Ezekiel Isaac Malekar
Encyclopedia
Ezekiel Isaac Malekar is the head of the Jewish community in New Delhi
, India
. He is the Honorary Secretary of the Judah Hyam Synagogue at the corner of Humayun road, where he works voluntarily. The Synagogue, in addition to serving the Jewish community of New Delhi, caters to the Jewish diplomats from foreign missions. It has hosted former Israel
i Prime Ministers like Shimon Peres
and felicitated David Danieli, the present Israeli Ambassador to India
. Indian Jews also come here for important rituals like Brit milah
, Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah for girls.
Mr. Malekar, in addition to being a scholar of Judaism
, is a noted human rights activist and a Deputy Registrar (Law) with the National Human Rights Commission in India. He was a key participant in the 15th International Conference on Human Integration (inaugurated by Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, a Sikh
religious cleric and President of the World Council of Religions), at Kirpal Bagh, New Delhi
on February 6, 2006.
He is actively involved in inter-faith activities between the Jewish community and the Hindu
majority in India, as well as the Sikh
community. He has praised the multicultural nature of Indian Society where Judaism
had existed for 2,000 years without ever experiencing anti-Semitism
. Malekar has also presided over inter-faith marriages. He has asserted that his innate Indianness was infinitely more important than his consciousness of being a Jew.
He quotes:
He has also written on women in Judaism, saying that the New Delhi Jewish community has not had any issues with the polemics of gender. Under his influence, the Judah Hyam Synagogue has emerged as a center for religious reform in the field of women's participation.
He is a recipient of the Mahavir mahatma Award for preserving Jewish heritage and culture in India, and the Ambassador of Peace Award instituted by the Federation for Religious harmony and Brotherhood. He has contributed several articles in leading newspapers in India
.
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is the Honorary Secretary of the Judah Hyam Synagogue at the corner of Humayun road, where he works voluntarily. The Synagogue, in addition to serving the Jewish community of New Delhi, caters to the Jewish diplomats from foreign missions. It has hosted former Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Prime Ministers like Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
and felicitated David Danieli, the present Israeli Ambassador to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Indian Jews also come here for important rituals like Brit milah
Brit milah
The brit milah is a Jewish religious circumcision ceremony performed on 8-day old male infants by a mohel. The brit milah is followed by a celebratory meal .-Biblical references:...
, Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah for girls.
Mr. Malekar, in addition to being a scholar of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, is a noted human rights activist and a Deputy Registrar (Law) with the National Human Rights Commission in India. He was a key participant in the 15th International Conference on Human Integration (inaugurated by Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj, a Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
religious cleric and President of the World Council of Religions), at Kirpal Bagh, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
on February 6, 2006.
He is actively involved in inter-faith activities between the Jewish community and the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
majority in India, as well as the Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
community. He has praised the multicultural nature of Indian Society where Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
had existed for 2,000 years without ever experiencing anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. Malekar has also presided over inter-faith marriages. He has asserted that his innate Indianness was infinitely more important than his consciousness of being a Jew.
He quotes:
“According to Rabbi [sic] HillelHillel the ElderHillel was a famous Jewish religious leader, one of the most important figures in Jewish history. He is associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud...
, the TorahTorahTorah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
can be capsulated into only one commandment: ‘What is hurtful and hateful to you, do not do to another.’ Everything else is footnote.”
He has also written on women in Judaism, saying that the New Delhi Jewish community has not had any issues with the polemics of gender. Under his influence, the Judah Hyam Synagogue has emerged as a center for religious reform in the field of women's participation.
He is a recipient of the Mahavir mahatma Award for preserving Jewish heritage and culture in India, and the Ambassador of Peace Award instituted by the Federation for Religious harmony and Brotherhood. He has contributed several articles in leading newspapers in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.