Jews in India:
A Unique Cultural Heritage

1.3 billion

country population

~4,000

Jewish population

1939

JDC entry date

When you picture India, you might imagine the Taj Mahal, the flowing Ganges, the poems of Rabindranath Tagore, and the palm-strewn beaches of Kerala.

India is also home to approximately 4,000 Jews, an ancient and proud community that JDC has served for over 60 years. JDC first entered India during World War II, assisting Polish Jewish refugees. Today — from Mumbai’s Bene Israel community to the Jews of Cochin, Ahmedabad, and beyond — we proudly work to revitalize Jewish life.

JDC does this by providing crucial support to India’s poorest Jews, developing tomorrow’s Jewish leaders, and offering Jewish enrichment programs, like Hebrew lessons and holiday celebrations.

India is diverse and bustling, and also Jewish — and JDC is proud to work with this dynamic, resilient community.

COVID-19 Response

When a catastrophic COVID-19 surge struck India in Spring 2021 – leading to more than 4,000 deaths per day, the world’s highest death toll – JDC responded immediately. In partnership with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), JDC delivered more than 20 Israeli-made ventilators to hospitals in Mumbai and Ahmedabad; distributed medical supplies – like health kits and filtered masks – to hard-hit communities, reaching more than 20,000 people; trained more than 20 local women leaders, each responsible for 1,000 people, in COVID-19 prevention; and set up telemedicine ICU stations so that doctors can monitor and care for vulnerable patients in rural communities located far from medical care.

This emergency response builds on JDC’s COVID-19 assistance to the local Jewish community before the surge. When the pandemic first struck in March 2020, JDC immediately provided financial assistance to hard-hit community members, distributed COVID-19 kits (including masks, gloves, and sanitizers), and facilitated online medical consultations to over 40 families, logistical support for vaccinations, and ambulance transportation to hospitals.

Caring for India’s Poorest Jews

Many Jews in India struggle to survive with few resources. Through programs like the JDC-supported Bayiti Jewish Home for the Aged, a meals-on-wheels program for the hungry, and a medical assistance program which provide routine medical testing for long-term health problems, JDC helps India’s poorest Jews live a dignified life. JDC also offers monthly stipends to cover basic living costs (such as housing and utilities), cash subsidies to ensure participation in Jewish communal life, healthcare (including funds for emergency hospitalization), and medical insurance for at-risk families.

Revitalizing Jewish Life

JDC strengthens Indian Jewish life by offering access to Jewish camping, Sunday school, and holiday celebrations. In Mumbai, the JDC-supported Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Center (EPJCC) organizes social, cultural, and religious events for community members of all ages. Each Chanukah, hundreds participate in Khai Fest, a countrywide Jewish festival and fundraiser organized by Jewish Youth Pioneers (JYP). Funds are then donated to support JDC’s welfare fund and community programming for children and young adults. JDC also supports Kol India, a quarterly Jewish newsletter that reaches over 700 households throughout India and overseas.