Bene Israel community to build Jewish museum at Alibaug home

The museum will come up on 10 acres of the 25acre plotWhen one thinks of Alibaug Jewish heritage is hardly the first thing that comes to mind For the Bene Israel Jewish community though the coastal town is the home of their ancestors ever since they first arrived there in 175 BC Some of their forefathers homes are still standing and it is at one of these ancestral plots that the community plans to build a museum to showcase their historyNissim Moses visited India two years ago to ask for permission to restore his ancestral home in Alibaug PicSayed Sameer AbediThe community could not have picked a better spot to set up a Jewish museum ndash at the house that was built by Moses No not the prophet Moses The house was built by the forefathers of presentday Bene Israel descendant Nissim Moses whose family was among thousands of Jews who moved back to their homeland after the state of Israel was formed in 1948Ralphy JhiradHis ancestral home however still stands proudly at the same 25acre plot where at least four generations of his family had lived out their days The government will now transfer the house and the land to the community where they intend to build the Bene Israel Heritage Museum and Convention CentreThe Bene ancestors lived in wadis back in the day and one of the houses that still stand used to belong to the Moses family The museum will be built in the same plot said Ralphy Jhirad the brain behind the project and the president and managing trustee of the Bene Israel Heritage Museum and Genealogical Research CentreCM promises helpTwo years ago Nissim Moses came to India and we wrote to the Chief Minister seeking to restore this house The authorities responded stating that they would grant the land to us so we could develop the museum there They assured us of their full support Jhirad addedThe museum will be built on a 10acre parcel out of the entire 25acre plot near Awas beach in Alibaug The government is in the final stages of signing the land over to us and as soon as the order is signed the blueprint will be finalised There will be a cultural heritage museum as well as an experiential centre It will depict how the Jews first arrived in India in 175 BC more than 2000 years ago There will be sculptures models and photographs as well as a special pavilion with exhibitions on the life of Jews in India said JhiradExperience the lifestyleAt the experiential centre people can take part in activities that will allow them to experience our ancestors lifestyle The purpose will be to educate the whole world about the beautiful heritage of this country People can come here and make poha handle a rice mill or oilpressing centre firsthand and basically experience how our ancestors lived We would like schools colleges and individuals from all over the world to come here and experience Jewish heritage said JhiradThe community hopes to complete the project in three years As of now the journey has just begun I met the CM last Sunday and he assured us that things are progressing well We are confident that the Maharashtra government will take this initiative for the benefit of the Jewish communityWill never forget IndiaSpeaking to midday from Israel Nissim Moses 76 said India is the only country where Jews have not suffered any sort of Antisemitism The hospitality shown by the Maharashtrian people is like no other Just because Im in Israel doesnt mean I have forgotten the kindness of India and its people3Number of years in which the museum is expected to be built100Age of Nissim Mosess house