Mumbai: The state cabinet has approved a proposal to grant minority status to Jews in Maharashtra.
There are nearly 4,650 Jews in India of whom 2,466 reside in Maharashtra, according to state government officials. Now they can receive many concessions and benefits entitled to a minority group. “This decision will benefit Jewish students to avail of scholarships from the state government or set up educational institutions,” CM Devendra Fadnavis said.

The move, announced by former state minority affairs minister Eknath Khadse, was formalized on Tuesday, The Times of India reported.

Among the benefits the community’s members will gain is easier registration of their marriages. They will also be able to set up their own educational institutes and practise and promote their culture. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Par sis and Jains are the six notified minority communities in the country . Jews have now become the 7th in the state.

The Jewish community had submitted a letter to CM Devendra Fadnavis seeking minority status since Judaism is a distinct and ancient religion. “The Jews of Maharashtra can trace back their history 2,000 years and so they should get minority status,” it said.

The community is ecstatic about this long-awaited move.”We are grateful to the government of Maharashtra, and specifically the governor, as he was the one who helped us in a big way,” said Solomon Sopher, chairman and managing trustee of Sir Jacob Sassoon Charities and Allied Trusts and president of the Indian Jewish Congress. Citing Jewish institutions in the state such as Mumbai’s David Sassoon library and the leprosy hospital in Pune, Sopher said, “After doing so much for the city , the Jews had been forgotten.”

Last year, while petitioning to be notified as a minority , Sopher had met with minority affairs minister Najma Heptulla where it was pointed out that the list of Indian Jews wasn’t mentioned in the census.”When the census officers come to the door and we say that we are Jews, they ask, `What’s a Jew?'” he said. “A lot of people end up leaving the column blank or insert a more familiar religion like Christianity,” added Sopher.

“We were not even recognised as a community in India,” said Judah Samuel, president of The Shaare Rason Synagogue. “India is home to us and means a lot to us. We have been living here for so many years but there are no records to show that Jews live in India,” he added, happy that they finally have an identity on paper.

“For every 2,50,000 people living in India, there is one Jew.We are a microscopic community and deserve the status,” said Ezra Moses, secretary of the Indian Jewish Federation and managing trustee of Gate of Heaven Synagogue in Thane, who has been inundated with calls ever since the announcement.

Last night, Moses even received a message from a boy who asked if he could get admission into a college using the newly granted minority status.”Yes, you can,” replied Moses, who feels youngsters will be able to get admission to academic institutions of their choice. “We have always been counted in the majority and our children are forced to go abroad for their education instead of studying at good Indian institutions,” he said. Moses’s own son studies in Australia.

The community is also looking forward to be able to avail leave on Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. “Since we don’t have Jewish holidays on the government list, we had to write letters to schools and institutions to grant leave on these days,” says Moses.

Besides, making the registration of births, deaths and marriages smoother, the status “might also finally ensure subsidy for visits to Israel where children learn a lot,” says advocate David Talegaonkar, president of Bene Israel Conference Education Fund.

Besides government subsidies for religious visits to Israel, the move would also help Jewish educational institutes, feels Albert I Talegawkar, president of the Gate of Mercy Synagogue. “This should have been done long ago,” said Talegawkar. “But better late than never.”