It’s thought that the first Jews in India lived on the Malabar coast around the middle of the 9th century BCE. That’s about 2,800 years ago.
After King Solomon died in 931 BC, Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel and Judah. They were ruled by rival kings for more than 200 years until the Assyrians took the northern kingdom and took most of the people. Many people believe that some people from the Lost Tribes went to India, where they lived on the Konkan coast near Mumbai as well as in Kerala.
They aren’t as well-known as other people who have left their home country, but they might be one of the most interesting. This post introduces us to three of India’s oldest Jewish communities: Bene Israel, a 2800-year-old group that mostly lives in and around Mumbai; Cochin Jews, a 2000-year-old group that mostly lives in and around Cochin; and Baghdadi Jews, a 300-year-old group that mostly lives in and around Calcutta.
