Growing Up Jewish in India is a historical description of India’s major Jewish communities, synagogues, and unique Jewish customs. It traces how Jews arrived in the vast subcontinent at various times and from various locations, both residing in various locations within the larger Indian community and eventually creating a diaspora within the larger Jewish diaspora by relocating to other countries, particularly Israel and the United States. The text and more than 150 photographs look at how Indian Jews kept their Jewish identities while becoming well-integrated into Indian society as Indians, and present a synthesis of cultural qualities wherever they live. Siona Benjamin, who grew up in Mumbai’s Bene Israel community before moving to the United States and making work that represents a wide range of Indian, Jewish, and other inspirations, is one of the results of these changes. This book weaves together discussions of Indian Jewish communities with Benjamin’s story and an analysis of her art, situating these narratives within the larger story of Jews in Eastern Asia, and thus providing a portrait of a unique slice of India for readers interested in history, art, religion, and culture around the world.
