- Jewish timeline
- General timeline
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS AND THE RISE OF RELIGIONS
- 7000 Settled life emerges in Indus Valley (modern India-Pakistan border)
2500 Large cities established in Indus Valley, the cradle of Indian civilization
1500 Vedic Period begins. Hinduism, Sanskrit culture, and caste system are strengthened
- 800 The first Jews? Jews said to arrive in Kingdom of Cochin on Malabar Coast
722 Part of the Lost Tribes? Bene Israel said to arrive on Koncan Coast near Mumbai
- 500 Buddha spreads his teaching. Jainism also develops
326 Alexander the Great abandons efforts to extend power into India
THE FIRST GREAT INDIAN EMPIRE
- 321 The Mauryan Empire dominates Indian sub-continent
They create efficient trade and administration systems
Caste system, including untouchability, strengthens
Buddhism becomes India’s main religion under powerful Emperor Asoka
232 Asoka’s death starts decline of empire and weakening of Buddhism
Different tribes and local kingdoms come to control much of India
- 175 More Bene Israel said to arrive, fleeing Hellenistic rule in Israel
A GOLDEN AGE UNDER THE GUPTAS
- 319 The Gupta Empire reaches its peak, ruling most of India
Major advances in trade, arts, and sciences
Hinduism revives, and becomes India’s dominant religion
510 Gupta army defeated by invading Hun from central Asia
Long period of regional rule with many separate Hindu kingdoms
550 Northern India, the traditional home of power and development
Southern culture and prosperity grow with trade with Egypt and Romans
- 900 Cochin Jews settle in their “Jerusalem,” the city of Cranganore on Malabar Coast
ISLAMIC RULERS, A DIVERSE POPULATION, A JEWISH "KING"
- 1001 Muslim armies from modern Afghanistan begin great raids into Northern India
- Cochin Jews flourish in coastal trade and enjoy close relations with local people
1069 Joseph Rabban considered a “king” or feudal ruler in Cochin / Malabar area
Copper plates record privileges granted to Rabban and his descendants
Cochin community tied to wider Jewish world and “mainstream” Judaism
- 1206 Based in Delhi, Muslim emperors dominate north and are influential in south
Allow Hindu majority and other groups to follow their own laws and customs
1236 Razi Sultana becomes first woman sovereign in Indian and Islamic history
- Bene Israel have close relations with local Muslims and Hindus on Koncan Coast
They are largely isolated from wider Jewish world and “mainstream” Judaism
TOLERANT MUGHALS, INTOLERANT PORTUGUESE
- 1526 Muslim armies from Central Asia establish Mughal Empire
Rule over almost entire Indian subcontinent
Tolerate non-Islamic religions and local customs, align with local authorities
- Paradesis (or foreigners), Sephardi Jews settle in Cochin and Cranganore
- Portuguese, from enclave in Goa, harass non-Catholics, attack Cranganore
- Jews flee south, to city of Cochin (Kochi) & welcomed by local Hindu ruler
1568 Paradesi synagogue built in Cochin
Cochin Jews gain reputation for knowledge and religiosity
- 1632 Construction of Taj Mahal begins, part of flourishing of arts under Mughals
- 1683 Economic boom for Cochin Jews begins, maximum population 2,500
Play key role as trading agents and intermediaries for Dutch colonial interests
Tension in Cochin between richer Paradesi “whites” and original “black” Jews
- 1707 Mughal Empire rapidly weakens
Its power dispersed among various Hindu kingdoms
European colonists, especially British and French, also seek influence
- 1768 Bene Israel visited by Cochin Jews & adopt more traditional Jewish customs & laws
JEWS AND THE RAJ: LIFE UNDER BRITAIN
- 1800 Britain, through the East Indies Company and its army, effectively controls India
City of Bombay (Mumbai) grows rapidly and key British center
- Most Bene Israel leave villages and move to nearby Bombay
Bene Israel population 6,000. Build first synagogues
- Cochin, 900 miles south of Bombay, becomes economic backwater
- Its Jews decline in influence and number. Many leave for Bombay
New Jews in India: “Baghdadi” community from the Middle East is formed
Most also settle in Bombay
- 1847 British imperialism, education, technology, and English language gain influence
- Christian missionaries expose Bene Israel to education and Jewish texts
Passover Haggadah translated into Marathi
- 1857 Indian Rebellion against British rule defeated after considerable violence
- Many Bene Israel serve in British army
1860 “Baghdadi” Jews, especially David Sassoon, prominent in Bombay business & trade
“Baghdadi” Jews maintain Arabic language and clothing, Sephardi religious customs
They are distant from Indian society but have close ties with British authorities
Tensions between Baghdadis and Bene Israel in Bombay
- 1878 Great Famine, worst of series of families under British, kills 5.5 million
1885 Birth of modern Indian nationalism: Indian National Congress formed
1913 Bengali poet Rabindranath Tangore wins Nobel Prize for Literature
1914 Over a million Indian volunteers serve in WWI with British
- Mahatma Gandhi and Congress lead mass demand for national independence
- 1925 Liberal Jewish community established in Bombay among Bene Israel
1945 Britain, under Labour Government, accepts idea of Indian independence
Mohammad Jinnah and Muslim League demand separate Islamic state
PARTITION, INDEPENDENCE
- 1947 Increasing Hindu-Muslim violence as independence draws near
Britain hastily quits India
They create predominantly Hindu (India) and Muslim (Pakistan) states
Massive population exchanges and violence, over 500,000 killed
Nehru Prime Minister. India aligned neither to US nor Soviets
1948 Mahatma Gandhi’s calls for Hindu-Muslim unity leads to his assassination
- India does not recognize new state of Israel
20-30,000 Indian Jews, Bene Israel in Bombay is the largest community
- 1950 Constitution defines India as sovereign, democratic republic
1951 Population 361 million, 16.6% literacy rate, widespread poverty
- Gradual migration by most of India’s Jews begins
Bene Israel and remaining Cochin Jews move mainly to Israel
Most of the Baghdadi community migrate to Britain
- 1962 War against China followed by wars with Pakistan (1965, 1971)
1964 Nehru dies. His daughter Indira Gandhi becomes prime minister in 1966
- Israeli Chief Rabbinate rules Bene Israel are completely Jewish
1967 Migration of Jews peak
1968 400th anniversary of Paradesi synagogue in Cochin. Indira Gandhi attends
- 1971 Constitution amended to define India as socialist, secular, democratic republic
1974 India conducts first nuclear tests, on way to becoming a nuclear power
1975 State of Emergency: Indira Gandhi assumes authoritarian powers
1977 Indira Gandhi’s rule by decree rejected. Congress loses election for first time
1979 Mother Teresa wins Nobel Peace prize for her work among poor
1980 Indira Gandhi and Congress return to power
- Christian group in north east claims they were originally Jews from lost tribes
Become known as Bnei Menashe and start practising Judaism
Over time, about 2,000 move to Israel where their status as Jews is debated
- 1981 60% of India’s population live under World Bank poverty line
1984 Unrest with Sikhs leads to assassination of Indira Gandhi
ETERNAL AND MODERN
- 1991 Free market reforms begin, leading to growth in middle classes
Cities grow rapidly but still today most Indians live in village & rural areas
- A small community known as Bnei Ephraim / the Telagu Jews emerges
They claim Jewish descent, begin studying and practising Judaism
1992 India establishes relations with Israel. Military & trade ties grow rapidly
- 1998 Amaryta Sen’s work on poverty and development wins Nobel Prize for economics
2008 Mumbai (Bombay) terror attacks
- Six people in Chabad House among the dead
- 2011 21% live under World Bank poverty line. 74% of population are literate
415 living languages, 29 languages (led by Hindi) with over a million speakers
80% Hindu, 14% Muslim (world’s third largest Muslim population), 2% Christian
2014 Narendra Modi, leader of Hindu Nationalist party BJP, becomes prime minister
2016 GDP per capita 129th in world out of 190
- 60,000 Bene Israel live in Israel, including children of Bene Israel parents
- Today India’s Population: 1.339 billion
- Jewish Population Today: 4,500-6,000
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