I have never met my father but this project inspired me to reach out to him in Israel so that I could learn more about his roots. His parents moved to Israel in the 60’s from the Bene Israel Jewish community in India. My father told me that my great-great-grandfather was a chazzan of the Knesset Eliyahoo in Mumbai. It is such a magnificent synagogue that I was inspired to build it.
It symbolises the theme of East meeting North in my heritage: my father’s from India and my mother’s ancestors from Lithuania. It is meaningful to me because even though I don’t know a lot about that part of my Jewish history, it makes me curious, proud and want to to learn more about it.
It was important to me to make this display because the story of the Indian Jews is not well known. I want people to know about them so that these Jews can be recognised and appreciated for their contribution to the Jewish cultural history.
Even though they assimilated with the Indian people, they never lost their faith or culture.
One day I would like to visit Israel so that I can meet my father and his family.
I want to be proud of both sides of my heritage.
My family story
By Manuel Hirsch Grosskopf