Consulate of Israel, MTDC to develop Jewish route in Maharashtra
The Jewish route would begin first in Mumbai with five sites and has tailor-made itineraries for each of the routes
Succath Shalome Synagogue along with Ohel David (Tent of David) Synagogue and David Sassoon’s Mausoleum, will now be on the list of tourists visiting Pune, with Consulate General of Israel Mumbai and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) signing a letter of intent on Monday, 19 December 2022 to develop and plan Jewish route in Maharashtra, with the idea to preserve Jewish heritage.
According to the Consulate General of Israel, Kobbi Shoshani, “We have been thinking of doing this for a long time, to preserve the Jewish heritage and also bring back the new generation of Jewish people settled abroad as tourists to see the rich heritage that the Jewish have given to this state. The Jewish communities in Maharashtra have lived for almost 2,000 years, and have had a significant contribution to the cosmopolitan and architectural character of the area and its surroundings. the idea of Jewish route aims to preserve and honour the legacy of the Jewish community in India.”
Thus, based on the book ‘Bombay-Mumbai’ by Prof Shaul Sapir, who was born in India and with cooperation with the MTDC, the Consulate has planned the “Jewish Route” which will become operational in February 2023.
“Besides this year Israel and India are also celebrating thirty years of full diplomatic relations and we thought of supporting the Jewish community by selecting 22 sites, institutions, synagogues and cemeteries which tell the story of how the Jewish communities in India have lived in the subcontinent for thousands of years, maintaining a Jewish identity without persecution or fear, and over the years have contributed to the city and its surroundings,” Shoshani informed.
The Jewish route would begin first in Mumbai with five sites and has tailor-made itineraries for each of the routes.
“There will be trained tourist guides taking tourists across these sites explaining the rich heritage and contribution of the Jewish community,” Shoshani added.
Yosef Nowgaonkar, of the Succath Shalome Synagogue is excited about this plan and feels that what he started five years ago as a glimpse into the world of Jewish community on Instagram is going to be a reality.
“When I began sharing photos on Instagram five years ago, to give a glimpse of the Jewish culture, it increased the curiosity of many locals to see the Synagogue and also understand our culture. The Jewish communities have been the bridge between the two countries and we have adopted the local languages, culture and custom while practicing our religion without any persecution,” he said.
According to Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, General Manager MTDC, “The intent of interest will be signed between Shraddha Joshi Sharma Managing Director, MTDC and the consul general of Israel. Together we have surveyed and short-listed places in Mumbai, Pune and Thane to begin the first of the Jewish Routes. This was possible with the effort of tourism minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and principal secretary Sourabh Vijay who helped bring the first of its kind route on showcasing Jewish Culture through the various institutions. The Consulate and MTDC have worked on the cultural boards / Information boards which will inform the tourists of the beauty of architecture and history of the place.”