A Source of Strength for the Most Vulnerable

After a 2,000-year presence in the region, Indian Jewry - once tens of thousands strong - has seen its community gradually reduced, primarily by aliyah. Geographically cut off from the rest of the Jewish world, India’s 4,900 Jews remain an island in the remarkably tolerant sea of Hindu culture.

But the community’s poor, ill and elderly are its most isolated and vulnerable members. JDC, through an array of creative programs, extends them a physical and spiritual lifeline and a sense of dignity, empowering Indian Jews to be a source of strength to one another despite their shrinking numbers.

For the needy barely subsisting on payments from local synagogue trusts, JDC provides lifesaving material support. Daily meals are served to the destitute at restaurants and community kitchens, while one-time grants fund home repairs and the purchase of cooking utensils and holiday clothing, even umbrellas during monsoon season. JDC-funded medical interventions and volunteer-staffed monthly medical camps also serve community members of extremely modest means.

For those who are entirely alone, JDC offers invaluable human contact. Elderly participants are brought to the day center at the Bayiti Old Age Home on the outskirts of Bombay for intergenerational activities with youth volunteers, who also visit the homebound. Golden Age Camps, organized and sponsored by JDC, create an informal setting for the elderly to learn about Judaism and enjoy an atmosphere of camaraderie.

For the indigent, disabled and aged among Indian Jews, JDC’s presence is a comforting reminder that they have not been forgotten. With an outstretched hand, JDC continues to meet their physical and spiritual needs, while linking them to the wellspring of Jewish community life.