מרכז למידה יהודי הודו- Heritage of Bene Israel Indian Jews

25/09/2026

🇮🇳➡️🇮🇱 From Aren Kehimkar to Aaron David – A Bene Israel Life Story
The Intergenerational Connection Program bridges generations through technology and heritage. Senior citizens and students work together to document life stories and preserve them for future generations.
One such story is that of Aaron David, formerly Aren Kehimkar, who was born in Mumbai, India, and immigrated to Israel on 27 June 1969.
His life story was documented by Maor Moses and Idan Shonk, students at Amirim School in Ashdod, and published through the Rav-Dori heritage program in 2015.
Aaron grew up in a Bene Israel Jewish family in Mumbai, surrounded by Jewish, Hindu, Christian, and Muslim neighbors. Jewish traditions were an important part of his childhood: Shabbat, Jewish festivals, Hebrew prayers, synagogue life, and community gatherings.
After studying technical subjects at ORT and working in India, he made Aliyah with his family. At Lod Airport, the family was offered several cities in which to settle. They chose Ashdod, which became their home.
He began working at Elta, served in the IDF Artillery Corps, returned to Elta after his military service, and eventually retired in August 2013. He married, raised three children in Israel, and later changed his family name from Kehimkar to David, in memory of his grandfather.
A personal discovery
I have seen Aaron David many times over the years at different events in Ashdod, but until I discovered his Rav-Dori story, I did not know the remarkable journey behind the familiar face.
Today, Aaron lives in Quarter Yod (י') in Ashdod and remains connected to the Bene Israel community as a member of the Bene Israel synagogue in Quarter Yod.
For me, this is exactly why heritage documentation is so important.
Sometimes we meet people for years at community events without knowing the history they carry within them.
Aaron's story is not only the story of one man. It is part of the wider story of the Bene Israel Jews of India who made Aliyah, built new lives in Israel, served the country, worked in Israeli industry, raised families, and preserved their traditions.
📜 Every person carries a story.
Every story is a piece of our heritage.
Let us document it before it disappears.
Samuel Kurulkar
Admin – Heritage of Bene Israel Indian Jews
This version makes the Ashdod connection and his continuing Bene Israel community involvement much more prominent while keeping the original life story intact.

25/09/2026

Words of appreciation for Mr. Nissim Moses from Base Commander Rahamim Varulkar of India. Rahamim is a retired base commander of the Indian Air Force. His parents lived in the city of Kiryat G*t, and although they were a modest and quiet family, I remember his mother well; she was always among the first to attend always at the Sha'arei Rahamim synagogue in Kiryat G*t, from the old orayer house to the new one built in Synagogue 1980.
Rahamim Varulkar shares his thoughts on Mr. Nissim Moses: "I am Lt. Col. (Retd.) Rahamim Varulkar of the Indian Air Force.
* I fully support the wide recognition of my dear friend, Mr. Nissim Moses. During my eight years of close acquaintance with him in New Delhi—and many more years thereafter—I have come to know how sincere and dedicated he is, and how profound his knowledge of the Jewish community is, both in India and Israel. Had it not been for his efforts, I would not have been aware of my great-grandfather's contribution to Arthur Road Hospital, where he served as Medical Director in the late 19th century. Furthermore, were it not for him, I would have been left without information about the military service and the circumstances of the death of my great-grandfather's younger brother during the First World War; a memorial has been erected in his memory on MG Road, Pune. Nissim's extensive knowledge and in-depth research on the subject of the Jewish people are certainly worthy of great appreciation and recognition." By Rahamim Varulkar, Lt. Col., Indian Air Force."

25/09/2026

דברי רחמים ורולקר
מפקד בסיס בדימוס של חיל האויר ההודי
הוריו גרו בעיר קרית גת ולא זכיתי להכיר אותם כי הם היו משׂפחה צנועה ושקטה בעיר
אני זוכר את אימו שנהגה תמיד להיות בין הדמיות הראשונות בבית כנסת שערי רחמים בעיר קרית גת מבית כנסת הישן עד בית כנסת החדש שהוקם ששנת 1980
רחמים ורולקר מספר על מר. ניסים מוזם
"אני סגן-אלוף (בדימוס) רחמים ורולקר מחיל האוויר ההודי. אני תומך באופן מלא בהענקת הכרה רחבה לידידי היקר, מר ניסים מוזס. במהלך שמונה שנות היכרותי הקרובה עמו בניו דלהי – ובשנים רבות נוספות לאחר מכן – נוכחתי לדעת עד כמה הוא כן ומסור, ועד כמה עמוקה בקיאותו בנוגע לקהילת בני ישראל (הן בהודו והן בישראל). אלמלא מאמציו, לא הייתי מודע לתרומתו של סבי-רבא לבית החולים ארתור רואד (Arthur Road Hospital), שם כיהן כמנהל רפואי בשלהי המאה ה-19. כמו כן, לולא הוא, הייתי נותר ללא מידע על שירותו הצבאי ונסיבות מותו של אחיו הצעיר של סבי-רבא במהלך מלחמת העולם הראשונה; לזכרו של האח הוקמה אנדרטה ברחוב MG בפונה (Pune). הידע הנרחב והמחקר המעמיק של ניסים בנושא העם היהודי ראויים בהחלט להערכה ולהכרה רבה. מאת רחמים ורולקר, סגן-אלוף, חיל האוויר ההודי "

25/09/2026

25/09/2026

हम गाज़ा में लड़ाई के दौरान शहीद हुए 7007वीं बटालियन, 16वीं ब्रिगेड के दो IDF सैनिकों के निधन पर शोक व्यक्त करते हैं:

🕯️ मास्टर सार्जेंट (रिज़र्व) नादव काली, 24 वर्ष, हर हलुत्ज़ से।

🕯️ मास्टर सार्जेंट (रिज़र्व) ओफेक मोआलेम, 23 वर्ष, यरुशलम से।

हमारी संवेदनाएँ उनके परिवारों और प्रियजनों के साथ हैं।

ईश्वर उनकी आत्मा को शांति दे। 🕯️

25/09/2026

🇮🇳🇮🇱 Help Preserve the Heritage of Indian Jews — Bene Israel and Iraqi Jews of India
📜 Our Heritage Is a Human Treasure
The story of Rachel Ovadia, born in Bombay and brought to life through the Intergenerational Connection Program, reminds us of something important:
Every family has a story worth preserving.
For generations, Jewish communities in India created rich and unique lives while maintaining their Jewish identity.
Among them were the Bene Israel of Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as the Baghdadi/Iraqi Jewish communities of India, particularly in places such as Bombay and Calcutta.
Their stories include:
🇮🇳 Life in India
✡️ Synagogues and Jewish traditions
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family histories and genealogy
📚 Education and community life
💼 Professions and businesses
🎵 Songs, languages and customs
✈️ Immigration and the journey to Israel
🇮🇱 Building new lives in Israel
Many of these memories still live in the minds of our parents, grandparents, relatives and community elders.
But memories disappear when they are not documented.

❤️ A Call to Our Community
If you are a Bene Israel Jew or a Jew of Iraqi/Baghdadi origin from India, please help preserve this living heritage by sharing your family's story.
We welcome:
• Memories of where your family lived in India
• Stories about your parents, grandparents and relatives
• Experiences of synagogues, schools and community life
• Childhood memories, traditions, customs, songs and languages
• Details about family occupations, professions and businesses
• Stories of immigration and the journey to Israel or another country
• Old family photographs, letters, certificates and other documents
• Family trees, genealogical records and names of relatives
• Any personal story that helps bring our community's history to life
Even a small memory, an old photograph or a single document can help complete the story of a family and preserve it for future generations.
Please contact us directly to share your material or learn how to contribute. Send your stories, photographs, documents or family trees to Samuel Kurulkar, Admin of Heritage of Bene Israel Indian Jews, or reach out through the community page.
Do not assume that someone else will preserve these memories.
Your family story may be the missing piece in the history of our community.
📖 Let us document the past before it disappears.
A story remembered is precious.
A story documented becomes heritage.
A story shared becomes a legacy for future generations.
🇮🇳❤️🇮🇱
Samuel Kurulkar
Admin — Heritage of Bene Israel Indian Jews
Loyal assistant and friend, supporting Nissim Moses

25/09/2026

A Human Treasure of Heritage
The Intergenerational Connection Program
The Intergenerational Connection Program builds bridges between generations through technology, family stories, and heritage. Senior citizens share their life stories with younger generations, who document, edit, and preserve these memories for future generations.
One of these stories is that of Rachel Ovadia, who lives in the community of Matan, in the southern Sharon region of Israel. Her granddaughter, Eleanor Kedar, participated with her in the Intergenerational Connection Program and documented her grandmother's remarkable life story.
The story was published on February 7, 2023.
My Grandmother's Story — Rachel Ovadia
My name is Rachel Ovadia. I was born in India at the Messina Hospital in Bombay, which was a British hospital.
I was the third child in the Gurji family. We were a wealthy family. My father was a textile merchant, and we lived in a large ten-room house. We had six servants. I had two older sisters and a younger brother.
My brother and I actually preferred eating the food prepared by the servants rather than the food our grandmother cooked for us!
I attended kindergarten in India. Our family traveled to many different places. I remember one time when I got lost because I wanted to have some ice cream. My parents eventually found me at an ice-cream stand.
Coming to Israel
We came to Israel as a Zionist family because my father dreamed of living in Israel. In 1951, we flew to Israel as tourists. I was supposed to begin first grade.
We lived in a Swedish-style wooden hut in Petah Tikva.
At school, Hebrew was a new language for me and for my family. I was not very good at Hebrew and considered myself rather lazy when it came to studying the language, but I was very good at mathematics.
At that time, we were encouraged to speak Hebrew even with our parents. It was part of our adjustment to our new life in Israel.
Childhood Memories
The games we played as children were mostly outdoor games. We played jump rope, three sticks, hopscotch, five stones, and other traditional children's games.
I mostly played with my sisters and with friends from the neighborhood, including Esther Kalina and Mazal Gluska.
I also remember my sister Helen, who was very talented at handicrafts. Her handicrafts teacher liked her very much. The same teacher later became my teacher as well. Because she knew how talented Helen was, she assumed that I must be equally talented and gave me a good grade because of my sister!
Losing My Parents
I studied at Ahad Ha'am High School.
When I was in eleventh grade, my mother became seriously ill with heart disease and was hospitalized many times. After three years of hospitalizations, my mother passed away.
My father died a short time later, apparently from the heartbreak of losing his wife.
I became an orphan at a young age.
My Working Life
After graduating from high school, I worked at the Ministry of Finance office in Jaffa.
After one year, I moved to work at Israel Aerospace Industries, where I worked for five years.
At the age of twenty, I married Shmuel Ovadia, whom I had known for six months.
We tried to build a family for twelve years. When we finally succeeded, the birth of our daughter Molly brought great happiness, especially to Shmuel's mother, who was very excited about her granddaughter.
We later moved to Tel Aviv, near Kikar HaMedina.
After four years, Shmuel left the home, and I had to support myself and my daughter Molly on my own. I worked in a travel agency, where I was responsible for bookkeeping.
My Life Today
Today, I live close to my daughter Molly and my grandchildren. They come to visit me almost every Friday and Saturday.
Many members of my family live nearby in the community. I also spend a great deal of time with my sister Helen. We do almost everything together.
I have several hobbies. I enjoy going to theater performances and movies, and I also enjoy making beaded necklaces.
A Story Preserved for Future Generations
Through the Intergenerational Connection Program, Rachel's memories have become more than a personal family story. They are part of the broader history of a generation of Indian Jews who left India and built new lives in Israel.
Rachel's story preserves memories of Jewish life in Bombay, the experience of immigration in the early years of the State of Israel, childhood in Petah Tikva, the challenges of learning Hebrew, family life, work, loss, perseverance, and the importance of family.
Most importantly, the story demonstrates the value of a granddaughter listening to her grandmother and recording her memories.
Every family story is a piece of heritage. When we document these stories today, we make sure that the voices, memories, experiences, and traditions of our elders will not disappear tomorrow.