Yaffa Judah reflects on growing up between worlds—navigating her Indian and English heritage, attending Ashkenazi schools while rooted in Bene Israel culture, and marrying into a Moroccan Jewish family. Yaffa shares how music, memory, and food have shaped her identity and how she’s working to create inclusive Jewish spaces for others.

Our Guest

Yaffa Judah is a community organiser, creative and educator passionate about celebrating Jewish diversity and creating spaces where all Jews feel they belong.

Key Topics

• Mixed Heritage: How growing up with Indian and English Jewish heritage shaped Yaffa’s understanding of what it means to be Jewish.
• Jew-ish in Ashkenazi Spaces: Yaffa reflects on being “an ethnic minority within an ethnic minority” and the experience of feeling othered.
• Celebrating Difference: From leading inclusive student events at university to sharing Bene Israel traditions today, Yaffa is actively widening the circle.
• Beyond the Norm: Yaffa explores how labels like “Sephardi” are sometimes used as a catch-all that doesn’t reflect the whole picture.

Your Guide

Short definitions of terms mentioned in this episode:

• Bene Israel - One of the oldest Jewish communities in India
• Selichot - Prayers recited during holidays with variations between communities
• Minhag “Everyone should feel welcome—even if they’re just Jew-ish”- A custom or tradition in Jewish practice
• Adani - community originally from Aden, Yemen, known for their unique pronunciation and liturgical style

Want to learn more?

Explore earlier episodes on Jewish identity and inclusion:

S2E1: Diverse Jewish Stories with Yaacov Yadgar

S2E4: Classical Sephardi Culture with Daniel Jonas - to follow soon

References & Resources

• Gate of Mercy Synagogue – the oldest synagogue in Mumbai, built in 1796
• JDC Entwine – A global service organisation where Yaffa led intercultural events

Illustrated Guide to a Jew in India by Solomon Devika – A fun visual storytelling project about Indian Jewish history

Find us elsewhere, here!

Show credits

Host / Producer: Eylan Ezekiel

Post-production: Communicating for Impact

Artwork: Emily Theodore

Music: Aleksafor utransndr Karabanov

Sound effects: Serge Quadrado

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.