Indians in Israel make up 1.09% of the Israel population and The Approx population of Indians and people of Indian Origin in Israel as of 2023 is 1 Lakh. 12-15 thousand NRIs are Indian migrants who work in sectors of the Israeli economy such as construction, manufacturing, and the service sector. The Indian migrant mainly comes from places like Ernakulam, Mala, Parur, Chennamangalam, and Cochin as well. 

As per the Ministry of External Affairs report, there are 85000 Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) in Israel & most of them are Indian Jews. Indian Jews in Israel are immigrants and descendants of the immigrants of the Indian Jewish communities, who now reside within the State of Israel. Indian Jews who live in Israel include thousands of Cochin Jews and Paradesi Jews of Kerala; thousands from the Bene Israel of Maharashtra and other parts of British India and the Bene Menashe of Manipur and Mizoram.

Regions with significant populations

• Tel Aviv
• Beersheva
• Ramla

Indian Jews in Israel

After the establishment of Israel as a Jew Nation in 1948, many Jews from India migrated to Israel. Primarily they are four communities of Jews in India, let’s have closer look at them

The Bene Israel is a community of Jews in India mainly residing in Maharashtra & Gujarat. It has been suggested that it is made up of descendants of one of the disputed Lost Tribes and ancestors who had settled there centuries ago. After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established in 1948, most Bene Israel emigrated to Israel, Canada, other Commonwealth countries, and the United States.

Cochin Jews are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots that are claimed to date back to the time of King Solomon. The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India. After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most of the Malabar Jews made Aliyah and emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s

Paradesi Jews were Jewish people who immigrated to the Indian subcontinent during the 15th and 16th centuries following the expulsion of Jews from Spain. Most Jews in India emigrated after the establishment of the Jewish homeland (British Mandate of Palestine) in Israel.

The Bene Menashe are an ethnolinguistic group in India’s Northeastern border states of Manipur and Mizoram.  In 1951, close to 4,000 emigrated to Israel.

Source: Wikipedia