World Jewish News

World Jewish Congress: Jewish-Christian Dialogue in India

World Jewish Congress Chairman Israel Singer visited Bombay in India this week, on the final leg of his tour of Jewish communities in Asia. Singer held discussions with Cardinal Ivan Dias, Archbishop of Bombay on cooperation for alleviating poverty and toured the slums of Bombay together with the Cardinal. Singer also met with a group of Bishops at the Cathedral of the Holy Name of Bombay and with Sister of Shanti Avedna Ashram. In meetings with the leadership of the Indian Jewish Community, Singer discussed cooperation between small Jewish communities.
The Indian Jewish community, currently numbering about 5,000 people, is composed of three distinct groups: the dominant Bene Israel, who believe themselves to be descendants of the original settlers who came to India as early as 2,000 years ago; the Jews of Malabar, centred in Cochin, whose forefathers arrived in India from Europe and the Middle East 1,000 years ago; and the Iraqi Jews, called "Baghdadis," who began settling in India at the end of the 18th century.
The central communal organization is the Council of Indian Jewry, which was established 1978 in Bombay. There are a variety of other organizations, including the Zionist Association, B'nai B'rith, Bikur Cholim in Bombay, and two women's associations. At its height, the community maintained 35 synagogues and prayer halls, but that number has declined to 18, the majority of which are in Bombay. There are also three Jewish schools.
The WJC Chairman's Asian tour also took in Japan, the Republic of Korea and Singapore, where he held meetings with local Jewish communities and representatives of the Catholic Church.

Источник: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=52762