The Gazetteers Department

BENE ISRAELS, THAT IS, CHILDREN OF ISRAEL who are also known as Jews, are in villages called Telis (oilmen) as pressing oil was once their commonest occupation, and Shanvar Telis (Saturday oilmen) because they keep Saturday as a day of rest. In 1951 they are returned as numbering 1852 (m. 930 ; f. 922), 1348 (m. 688 ; f. 660) in the rural area and 504 (m. 242; f. 262) in the urban area. Nothing definite is yet known about the origin of the Bene Israels. Two views about their coming to India, one saying that they came from Aden and the other that they came from the Persian Gulf receive credence from different writers [.Enthoven, Tribes and Castes of Bombay, Vol. I, p. 67.]. Of their history in Kolaba nothing is known. Their own tradition-for, they have no records of any kind-states that they came to India about 1400 years ago from the north, and they were wrecked off Navaganv a little to the north, of That, at the southern entrance to the Bombay harbour. Bene Israels now belong to two endogamous divisions. Gore (fair) and Kale (dark). According to their story, the Gores are the descendant of the original immigrants and the Kales, of converts, or of the women of the country. The Gores and Kales, though the same in religion and customs, are said neither to eat together nor intermarry. The names in common use among men are Abraham, Beniamin, Daniel, David, Isac, Jacob, Joseph, Reuben, Samson, Soloman and Samuel; and among; women Leah, Marian, Ribeca, Rahel and Sarah. Formerly, in addition to these names men were given also such Hindu names, as Hasaji. Balaji, Eloji, and women Ladubai, Yesubai and Sakubai. Their surnames such as Astamkar, Divekar, Navgahvkar, Penkar, Thalkar, and Ziradkar are derived from villages marking former settlements.

The men are generally above the middle height and strongly made. They more or less look like Indians and are of about the same complexion as Marathas, perhaps a little fairer. The women are generally good-looking and fair; some of them have a ruddy tinge in their cheeks, and have lively black eyes, straight nose and thin lips. The men have their hair generally close cropped; they wear the moustache, some have short beards, but of late many are clean shaven. In former times they used to wear two tufts or locks, one over each ear, and shaved the head, but now the custom has died out. The women wear the hair tied behind the head in a knot, ambada, and deck it with flowers. The dress of men which formerly was partly Muslim and partly Hindu, a turban or cap, a Hindu coat, trousers or a waist-cloth and Hindu shoes has now completely changed to that of the English style. Till recently the women dressed like Kunbis in a full sari and loose bodice, passing one end of the sari between the feet and tucking it into the waist and behind, and the other over the head. In recent years there has been a considerable change, the young women taking to the golnesana, round mode of wearing the sari and a few copying the Parsi or the Western style. Their ornaments are generally the same as those worn by the middle and low class Hindus of the same rank.

The home-tongue of Bene Israels is Marathi often mixed with words of Arabic or Hebrew origin; among the rustics usually r takes the place of l or l and n of n. They live in houses of the better sort generally of one storey. Oil-pressers and others who have cattle generally keep them in shed separate from their houses. The only special article found in their household is a box fixed to the upper part of the right door-post, a box with a small square glass let into the front of it, and inside is a piece of parchment with carefully written verses from Deut, vi 4-9 and xi 13-20, so placed that from outside through the glass or holes in the box the word Shadaya (Almighty) can be read.

Food and Drink.

Apart from the usual staple food in use in the district, the Bene Israels eat the flesh of animals, fowl and fish, as admissible under the Levitical Law. Among four-footed animals they eat only such as chew the cud and have divided hoofs. They so abhor swine's flesh that "pig-eater" (suvar khau) is their grossest term of abuse. Of birds, only those may be eaten which do not hold their pray in their feet, and of fish, only those with fins and scales. Religion does not prohibit them from the use of alcoholic drinks.

Religion.

Bene Israels worship one God and use no images. They do not attempt to proselytise. The essence of their faith is given in the Hebrew sentence: The Lord, our God, He is one Lord (Deuteronomy, vi. 4). All through life this text is in the devout's mouth and while repeating it he touches the right eye with the right thumb, the left eye with the little finger, and the forehead with the three middle fingers. Besides the belief in one God, the Bene Israel's confession of faith includes thirteen articles centered round the faith that the Old Testament is the only true Scripture.

Synagogues.

In this district Bene Israels have their synagogues at Alibag, Ambepur (Alibag), Astami (Roha), Borlai (Murud), Pen, Panvel and Revdanda. The synagogue, the meeting place of the. congregation, is known to the Bene Israels as the masjid or mosque. In it they have manuscript copies of the Old Testament and consider it to be the divine authority. From the outside, the building looks like a mosque and is surrounded with an enclosure. It has an outer open terrace, where the men keep their shoes, no one being allowed to enter with his shoes on. To the door is fastened a wooden box, which the worshippers kiss as they enter. Inside is a square room with windows to the right and left, and in front, in the west wall is a cupboard-like frame with glass doors, called the ark. In this ark are kept the manuscripts of the Laws of Moses written on pieces of parchment. The minister stands facing the ark in the centre of the synagogue reciting verses, and the congregation listens, seated on benches and chairs. Prayers and singing of songs also form a part of the worship. The staff of the synagogue consists of the hazan (minister), the Kazi (religious teacher) who helps in performing ceremonies, and the samash (beadle) who is the general servant. The synagogue is financed by voluntary contributions made by the public and the special charges made on occasions like marriage, circumcision, etc. The property of the synagogue is held by trustees, the trust being registered under the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950. Various Jewish fasts and feasts are observed by the Bene Israels but these do not in all cases correspond with those by Jews in other parts of the world. Rosh Hashana, New Year Feast, more often called by the Marathi name of "Nauyaca San" from the preparation of khir or sweet rice then eaten. Kippur or Fast of the Atonement is called by the Bene Israels "dar falnica san" or festival of "door-closing", because they used to shut themselves up within doors for the whole day. In Adar (Feb.-Mar.) on the 15th occurs Purim which is called (Holica San) probably from its co-incidence, in date with the Hindu Holi. In Ab (July-Aug.) comes Tishabe-ab called by the Bene Israels "biradyaca san" from birdya or sprouted pulses and other plants eaten that day.

Ceremonies.

The chief ceremonies followed by the community relate to such important life incidents such as birth, circumcision, marriage and death. Formerly these were as important and complicated as those of the Hindus, and had a special interest from the curious mixture of Hindu and Jewish customs. But the tendency of late is to do away with the old customs and to have as few forms as possible.

As among Jews of other countries the Bene Israels have the male child circumcised and named on the eighth day after birth which is called Hajjan. There arc also ceremonies connected with cradling, shaving and ear-boring of the child which are not strictly followed at present. The purification of the mother may be performed on the fortieth day after a boy's birth, and on the eightieth if it be a girl.

Marriage.

At present the marriageable age for the boy is about 25 and for a girl about 20. The offer of marriage generally comes from the boy's side. The engagement ceremony takes place at the girl's house when the girl is presented with a ring or a small gold ornament; the marriage is celebrated on some subsequent Sunday at a synagogue or any other convenient place. A necessary function of the marriage ceremony is the execution of the marriage contract by the bride and the bridegroom. The contract is attested by the officiating priest and by two or more other persons present, and is banded over to the bride. [For details of the ceremony refer Gazetteer of Bombay State, Poona District (1954) p. 148.]

The Bene-Israels, though not prevented from practising polygamy, have as a rule only one wife. The marriage covenant is generally rigidly observed. However, in cases of violation of the contract, the innocent party is allowed a divorce, and the liberty of remarriage: hut the cases of divorce are rare. Intermarriage with alien women is discouraged.

Death.

The dead are buried without coffins in graves about six feet deep with head to the east. A burial cannot take place after sunset on Fridays, and before sunset on Saturdays. Similarly, internment is disallowed from 5 p.m. till after sunset on the day before the Day of Atonement. Mourning is generally observed for three days in the case of a child and for seven days in the case of an adult during which time flesh is eschewed. Prayers are offered on the day the mourning ends and a feast is given to those present.

Occupation.

Bene Israels are chiefly husbandmen, oil-pressers, carpenters, but some are school masters, shop-keepers and cart-drivers. Many are turners and fitters in Bombay and those who have availed them-selves of English education have taken up clerical appointments and some have made a name in the teaching, medical and legal professions. A good many women become nurses, midwives and teachers. At present literacy among the Kolaba Bene Israels is considerably high and a good many among them are employed in the Defence Services.

Since the State of Israel was created, encouragements to settle in Palestine were offered to Jews all over the world. Not a few in India were persuaded to go and settle there. The exodus is steadily on increase. Inquiries made in several places of Kolaba showed that several families have migrated to Israel and happily settled. Many more were thinking of dismantling their establishments in India and going to Palestine, which they said, offered better conditions of livelihood and eventual prosperity to men of talents and industrious habits.

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