We welcome Moshe and Israeli PM, say Indian Jews

The Jewish community in Mumbai, a lot of whom are Bene Israelis, but prefer to call themselves 'Indian Jews', has welcomed the visit of Baby Moshe and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bene Israelis came to India nearly 2,000 years ago and settled in the Konkan coast, after which they moved to other parts of India. They had arrived to escape persecution and a number of them even consider Marathi language as their mother tongue.

"The Israeli PM coming here is a good thing and so is Moshe's visit. We love the baby and his father was a very religious man, who would often pray in our synagogue," said Solomon Sopher, trustee of Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, who insists on calling himself an Indian Jew. He added that the decision to invite Moshe reflected well on India's sentimental aspect.

Jews in India largely look at Israel from a pilgrimage point of view. "We will be putting up banners welcoming him," said Herzel Simon, another member of the community.

"Israel is a place that we look for holy pilgrimage like the Christians. The place is extremely important for three communities. We call India our motherland and Israel our fatherland," said Ezra Moses, a prominent Jew from Thane, where most Jews live now.

Some Jews, however, feel that the Israeli PM should have also met the Jewish community here. "PM Modi had met Indians in Israel. Similarly, he should have taken out some time to meet the lay people in the community. He is only going to have business meetings," said Leora Joseph, another Jew.

Members of the Jewish community said that they can now have a closer look at the details of the projects that India and Israel look to jointly develop. "Qualified youths from the community can look to be a part of it," said Elijah Jacob, another Jew.