their landing on the shores of India, more than 2000 years ago. Then what happened over the years to their language, customs, culture, mode of dress, professions, prayers etc. Why did they choose the name Bene Israel for themselves, their own names, surnames with associated causes and references. Their historical background over the last 2000 years up to the present ie 2016. In this book the author has written about the Synagogues in the Konkan area, going into their history, background with several anecdotes and experiences she encountered on her visits to the Synagogues, going into their evolution over the years, while visiting some of these Synagogues as a child and her memories of those Synagogues. Then visiting those Synagogues as an adult several times and documenting them. Some in 1985 (few of them), then in 2000, again in 2006, some in 2009, then again most of them in 2014, and as recent as 2015, documenting their state of affairs, earlier and now, with photographs wherever possible.