The Jewish community in India is one of many communities that have settled in India after migrating from outside the country’s modern territorial borders. What distinguishes the Jews, though, is their ability to integrate into the local culture.
A humble appearing structure tucked away in a corner of the high-end Humayun Road in Khan Market, is barely recognizable to passersby save for the huge Star of David that graces its front wall. It’s not simple to find this modest piece of architecture because the community it represents, the Jews, is barely recognized by the locals. The Synagogue Judah Hyam Hall is the only site of worship for Jews in Delhi, a unique minority group whose presence dates back over 2,000 years. This tiny and barely visible community in India has demanded minority status for themselves, more as an attempt to get recognition for the large contributions they have made to India’s socio-cultural life, rather than to distinguish themselves from the Indian majority, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in Israel as the first Indian prime minister to do so on Tuesday.
