In Israel, diverse Jewish-Indian communities come together to build a Heritage Centre

The Moshav (agricultural village) of Nevatim lies in the Negev desert east of Be’er Sheba, amid scenery reminiscent more of Rajasthan than the native Cochin of its founders. On Thursday afternoon (June 8), the elders of this famous IndianIsraeli hamlet prepared for a long-awaited event that would make local history. Dressed in their best Indian finery, they decked a podium in marigolds, prepared platters of Laddu and tea, and arranged rows of chairs on the lawn for guests.

Community leaders Nehemia Shahaf and Avner Isaac (centre) participate in the laying of the foundation stone for the Heritage and Cultural Center of Indian Jews in Nevatim, Israel, on June 8, 2023. (Source: Cochin Jewish Heritage Center / Special Arrangement)

Hundreds of attendants gathered for the laying of the foundation stone for the Heritage and Cultural Center of Indian Jews, right across the lawn from the Chochin Jewish Heritage Center. The multi-million-dollar project is spread across three acres of land and will have a museum, conference and events hall, and an Indian tropical garden, encapsulated in a lotus-stem shaped complex, designed by leading Israeli architects, Tzvi Efrat and Meira Kozlovskyof the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design. The first stage of its construction will see the coming up of a 300-seat multipurpose hall, slated for completion in 2024.