MYSORE, India (JTA) Christmas has always been a celebratory affair in Kolkata, from the blinding outdoor lights that cover Park Lane, to the lively pop-up Christmas market in the central rotunda of the vast New Market.
Although celebrations are toned down this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the devastating after-effects of Cyclone Amphan that hit the city in May, there is no concern about Isaac Nahoum, a Jewish banker who has seen business dropping from more than 300 customers a day to just 30 on average. There is always the Christmas rush coming in.
Known for its delicious fruitcakes and its Christmas baked goods range, Nahoum & Sons is a testament to the once important Baghdadi Jewish community of Kolkata, of which less than 20 members remain.
The Baghdadis left India over time because they weren’t sure how things were going to be. And eventually, the migration continued,’ explained Nahoum. “I left in 1951, when about 1,500 Jews remained in Kolkata.”
Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/this-118-year-old-jewish-bakery-in-india-is-a-hit-at-christmas-time/
