Baghdadi Jews
Encyclopedia
Baghdadi Jews, also known as Iraqi Jews, are Jewish emigrants from Baghdad
and elsewhere in Iraq
, who fled religious persecution and formed immigrant communities in their new homelands. Baghdad and Iraq in general used to have one of the largest, if not the largest Jewish community in the Middle East
and Central Asia
, and these new immigrant communities also included Jews as part of the Persian and Mughal courtiers. Records of Jewish tradesmen traveling from Baghdad can be found from the early 17th century, and around the mid 19th century a large portion of the community started immigrating to South and South-east Asia as well as to the west, creating new communities while preserving their unique traditions.
, Yangon
(Rangoon), Singapore
, and Shanghai
. The ethnic Jewish community in Penang
is now extinct with the passing of its last member in 2011. Some smaller Jewish communities, such as the one in Bangkok
, trace their first founders to Baghdadi Jewish traders who worked and settled down in the region.
and set up the Surat Synagogue and Cemetery here. Surat
was a main port for trade in 16th and 17th century and East India company set up his head quarter for murchant, it is located in Western India part of Gujarat State and commercial capital of Gujarat now. Arabic-speaking Jews came to India as traders in the wake of the Portuguese, Dutch and British. These "Baghdadis," as they came to be known, especially the Sassoons of Bombay and the Ezras of Calcutta, eventually established manufacturing and commercial houses of fabulous wealth. The majority came from Iraq, thus giving the community its name, though smaller groups came from other countries such as Syria
and Afghanistan
and assimilated into the Baghdadi group. Unlike other Jewish communities in India, whose oral tradition attest to a presence in India going back as long as 2000 years, the Baghdadi communities were established relatively recently (in the past few centuries). The Baghdadi community usually wear Western clothing, as they assimilate to the local community in appearance.
Persian speaking jews closely related to Baghdadi Jews from Afghanistan and Iran came with the Ghaznavad, Ghori and Mughal invasions of Mahmud (11th century), Muhammad (12th century) and Babur (16th century). The most obscure of Indian Jews, they were traders and courtiers of the Mughals. Jewish advisors at the Court of Akbar the Great in Agra played a significant role in Akbar's liberal religious policies and built a synagogue there. In Delhi, one Jew was tutor to the Crown Prince, Dara Shikoh; the teacher and student were later assassinated by Aurangzeb when he usurped the throne. Jews traded freely in Kashmir, the Punjab, and throughout the Mughal Empire.
, Turkish
, Persian and Indian influences. Famous Baghdadi dishes include Beef curry
, Baghdadi Biryani
and Baghdadi Jewish paratha
s. A Baghdadi version of Tandoori chicken
is also popular (using lemon juice to cook the chicken instead of cream used in the usual Indian recipe). Other Jewish Baghdadi communities have mixed their original Iraq Jewish dishes with influences from the local cuisine where they settled.
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and elsewhere in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, who fled religious persecution and formed immigrant communities in their new homelands. Baghdad and Iraq in general used to have one of the largest, if not the largest Jewish community in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, and these new immigrant communities also included Jews as part of the Persian and Mughal courtiers. Records of Jewish tradesmen traveling from Baghdad can be found from the early 17th century, and around the mid 19th century a large portion of the community started immigrating to South and South-east Asia as well as to the west, creating new communities while preserving their unique traditions.
Baghdadi Jews presence in Asia
The main Baghdadi Jewish communities in Asia are found in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
(Rangoon), Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. The ethnic Jewish community in Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
is now extinct with the passing of its last member in 2011. Some smaller Jewish communities, such as the one in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, trace their first founders to Baghdadi Jewish traders who worked and settled down in the region.
History
In 1730, Joseph Semah arrived from Baghdad to SuratSurat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and set up the Surat Synagogue and Cemetery here. Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
was a main port for trade in 16th and 17th century and East India company set up his head quarter for murchant, it is located in Western India part of Gujarat State and commercial capital of Gujarat now. Arabic-speaking Jews came to India as traders in the wake of the Portuguese, Dutch and British. These "Baghdadis," as they came to be known, especially the Sassoons of Bombay and the Ezras of Calcutta, eventually established manufacturing and commercial houses of fabulous wealth. The majority came from Iraq, thus giving the community its name, though smaller groups came from other countries such as Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and assimilated into the Baghdadi group. Unlike other Jewish communities in India, whose oral tradition attest to a presence in India going back as long as 2000 years, the Baghdadi communities were established relatively recently (in the past few centuries). The Baghdadi community usually wear Western clothing, as they assimilate to the local community in appearance.
Persian speaking jews closely related to Baghdadi Jews from Afghanistan and Iran came with the Ghaznavad, Ghori and Mughal invasions of Mahmud (11th century), Muhammad (12th century) and Babur (16th century). The most obscure of Indian Jews, they were traders and courtiers of the Mughals. Jewish advisors at the Court of Akbar the Great in Agra played a significant role in Akbar's liberal religious policies and built a synagogue there. In Delhi, one Jew was tutor to the Crown Prince, Dara Shikoh; the teacher and student were later assassinated by Aurangzeb when he usurped the throne. Jews traded freely in Kashmir, the Punjab, and throughout the Mughal Empire.
Cuisine
Indian Baghdadi cuisine is an Indian hybrid cuisine, with many ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
, Turkish
Turkish cuisine
Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including that of western Europe...
, Persian and Indian influences. Famous Baghdadi dishes include Beef curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
, Baghdadi Biryani
Biryani
Biryani, biriani, or beriani is a set of rice-based foods made with spices, rice and meat, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means "fried" or "roasted"....
and Baghdadi Jewish paratha
Paratha
A paratha/parantha/parauntha is an Indian flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta which literally means layers of cooked dough...
s. A Baghdadi version of Tandoori chicken
Tandoori chicken
Tandoori chicken is highly popular Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of roasted chicken, yogurt, and spices.-Preparation:The chicken is marinated in Yoghurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. It is moderately piquant in India and Pakistan, but the heat is reduced in most Western nations...
is also popular (using lemon juice to cook the chicken instead of cream used in the usual Indian recipe). Other Jewish Baghdadi communities have mixed their original Iraq Jewish dishes with influences from the local cuisine where they settled.
Notable Baghdadi Jews
- Edward Isaac EzraEdward Isaac EzraEdward Isaac Ezra was a wealthy Jewish businessman, who was the first Chinese-born member of the Shanghai Municipal Council, and who was at one time "one of the wealthiest foreigners in Shanghai"...
. opium trader and real estate developer - Lord Kadoorie
- Abraham SofaerAbraham SofaerAbraham Sofaer was a stage actor of Burmese-Jewish descent who became a familiar supporting player on film and television in his later years. He was born in Rangoon, Burma...
, actor - Brian Elias, composer
- NadiraNadira (actress)-References:* Rediff.com* -External links:* . Audio podcast by Eric Molinsky discussing Nadira and other Jewish women in Indian cinema...
, BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actress - J. F. R. Jacob, Indian military commander in the Bangladesh Liberation WarBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
of 1971; former Governor of Goa and Punjab. - Anish KapoorAnish KapoorAnish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice...
, British AsianBritish AsianBritish Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
sculptor; Baghdadi Jewish mother - DavidDavid and Simon ReubenDavid and Simon Reuben are well known British businessmen and philanthropists. In the Forbes magazine List of billionaires 2011, ranking of the wealthiest people in the UK, the brothers were placed second with an estimated fortune of £5.5 billion...
& Simon Reuben, British AsianBritish AsianBritish Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
businessmen - David SassoonDavid SassoonDavid Sassoon was the treasurer of Baghdad between 1817 and 1829. He became the leader of the Jewish community in Bombay after Baghdadi Jews emigrated there.-Biography:...
, merchant and founder of the SassoonSassoonSassoon may refer to:*Sassoon Other uses:* Sassoon Eskell , Iraqi statesman and financier* Siegfried Sassoon, English poet and author* Sassoon * David Sassoon Library, in Mumbai, India* Sassoon Docks, in Mumbai, India...
family - Albert Abdullah David SassoonAlbert Abdullah David SassoonSir Albert Abdullah David Sassoon, 1st Baronet, KCB, CSI, , a British Indian philanthropist and merchant, was born a Jew in Baghdad, a member of a family that had lived there since the beginning of the 16th century, having been expelled from Spain in the 1490s. He was named Abdullah at birth, but...
, merchant - Silas Aaron HardoonSilas Aaron HardoonSilas Aaron Hardoon was a wealthy businessman and well-known public figure in the city of Shanghai in the early 20th century.-Biography:Silas was born Sileh Hardoon into a poor Jewish family in Baghdad...
, real estate tycoon - Sassoon David SassoonSassoon David SassoonSassoon David Sassoon , a British Indian merchant, was born at Bombay , a member of a family settled there since the beginning of the 16th century, and previously in Spain...
, English merchant - Siegfried SassoonSiegfried SassoonSiegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE MC was an English poet, author and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both described the horrors of the trenches, and satirised the patriotic pretensions of those who, in Sassoon's...
, English poet during World War I, grandson of Sassoon David Sassoon - Sassoon J. DavidSassoon J. DavidSir Sassoon Jacob Hai David, 1st Baronet was a member of the community of Baghdadi Jews that lived in Bombay from the late 18th Century into the 20th Century. A prominent businessman, he was the lead promoter of the Bank of India, founded in 1906...
, banker (founder of Bank of IndiaBank of IndiaBank of India is a state-owned commercial bank with headquarters in Mumbai. Government-owned since nationalization in 1969, It is India's 4th largest bank, after State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda. It has 3415 branches, including 29 branches outside India...
) and member of the Bombay Municipal Corporation - Brian GeorgeBrian GeorgeBrian George is a British-Israeli actor and voice actor for Indian accents, who typically plays guest roles for characters of South Asian descent. Perhaps his most famous role is as Pakistani restaurateur Babu Bhatt on Seinfeld.-Early life:...
, Israeli-born character actor of Baghdadi-Indian Jewish descent; most well-known for playing the role of a Pakistani shop owner, "Bhabu", on SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, US TV series - David Saul MarshallDavid Saul MarshallDavid Saul Marshall was the leader of the Singapore Labour Front and became the first Chief Minister of Singapore in 1955....
, the first Chief Minister of Singapore - Gerry JudahGerry JudahGerry Judah is a British artist and designer who has created settings for theatre, film, television, museums and public spaces...
, Artist/Designer - Tim JudahTim JudahTim Judah is a front line reporter for The Economist and author. A graduate of the London School of Economics and of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University he worked for the BBC before becoming the Balkans correspondent for The Times and The Economist. During the Kosovo war he...
, Journalist and Historian - Robin GhoshRobin GhoshRobin Ghosh is a musician and music composer. Famous playback singer Ahmed Rushdi has a notable contribution to Ghosh's success...
, famous composer of BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i film industry - Ashok Ghosh, famous film director in BangladeshBangladeshBangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
- Joseph Judah, Soldier and Italian shipyard representative
- Jack DellalJack DellalJack Dellal is a London-based property investor reportedly worth GBP £480 million in 2009. It was £580 million in 2008. These recent figures were significantly lower than a 2005 estimate by The Evening Standard, which ranked Dellal as a billionaire...
(Property Developer) - Moshe Tobi, considered an elder leader of Baghadadi jew community in India (Died in 1769 Surat)
- Claire Judah, Bletchley parkBletchley ParkBletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
code breaker
See also
- Jewish ethnic divisionsJewish ethnic divisionsJewish ethnic divisions refers to a number of distinct communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population. Although considered one single self-identifying ethnicity, there are distinct ethnic divisions among Jews, most of which are primarily the result of geographic branching from an...
- Indian JewsIndian JewsThe history of the Jews in India reaches back to ancient times.Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first foreign religions to arrive in India in recorded history. The better-established ancient communities have assimilated a large number of local traditions through...
- Baghdad Arabic (Jewish)
- David SassoonDavid SassoonDavid Sassoon was the treasurer of Baghdad between 1817 and 1829. He became the leader of the Jewish community in Bombay after Baghdadi Jews emigrated there.-Biography:...
- Asian Jews
- British Asians
- Indian Americans
External links
- Indian Jews - Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
- Calcutta Jews - Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...