India and Israel share related challenges to their societies from radicalism and terrorism aside from many different rising developments on the geopolitical panorama, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has instructed the Indian Jewish group and Indologists right here.
Jaishankar, on his first go to to Israel as External Affairs Minister, hailed the Indian Jewish group’s manifold contributions to the centuries-old ties between the 2 international locations.
The minister, who arrived right here on Sunday on a five-day official go to, mentioned that he was assured that the Indian Jewish group in Israel will carry the 2 international locations even nearer collectively within the coming years.
During his go to right here, the minister would name on President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. (PTI)
He mentioned that that is his third go to to Israel within the final 4 years, however each time he returns, he leaves with the sense of an unfinished journey.
“Like India, this too is a place that requires a lifetime to discover and understand. I am, therefore, happy to be back here, in a land with which we have centuries old ties, and amidst you who are the umbilical cord nourishing these ties”, he mentioned.
Jaishankar identified that India’s bilateral relations with Israel has been in a qualitatively totally different trajectory in the previous few years.
Our two international locations share values of democracy and pluralism. We additionally share a few of our guiding civilizational philosophies: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in India, or the world is one household, and Tikun Olam in Israel, or heal the world.
“We also share similar challenges to our society from radicalism and terrorism, apart from many other emerging developments on the geopolitical landscape,” Jaishankar mentioned with out elaborating.
India has been dealing with main threats emanating from throughout the border from Pakistan and Israel can also be surrounded by hostile neighbours. India and Israel have a Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism and the 2 international locations additionally share actual time intelligence to cope with the menace.
Jaishankar mentioned that the “real thrust, however, is to expand the innovation and trade partnership between our two knowledge economies”.
For instance, he famous that the 2 international locations collaborated to sort out the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Can we take that to the next level? How should we further augment the contact and collaboration between scientists, students and start-ups? I’ll be discussing these issues, and others, in my meetings during my visit,” Jaishankar mentioned.
Jaishankar mentioned that 4 years in the past, he had the honour to accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic go to to Israel throughout which he had mentioned that India’s relationship with its Jewish diaspora group in Israel is one among “mutual trust and friendship”.
The Jewish diaspora in India stays distinctive as a result of “like other communities, it coexisted peacefully in India for hundreds of years but maintained its Jewish identity despite a long isolation from other Jewish communities”, he mentioned.
“You chose to begin a new life here mainly for civilisational reasons. And it is rare in Jewish history that you have had a long, continuous period where you thrived in freedom and equality, as you did in India,” he confused.
Citing historical connections between the 2 civilisations — each cultural and spiritual, Jaishankar applauded the contribution of Indian Jews within the nation constructing technique of India, describing them as “one of us”.
The central textual content of Rabbinic Judaism, Talmud, mentions commerce with India in ginger and iron. Another foremost spiritual textual content, The Book of Esther, mentions India as Hodu.
The minister, who arrived right here on Sunday on a five-day official go to, mentioned that he was assured that the Indian Jewish group in Israel will carry the 2 international locations even nearer. (PTI)
You have contributed to the constructing of India. We usually go round Mumbai and Pune not realising that many landmarks have been your contributions, just like the Sassoon Docks in Mumbai and the Sassoon Hospital in Pune. David Sassoon was, in reality, one of many founders of the Bank of India.
“Some of you were by the side of Mahatma Gandhi during our freedom struggle. In 1916, one of the lawyers in the team defending one of our major nationalist leaders, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, was a Jew, David Erulkar,” he mentioned.
Some contributed as educators and a few as medical docs, like Dr Jerusha Jhirad, who was awarded one among India’s highest civilian awards, the Padma Shri, Jaishankar mentioned.
Some of you served as directors and a few distinguished themselves in our judiciary, comparable to David Reuben who served because the Chief Justice of one among our High Courts. There have been three amongst you who turned Mayors of Bombay.
And there have been one other three who’re remembered for his or her army service; Vice Admiral J R Samson, Maj Gen B A Samson, and Lt Gen J F R Jacob whose uniform hangs on the Latrun Museum right here,” he mentioned.
Jaishankar went on to focus on the group’s contributions in enriching India’s literature and humanities with the likes of Nissim Ezekiel who was honoured with the Sahitya Akademi award.
“People of my generation grew up in India waking up to the signature tune of All India Radio that had been composed by a Jewish exile in India, Walter Kauffman. And how can you be in India and remain untouched by Bollywood and cricket! You have been part of our film industry and one of you, Judah Reuben, officiated as cricket umpire in many of India’s test matches,” he reminisced.
The continuity of age-old Indian practices by the Jewish group obtained specific appreciation from the minister, which he noticed as creating “the organic bond between our two peoples”.
“What is equally important and interesting is that not only have you, again inevitably, carried some flavours of India with you here, but also that you have retained, or assimilated in some form, some Indian traditions in a manner that is unique to you,” Jaishankar mentioned.
In culinary, he talked about the ‘Malida thali’ made by the Bene Israelis (Indian Jews from the Maharashtra area).
He spoke on the affect of the ‘mangalsutra’ and ‘mehendi’, the follow of ‘baat pukka’ for formalising marriages amongst Baghdadi Jews and symbolic adorning of the Torah arks with jasmine garlands and the usage of ‘manara’ by the Cochini Jews as some such examples.
“You additionally adopted that very Indian custom of eradicating footwear earlier than getting into the synagogue. You nonetheless keep in mind our lifestyle, our languages, and our festivals.
“I am told about the Maiboli journal in Marathi. And I recently saw pictures of many of you celebrating Onam with a ‘saadya’ meal, not to forget the flower rangoli. You celebrate both Holi and Purim, and both Diwali and Hanukkah,” he mentioned.
“It is, therefore, not at all surprising that so many of you say (that) Israel is my fatherland and India my motherland,” Jaishankar emphasised.
Addressing Indologists, he mentioned that “we owe a debt of gratitude for their love and affection for India” which has helped strengthen ties between the 2 international locations.
“You serve to both widen and deepen the discourse between one holy land and another. There are, among you, those who have delved deep into Dravidian languages and literature, translated classical Sanskrit texts into Hebrew, devoted themselves to the study of Hindi literature, and even ventured into comparative studies of the two religions,” Jaishankar mentioned.
He talked about India’s historic reference to Jerusalem going again to Sufi Saint baba Farid meditating in a cave inside town partitions round 1200 CE, the position of Indian troopers within the area throughout World War I and the way a few of these troopers additionally ensured the protection of the non secular chief of the Baha’i Faith in Israel at the moment.
“In modern post-Independence times, there’s also this relatively less known aspect of how major socialist political leaders and streams in India felt a kinship with the kibbutz movement in Israel, in a quest to build on the Gandhian concept of ashram or village as a self-sustaining unit of development,” he famous.
Bringing out among the lesser-known connections between folks of the 2 international locations, he shared that “Jayaprakash Narayan, one of our most prominent political leaders and theorists associated with our Independence struggle, visited Israel in 1958, and many followers of Vinoba Bhave, another towering leader of our independence movement, visited Israel in 1960 to understand the kibbutz movement better”.
The robust connection, he mentioned, additionally brings the pressing have to faucet each the group and the Indologists right here to higher doc the heritage and historical past of the group, as additionally the societal crossflows.
How will we protect the reminiscence and experiences of the group elders? How will we hearken to the youthful era of the group, perceive their aspirations and make them part of our living bridge? How will we improve the reach of the work being accomplished by the Indologists each inside the group and out of doors?
“We would be happy to hear from you and support endeavours in this direction. I am told that the Embassy has already offered to devote a corner in its Cultural Center to house the work being done by you so that it is both available and accessible in one place,” he mentioned.
Jaishankar famous that subsequent yr marks the 30th anniversary of full diplomatic relations between India and Israel. India is celebrating the 75th yr of our personal independence. In 2023, Israel too can be celebrating the 75th yr of its independence. These events are vital milestones to begin new voyages and to cowl new horizons, he mentioned.
Jaishankar additionally launched a e book by Professor Shaul Sapir “Bombay/Mumbai: City Heritage Walks”.
Sapir, an India born scholar, was a professor on the prestigious Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The e book outlines the wonderful solution to uncover town’s outdated Colonial architectural gems and to get pleasure from a glimpse of the glory of town within the days of the British Raj.
The publication contains 14 metropolis walks, 15 simple to observe maps, 123 historic, architectural heritage landmarks and websites, 850 notes and sources, and greater than 1,000 pictures.
During his go to right here, the minister would name on President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
He may even be holding talks with main lecturers from throughout Israel, enterprise group leaders and interacting with the Indian Jewish group.
Jaishankar may even be visiting locations of historic significance to India, demonstrating its long-term presence within the area and constructive position performed in shaping the historical past of the area.