How did Jewish communities from Baghdad navigate their sense of belonging when they found themselves between the Euphrates and the Ganges? This masterclass explores the complex journey of ‘Baghdadi’ Jews who migrated from Iraq to Indian cities from the 1790s until WWII, examining how they negotiated identity, belonging, and cultural authenticity across multiple frontiers.
Dr. Pelham, drawing on her unique background as a BBC journalist covering the Middle East for over two decades and her recent doctorate on Sephardi Jewish revival, will analyze how these communities created a distinct Jewish-European-Indian identity in colonial Kolkata. The session will investigate concepts of co-existence, diaspora, and the tension between cultural authenticity and adaptation in exilic societies.
