History of The Jews in India - Baghdadi Jews

Baghdadi Jews

Despite the name, the Baghdadi Jews are not exclusively of Iraqi origin: many came from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen as well. These Jews emigrated to India around 250 years ago and settled in the city of Surat and established a Synagogue and Cemetery after they moved to Bombay (Mumbai). They were traders and quickly became one of the highest earning communities in the city. As philanthropists, some donated their wealth to public structures. The David Sassoon Docks and a Sassoon Library are some of the famous landmarks still standing today.

As well as Bombay (Mumbai), Baghdadi Jews spread to other parts of India, with an important community in Calcutta (Kolkata). Scions of this community did well in trade (particularly jute, but also tea) and, in later years, contributed officers to the army. One, Lt-Gen J. F. R. Jacob PVSM, becoming state governor of, first, Goa then Punjab and later administrator of Chandigarh.

About in 1730 first Baghdadi Jew Joseph Semah arrived from Baghdad to Surat and set up the Surat Synagogue here (It was a big port of British India. Now part of Gujarat state and commercial capital of Gujarat in western part of India). They established Synagogue and Cemetery in Katargam area of the city. Still there is a graveyard in the city but in very bad condition.

One of the graves within is that of Moseh Tobi buried here in 1769, he was considered an elder leader. In his book ‘A History of the Jews in Baghdad’, David Solomon Sassoon has mentioned “In the year 1769 Moses Tobi, who is styled ha-Nasi ha- Zaken died in Surat”