While watching an online TED talk delivered by Shashi Tharoor, I encountered an interesting bit of information. I do not remember the details of the segue, but he mentioned that India is the only country in which the Jews have not experienced anti-Semitism (a brief, yet informative article on the history of Jews in India can be found here). It brought to mind a few things I have heard recently about cultural similarities between Jews and Indians.
Apparently Hindu marriage ceremonies resemble Jewish marriage ceremonies. I admittedly do not pay attention to the details of said ceremonies, but I trust the observations and corroboration made by one of my Jewish, female friends who recently attended a Hindu wedding. In addition, my Mom travels to India at least once a year on business. She has also commented on certain traits – namely the importance of family, gregariousness, and generosity – that she sees in both Indians and Jews.
To that list, I would add innovation. India has become an IT capital of the world in recent years, and has been praised by Wired Magazine as an “innovation hub.” Likewise, the modern Jewish commitment to science and invention finds one of its expressions in the break-through technology pioneered in Israel.
With so much in common, India’s emergence on the international stage seems to be a positive development for the Jewish people – and the rest of the world.
