Rahel Musleah: Jewish Calcutta Through Music and Memory

Although very few Jews remain there today, Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, was the site of a thriving Jewish community. Jewish merchants and traders from present-day Iraq and Syria came to the city during the period of the British Raj, beginning in 1798. Approximately 5,000 Jews called the city home in the mid-twentieth century, but the number quickly dwindled in the aftermath of Indian independence and the establishment of the State of Israel. Rahel Musleah, who was born in Calcutta and returns regularly, will offer a person view of the history and culture of the community, embellished by examples of the rich musical traditions passed down through her family.