City Heritage – Nadira’s People, or People of Delhi’s Jewish Cemetery
The capital heritage
[Text and photo by Mayank Austen Soofi]
Nadira, Sulochana and Pramila. These long-ago Hindi film actors adorn a recently painted Connaught Place mural. All three were “Indian-Jewish,” as an accompanying plaque points out. Nadira’s original nome was Florence Ezekiel, Sulochna’s was Ruby Myers, and Pramila’s was Esther Victoria Abraham. The only other place in Delhi to meet a substantial number of Indian Jews is in the city’s only Jewish graveyard. The historic Humayun Road cemetery is small, making it possible to list all the dwellers lying there in eternal sleep.
1. Lt Gen Jack Farj Rafael Jacob, died in 2016 (hero of the Bangladesh war)
2. Samuel Nissim Luddy, 1918-2013
3. Isaaco Joseph D’Ascoli—died in 2011
4. Beatrice Moses, 1934-2007 (she was a “sweetheart wife and mother”)
5. Cathora Shalom Payne, 1930-2007 (her other name was Kanwal Sehgal; wife of Ram Sehgal; daughter of Sarah and Shalom Payne)
6. Diana Kolet, 1922-2005
7. Ruth Kolet, 1920-2004
8. Matilda Abraham, 1929-1998 (wife of M.B. Singh, she was Leah and Moses Abraham’s daughter)
9. Sophie Moses, 1910-1996
10. Moshe, died 1995 (“he bore his pain silently”)
11. Dr Sarah Kolet, 1906-1993 (“she had smiles for all and a heart of gold”)
12. Ezra Kolet, 1914-1992
13. Ann Samson, died in 1986
14. Mrs Ivy Narain, 1944-1986
15. Shanta Simha Chenoy, 1930-1981 (daughter of Hannah, who was founder and principal of Delhi University’s Lady Irwin College)
16. Meera, 1929-1977 (daughter of Sherula and Aaron Jacob)
17. Yadullah Mobasser, died in 1974
18. Elizabeth Kolet, 1903-1971
19. Aaron Solomon Jacob Mendrekar, died in 1970
20. Solomon Daniel Belkar, 1908-1969 (born in Igatpuri, died in Ludhiana, and buried in Delhi)
21. Dr Rachel Judah, 1907-1967 (“gentle in mind and patient in pain”)
22. Luna Reubens, 1895-1966 (“an example of courage and patience”)
23. Mrs Sarah Jacob, died in 1965
24. Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Ephraim Jhirad, died in 1965 (He died on 17 September during the India-Pakistan war while commanding the 8th battalion of the Garhwal Rifles.)
25. Sybil Daniel, 1912-1963 (“his sudden death shocked everybody”)
26. Sheba Rahamin Kolet, died in 1962 (“a virtuous woman whose price was far above rubies”)
27. Mary Abraham, died in 1961
28. Naomi Jhirad, 1945-1959
29. Elizabeth, died in 1956, aged 75
30. Mrs Jerusha Joseph Samson, 1919-1955
31. Elizabeth Moses Isaacs—1888-1954 (“many a sorrow she had seen”)
32. Benjamin Samuel Reuben—died in 1952
33. Herbert Appel—1905-1952 (born in Bonn, Germany)
34. Hyeen Benjamin, 1930-1949
35. Victor E. J. Reubens, died in 1948
36. Baby of Albert Rubens, 20.5.1947 to 30.5.1947
37. Signalman Bernard Pruim, 1925-1946 (his identity number at work was No. 2624730 Royal Signals)
38. Ezra Penkar, 1943-1944
39. Hanukh Jhirad, died in 1944
40. Flora Simon Chandgaokar, died in 1935
41. Benjamin (Benny) Jacob, born in 1932
42. Dr J.H. Legbheim, dates not legible
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