Joint Holi-Purim celebrations in Israel cancelled amid rising tensions

Key Highlights

• The event was being organised by the IJHC and the Cochin Jewish Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Israel.
• The celebrations were meant to highlight the cultural similarities between the Hindu festival of Holi and the Jewish festival of Purim, which fall around the same time of the year – a parallel earlier noted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).
• The event was to also exhibit the remarkable legacy of Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, the Maharaja of Jamnagar, who had sheltered over 1,000 Polish orphans, including Jewish children, during WWII.
• Last year, the Indian Jewish community unveiled a statue of the Maharaja to honour his humanitarian contribution.
• Artefacts showcasing the rich history of the four Indian Jewish communities — Bene Israel, the Cochinis, the Baghdadis and the Bnei Menashe — were also to be displayed during the celebrations.