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Malayalam at Israeli varsity

Jerusalem: The Hebrew University here has introduced Malayalam as a subject. Students are already learning Telugu and Tamil.

“There is a growing interest in India here and Malayalam is an important language in understanding the glorious culture of south India,” the Chairman of the Indian Studies Department, Yohanan Grinshpon, said.

Ophira Gamliel, who translated a book on Jewish women’s songs, Oh Lovely Parrot, from Malayalam to Hebrew and has just returned from Kerala after three years of stay there working on her doctoral thesis and mastering the language will teach it.

“It sounds like a sweet language. I am enjoying learning it and hopefully will be fluent in it some day,” Alex Cherniak, a student, said.

There are about 20,000 Jews from Kochi in Israel today, and the community is thrilled at the introduction of Malayalam in the university. One of them termed it “a fitting tribute” on the community completing 50 years of aliyah (immigration).

“We were unaware of this development but hope that it will help our youngsters who were born here connect to their roots,” Nechemia, a Jew who came from Kochi, said.

The community, which takes pride in its Indian roots, organised a cultural programme recently to celebrate 60 years of India’s Independence.

The community has a synagogue, a replica of the one in Fort Kochi. Its members are seeking to make their moshav, Nevatim, look like the cluster in Kerala from where they immigrated to Israel. —PTI

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