The Baghdadi Jews


Language: Arabic, Religion: Judaism, Estimated population: ?.


The Baghdadi Jews migrated to British India around the end of the 18th century for purposes of trade, and settled mainly in the port cities of Bombay, Calcutta and Rangoon. They retained their language, Arabic, and a seperate cultural identity. Mostly traders and financiers, their contribution to the industrial growth of Bombay is well documented. David Sassoon, a member of this community was a well-known philathropist. After independence there was a continuous migration of the Baghdadi Jews to Israel. At present the community is almost extinct in India.

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