Bene Israel of India Heritage and Customs (English) by Nissim Moses
In 1998 the author embarked on what appeared to him at that time, an impossible task of developing an integrated family tree of the Bene Israel Community. In the process, the author started collecting and came across a variety of historical, communal, cultural and other information and data.
Bereshit (Marathi) by Yosef R. Dandekar
Mr. Yosef Dandekar has made a humble attempt to translate the Parasha and Haftara portions that appear in the first book of Moses 'Bereshit' into Marathi language for the benefit of the members of the Indian Jewish community who still feel more comfortable with this language.
Bombay: Exploring the Jewish Urban Heritage (English) by Dr. Shaul Sapir
This book is a result of 9 years of research by Bombay born author and Hebrew University professor of Historical Geography. It unfolds the captivating saga of the Jewish community in Bombay and its contribution to the city's urban landscape and heritage. Each section is prefaced by a detailed map that adds to the vivid description and illustration. It contains around 500 coloured photographs.
Cochin Jew Town Synagogue (English) by Abraham Barak Salem
Cochin is a town in the extreme South-West of India. This book is intended to enable the visitor to have basic idea of the Jews and their Synagogue in Cochin. This guide points out at the interesting things so as to enable visitors to take maximum profit and enrich their minds. It causes them to pause and look at life from a new point of view and a new vision.
Dropped from Heaven (English) by Sophie Judah
Short stories, fiction based in the imaginary town of Jwalanagar. Covers 100 years of Bene Israel presence in the town - from Colonial India through Independence, creation of Israel and the emigration of the Jewish population to the ancient Homeland.
Escape From Ticketing (English) by Hillel Jonathan Gadkar
The book is about the journey of the Travel Industry. It highlights various aspects of working conditions and gives solutions to the existing problems faced by the staff. This is more or less a spiritual guide to a way of life adopted by many in this field. Hope learning will help the future generation of this industry to look at the Travel Industry in a more respectful manner. The much-neglected industry needs to come together for its betterment. The purpose of this book is to reach the Travel Industry.
The entire proceeds of this will go for a charitable cause.
God Man & Religion (English) by Jacob Aaron Jhirad
This book is dedicated to Sri Ramana Maharishi - the great Indian sage, whose thoughts have greatly enlightened the author. It gives a glimpse of the wondrous divine life which is truly your real self. The author suggests that human being is only an instrument through which the will of God gets executed. The whole subject has been taken in the most liberal and generous manner. The author has dealt with the three topics separately and partially independently.
Handbook for Bene Israel Hazans (in English & Hebrew) by Shimeon Kollet
The Bene Israel community, after having stayed together as one large family in India suddenly began dispersing to all parts of the world. The Bene Israel community is fast, for better or worse, being amalgamated in the world Jewry.
Jews in other parts of the world altered their rituals to suit the times, whereas the Bene Israel of India continued with their prayers and rituals their forefathers handed over to them. The change is visible partly due to necessity and partly through ignorance. Fearing that these ceremonies would die out or be completely altered, the author has thus tried his best to compile them in its original form. He has given the instructions (in English and Hebrew) in a very simple form even understandable by novice.
Home Ceremonies (English) by Rabbi Shmuel Ben-Shalom (Divekar)
Marathi transliteration and instructions and Halachot in English and Marathi.
Mother India Father Israel (English) by Ilana Shazor
There are many secrets in the Indian Community in Israel - women's secrets. Every women knows about them, yet few whisper them...secrets of shame and oppression and of struggles for survival in the face of harsh Israeli subjectivity. There are other secrets as well: courageous, heroic, mysterious, inspiring secrets. Some made a difference, yet others went up in flames...
Order of Mourning in Cochin Jewish Tradition (Hebrew and English) by Shlomo Morcdechai
It details the funeral rituals of the Cochin Jews along with the associated prayers, the ritual purification and other details.
Of Muse and Memories (English) by Rebecca Yehezkiel
This is an unusal life story of Rebecca Yehezkiel - a talented Bene Israel artist from the days of her young childhood, which brought her in contact with most inspirational, exciting and colorful scenes of India as her family moved from Poona to Ajmer in the desert. She never forgot her Bene Israel Community and family traditions. The text accompanying the paintings are as if you go back to India - you could practically see it, feel it and smell it. One should not only read and enjoy but also keep in one's library as an artistic treasure both for its text as well as paintings.
Samarpan Ka Geelapan (Hindi) by Jacob Aaron Jhirad
It is a collection of his poems written in Hindi language. Some were originally written by him in English which were later translated into Hindi language to accommodate them into this book. These poems are full of simplicity and sacred love. He believes that one should make every attempt to improve himself rather than changing the world.
Spice & Kosher - Exotic Cuisine of the Cochin Jews by Dr. Essie Sassoon, Bala Menon, Kenny Salem
It traces the culinary history of the Jews of Cochin and how they adapted local food products to their dietary laws to produce an original and flavourful cuisine. The book contains 200 recipes - many of them linked to the use of coconut along with seafood and a multitude of vegetables - all of which are abundant in Kerala.
The 'Jewish Gandhi' of Cochin by Bala Menon, Dr. Essie Sassoon
A biography of Abraham Barak Salem, Indian Nationalist/Zionist and some of his speeches. It narrates the story of a fiery Jewish leader, who was a founder-member of the Cochin Legislative Assembly, a lawyer, labour leader, an ardent Indian nationalist who was at the Lahore session to launch the Quit India movement, and a committed Zionist who was responsbile for the mass aliyah of the Cochin Jews to Israel.
The Jews of Pakistan (English) by Yoel Reuben
This book is a detailed account of the Bene Israel Community in Pakistan. It contains documents, pictures and has useful information on Magen Shalom Synagogue of Karachi which does not exist now. Most of the Jews from Pakistan either immigrated to Israel or India. It is worth reading and learn about the forgotten Heritage of our Bene Israel Community which lived in Pakistan.
The Synagogues in India (בית כנסת בהודו) by Ben Eliyahu and Shellim Shmuel
The Jewish Community in India has set up a number of synagogues in Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Calcutta, Cochin apart from in villages like Pen, Panvel, Alibaug etc. The oldest Jewish Synagogue in India is 'The Pardesi Synagogue' in Cochin. The Bene Israels constructed their first synagogue in Mumbai in the year 1796 named 'Shaar HaRahamim' (Gate of Mercy) Synagogue.