Jewish community will soon get its own directory

In an attempt to help the members of the Jewish community in India connect with each other, Thane-based Judith Hillel, 25, is compiling Jewish Yellow Pages, a database with contact details of all members.

In an attempt to help the members of the Jewish community in India connect with each other, Thane-based Judith Hillel, 25, is compiling Jewish Yellow Pages, a database with contact details of all members.

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While there has been no separate census of the community over the past few decades, leaders say there are about 5,000 Jews in the country today.

"I realised there was no central database of Jews in India, and synagogues only stored information of local members," said Hillel, a business owner. "The database will even list businesses that members can avail of within the community.”

The database, which is expected to take about six months to be completed, will include details of members of different sects, such as the Bene Israelis, the Yehudi Jews and the Cochin Jews.

Hillel will approach synagogues for information, and the directory will be circulated only within the community.

Jonathan Solomon, chairman, Indian Jewish Federation, said: “Such a directory will help subsequent generations of families who left the country, but are returning to trace their roots.”