PUNE: The Bene Israel Jews are India’s largest Jewish community. While there is considerable controversy about whether they are one of Israel’s lost tribes, one of their most unique cultural customs is in grave danger of being lost forever.
“As members of the Bene Israel Jewish community lived and worked in villages near the Konkan shore, they began to produce many Marathi-language Jewish songs. They later relocated to areas such as Mumbai and Pune, bringing their music with them. Between 1880 and the 1920s, these songs were immensely popular, however, they are no longer sung “stated”.
