Here is everything you need to know about JEWS IN INDIA | Prof Ori Soltes | TBCY

S4 E105 Prof Ori Soltes, an Art Historian and Prof, Georgetown University
00:00- Introduction
00:28- About Ori Soltes
02:41- About Indian Jews
11:08- Jews absorbing Indian culture into Judaism
16:34- Elijah, The Biblical Prophet
20:34- Why did most Jews migrate to Israel?
22:53- Didn't the Israeli government or the higher authorities have to determine whether they actually acknowledged Indian Jews as Jews initially?
The Jewish community was once a thriving community in India. In 1948, after the formation of the state of Israel, 33000 Jews migrated to Israel leaving behind around 5000 Jews in India. Over 70,000 Indian Jews live in Israel (over 1% of Israel's total population). Though Judaism is a prominent religion in the world, the average Indian has little knowledge of it.
Prof Ori Soltes, an Art Historian, and Prof, at Georgetown University, talks about the subject in detail.
About Ori Soltes
- Ori Z. Soltes teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art history and theology to philosophy and political history.
- He is the former Director of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum and has curated more than 85 exhibitions on history, ethnography, and modern and contemporary art at that museum and in other venues across the country and overseas.
- He is also the author of 300 books, articles, exhibition catalogues, and essays on a variety of topics; and the writer, producer, and narrator of diverse video courses.

[@Punjabi_americans]

One indian jew served indian army as a LT genral , he is Jack Farj Rafael Jacob, who librated bangladesh in 1971

[@sheba420]

You are 100% right. He was later honored, he was also Governor of the state of Punjab.

[@kanadlawande8428]

Theres a vlog with the vlogger visiting his grave in Delhi.

[@soudagurpreetam4227]

For a professor of university you still have to Learn a lot many many more to explain India and about our avatar

[@avnertzur655]

Sorry, friend, but you're wrong. He'd have to be specialist in Indian religions. He just summarised it for rapid comprehension.

[@threeworlds131]

A rare history of the Jews of India that honours both Indias' Aboriginal religions and the Jewish traditions. TodAH, Shukriyah.

[@anuragrai8283]

23:40 They were discriminated coz of their dark skin colour. The promised jobs and settlements which they were provided by the Israeli government upon arrival were far inferior to the accomodation and jobs they had in India and to the ones provided to the white European Jewish immigrants as well. While the White jews were housed in hotels, Indian jews were given tents and mud houses to live in. Sick Indian jews were sent back from the hospitals and told to come back later when their condition was more urgent. They were initially forbidden to intermarry with the other jews as well to protect the Jewish ethnicity (something that the early Nazis did to Jews to preserve their aryan-features). As an Indian, of non-jewish origin, reading about all this was very sad since it was an Indian community here again, being treated the same as by the colonialists.

[@Ntuthu-ZA]

In the first place, they should not have gone to Israel who have no genetic or historical ties to Israel. If they read the Old Testament they should know that God was very specific about how the people would return to the land. They really should return to India and wait. According to the bible, the Israelites are alive and well - scattered to the corners of the world, during the attacks by the Assyrians, Babylonians and the Romans respectively. God said they would forget who they are, but eventually they would remember who they are.

[@holyrose911]

AM INDIAN BENE Israel IN South India Cochin, we have king David ship is still excited, and other hand I was Easter times in Kerala in S India also the wood is part of cross of Jesus, we have Portuguese Jewish, bagdadi and mishari and from And north India Mizaro 🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱

[@gordonspicer]

In the 90's while in France a friend knowing how I enjoy (in my style) cooking Indian bought for me a lovely Jewish Indian recepie book. I cant find it on Amazon, but details available to anyone interested

[@unhandled776]

The war depicted in Bhagvad Gita is a war between good and evil. Krishna (the god head) is urging Arjun (the warrior) to fight because it is his duty (Dharma) to fight evil, that needs to translate into action (Karma). The fact that the enemy is mostly his family members makes Arjun hesitate. It is this internal conflict in Arjun's (and all us lesser mortal) heart that Krishna helps overcome, which is the point of the Gita. To refer to Gita as the book that has something to do with religious violence is well juvenile, to put it mildly.

[@sajanthomas6211]

Very interesting talk

[@winstonbachan9661]

I'm West Indian You Can Call Me Hinjew! I'm an Israelichai Barouch Hashem And Shalomastae! ☮️💖😢

[@deepaks-123]

Nice information.

[@krishnasamala4862]

Thank you I am more informed today

[@prakashgovekar7020]

Thank you, for the information.. about the Indian Jews.

[@avnertzur655]

Nice!

[@xendit1635]

I am Indian hindu. In Aryurveda, its prohibited to mix meat with milk.

[@manmeetsingh7805]

it's fun to know, "melida" in Hindi means a mix, so explains that mix platter.

[@inamco]

origin of Hebrews is from UR, Abrahams's family tradition includes some indus valley culture. best way to see Hebrews thru mizraim, Baghdad, Persian, and Yemen, not as Ashkenazi try to reconstruct identity. original Hebrews in India were traders and some are priests. I been told ship stayed in muzaris because of the destruction in Jerusalem. early as AD 55/60 forefathers accept St. Thomas message and easily connect because of Aramaic.

[@Ntuthu-ZA]

You are very correct. The Ashkenazi are converts to Judaism, they are not ancient Israelites. The Israelites who are in India were scattered from either the northern kingdom of later Judea, and their history is well documented.

[@AnujSatarkar-nu5zi]

Hinduism is pluralistic So we believe there can be more than one way of praying to God

[@saptorsheechakraborty]

What is a Headhunter

[@Issacvellachy-gr6os]

There is one tiny South Indian Community which has some resemblance of Jews. and are often called "Jews of South India" They are Nagarathars or Nattu Kottai Chettiars

[@Ntuthu-ZA]

The best way to tell, look at Leviticus, Deuteronomy and basically the Old Testament and compare that with the culture of the people.

[@deepthimendis2431]

Dear Prof.was there any Jews in Srilanka who had come from India and had resided in Srilanka?

[@Ntuthu-ZA]

Ancient Israelites exist everywhere and have been hidden for a very long time. Sri Lanka has its own too. Look at which people are looked down upon by everyone and persecuted, and occupy the lowest place in society. Those are the most likely to be the ancient Israelites. Look up on the internet if the DNA Y-chromosome e1b1 or Em2 exists in Sri Lanka. God said in the bible that they would forget who they are but towards the end of the time knowledge would increase and the children of Israel that are hidden will remember who they are.

[@ratishmodgil631]

😂 nice one 👍

[@akralvikral4725]

2023 India is Bharat now. ecdysis of some sort. adopt it. we love Bharat.

[@sunilthakore5715]

Historically Hinduism is not a religion, it is a way of life. The word Hindu was a geographical term, initiated by the Persians who mispronounced Sindhu. Hindus have no religious texts, but texts that represent the complexity of Human life. The inner wars, the conflict we have within ourselves. These are articulated in a style that look at these as humanity and the conflicts we face as as living beings.God to Hindus is the energy of the universe, which as humans we name, Brahma, and we think of life as cyclic. So we gave the name of Vishnu as the life you live, and Siva, the destroyer of life. This is still the cyclic energy of the universe but interpreted as names. India was very scientific and philosophic in ancient times, and the misinterpretations only came after Muslim and European invasions. We have deities, yes, not Gods, that represent different aspect of life, and to concentrate on these certain aspects is not prayer but meditation. This is called Sanatana Dharma. The concept of being Hindu as a religion was established after the British catagorised us, and was continued by the ruling party after independence for their own personal gains. To understand our civilisational culture is slowly being learnt, but it will take time for the people to realise our culture and move away from the identity of religion, and back to the unity of humanity.

[@hermes8258]

Yes, rare but not absent. The Periya Burana tells many stories of Hindu ruler in South India committing atrocities towards Jains. I disagree with your distinction between polytheism and monotheism. The family of religions known as Hinduism is henotheistic.

[@Issacvellachy-gr6os]

Could you please elaborate which part of Periya Purana highlights atrocities on Jains? | heard from my elders that my ancestors supposedly were jains and harrased by Cholas. Please elaborate

[@user-ru5qh8xn4v]

In DNA test it found that jews from Greece and jews from yemen came to india and the jewish man that came to india Mary with indian women. And the beni israel came from this jewish man that mix with indian women. The jews are from the father side and the indian came from the mother's side. We dont now where the jewish from Greece and from Yemen arrive to india

[@akshattewari]

Some sources also claim that Jews are the Brahmins of India who migrated Westwards around 1000 BCE ...

[@psr4550]

They r bullshit I checked

[@bhuvanajagarapu7977]

Come on so that way you are try kill two birds with on stone , both Brahmins and Jews same hate they face now across the world .

[@Rareme530]

Dude Jews have a history over 3400 years, on that this info is false

[@Issacvellachy-gr6os]

No way brahmins do not share anything with jews

[@avaneeth36]

Cochini? 😶 It's just Cochin!

[@hardeshmanhas4102]

Kochi actually

[@avaneeth36]

@@hardeshmanhas4102 Kochi is a well known city in japan for ppl outside India.

[@chicawhappa]

It's an adjective...Kochini Jews are those who settled in and around Kochi. Listen more attentively...

[@avaneeth36]

@@chicawhappa It is not.

[@chicawhappa]

@@avaneeth36 That's what HE said, slow it down and LISTEN. It's like saying Mumbaikar Jews.

[@user-hk7qu8gi6n]

The iraqi jews established the movies industry. Raj kpur was iraqi jew. Most of the actors during the first 20 years was iraqi jews. When the israel country rise most of yhe actors left to israel except one female.

[@Tathagata-eo5tz]

No Raj Kapoor was NOT Iraqi Jew. [He probably had DNA from a now extinct Pashtun Hindu community of Peshawar but other than that his DNA is same as that of Punjabis or other North West Indians].