India is a melting pot of cultures and religions, and the Indian Jewish community is one of them, with fewer than 5,000 Jews living in the nation. Esther David, author, art critic, journalist, and artist, captures and provides readers a unique picture of the Bene Israel Jewish population of India and their largely forgotten food in her latest book, ‘Bene Appetit.’ Esther David’s debut novel, “The Book of Rachel,” earned the Sahitya Akademi Award for English Literature in 2010. She is an Indian Jew who uses her books to describe the lives and experiences of Jews in India. Esther David’s 11th novel, ‘Bene Appetit,’ was published by HarperCollins India and launched in 2021.
Esther David, the winner of the Sahitya Akademi, spoke with us about her new book ‘Bene Appetit,’ what it means to be an Indian Jew, the concept of home and cross-cultural identity, her favorite books, and authors, and more.
