Judaism—South Asia

Historical Ties Between Israel and South Asia

Linguistic evidence confirms the possibility of early commercial connections between Israel and South Asia in that the ships of King Solomon (c. tenth century BCE) transported cargo such as kofim (apes), tukim (peacocks), and almag (sandalwood or valgum), of Indian origin. Travelers' tales in the Talmud mention trade with India (Hoddu) and include specific Indian commodities, such as Indian ginger and iron, but they make no reference to Indian Jews. In the Book of Esther, the kingdom of King Ahasuerus (c. mid-fourth century BCE) stretched from Hoddu, generally accepted to be India, to Kush, generally accepted to be Nubia or Ethiopia.

From the ninth century CE Jewish merchants known as Radanites traded from the Middle East to South Asia and back. Documents discovered in the Cairo Genizah describe the trade in spices, pharmaceuticals, textiles, metals, gold, silver, and silks from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries between Arabic-speaking Jews and Hindu partners. However, the evidence does not indicate that Judaism was disseminated.

In the seventeenth century Jewish merchant centers were established in Madras, Calcutta, and other places. In addition an independent Jewish traveler, Hazrat Saeed Sarmad (d. 1659), carried on trade between Armenia, Persia, and India and practiced Judaism until he renounced a materialistic life to become an Indian saint.

Read the rest of this Article with our Judaism—South Asia Access Pass.