Maritime Connections:
Jews across the Indian Ocean

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About

Jewish Tides of Connection and Memory

Jewish life along the shores of the Indian Ocean has long remained in the margins of historical discourse. This conference brings to light the trade routes, cultural exchanges, and diasporic ties that linked Jewish communities from the Red Sea to South Asia. By tracing these overlooked connections, we seek to reframe the Indian Ocean as a vital space in Jewish history.

Speakers

Attendees

Panels

Exploring Jewish Presence Across the Indian Ocean

Uncovering overlooked dimensions
of the Jewish story

Adopting the lens of the “Oceanic Turn,” the conference approaches the Indian Ocean not as a boundary, but as a dynamic space of mobility, exchange, and connection. It highlights the roles Jewish communities played within broader networks of trade, culture, and migration across maritime Asia.

Bridging Time Periods and
Academic Disciplines

By drawing together scholars from antiquity to modernity and from diverse fields—history, religious studies, anthropology, geography, and more—the conference fosters interdisciplinary dialogue. This integration opens up new perspectives on Jewish diasporas and transregional interaction.

Fostering Global Academic Collaboration

Held in India and organized through cooperation between institutions in South Asia, Israel, and beyond, the conference brings together scholars from across continents. It promotes cross-cultural academic exchange and lays the groundwork for future collaborative research.

Catalyzing Further Research and Publication

This conference is envisioned as a starting point for an emerging field of inquiry. It aims to generate new research, build scholarly networks, and consolidate key findings and methodologies.