Baz Ratner _ Reuters Courtesy:
27 August 2026

A new actor in Israel’s 2026 election

As Israel readies for its national elections in October, a new actor has stepped into the national scene and will likely influence the polling. This is the Israeli-Jewish diaspora, which comes in all dimensions of Judaism and democracy. For the first time, they feel the need to actively cast their vote, given its criticality and the yearning for political change.

Anjuman Atash Bahram, Mumbai, with the winged Farohar symbol at the top. Courtesy: Heritage Institute
2 April 2026

The Persian-Parsi identity

Persia and India’s impact on each other go back to antiquity, but the extent of the Persian influence on the Parsi identity is more difficult to quantify. Despite their deep cultural connection, Parsis do not identify with Iran as the mother country. Reza Shah Pahlavi, impressed with their achievements in India, wanted them to return to Iran, but they could not be enticed to leave India.

Website articles  (61) Courtesy: Ruby Myers / Alchetron
19 March 2026

European Jews in Bombay’s film industry

The high point of Jewish glamour in Hindi films were led by Indian Baghdadi Jewish women – but also by German-speaking European Jewish male refugees in Bombay. Music composer-conductor-musician Walter Kaufmann, and his friend, scriptwriter Willy Haas, both German-speaking  Czech Jews, introduced a new sensibility and modern techniques into the early talkie era of Hindi cinema