Jerusalem, February 26 Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and interacted with prominent members of the Indian-origin Jewish community on Thursday, hours before he concluded his two-day visit to Israel.
According to the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv, there are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel as of 2023.
Among those who met Modi was Dr. Riki Shahi, a council member in Ashkelon, about 75 km southwest of Jerusalem, who described the prime minister as "doing a lot of things for people, and we can see it in his actions."
"He's not talking a lot, but he's doing a lot," said Shahi, whose parents are from Baroda. She said she had initiated a 'Twin Cities' program between Baroda and Ashkelon.
Isaac Thangjon, a HR manager born in Manipur, had come to Israel about five years ago. "The visit by Prime Minister Modi is truly 'remarkable'."
Referring to the movement in the Israeli government's proposal to bring all the remaining 5,800 Jews from India's northeastern region, commonly referred to as Bnei Menashe, over the next five years, he said, "The stars are aligning, and things are looking very good."
"I hope that Prime Minister Modi will take the India-Israel relationship to even greater heights," he said.
On Wednesday, Modi witnessed what he described as "a memorable" performance by an ensemble of Divyang (differently-abled) artists, bringing together Indian-origin Jews and Israeli citizens, who performed the song 'I Love My India'.
"This beautifully celebrates the shared heritage and enduring bonds between India and Israel!" he said in a post on X later.
Also, while addressing the Knesset, PM Modi recognized the vibrant Indian-origin Jewish community in Israel and highlighted its immense contributions across education, culture, public life, and national service.
According to the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv, the main waves of immigration into Israel from India took place in the fifties and sixties.
The majority is from Maharashtra (Bene Israelis), followed by relatively smaller numbers from Kerala (Cochini Jews) and Kolkata (Baghdadi Jews). In recent years, some Indian Jews from Mizoram and Manipur (Bnei Menashe) have also been immigrating to Israel, according to the Indian Embassy.
