NEVATIM (ISRAEL): Israel President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded the Indian Jewish community which laid the foundation stone of a cultural centre here and fulfilled its promise made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2017 visit.

Nevatim, a Moshav (agricultural community) in the Negev region of Israel, has become synonymous with the Indian Cochini Jews. On Thursday evening, the place hosted hundreds of Indian Jewish community members from all over the country to witness the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Heritage and Cultural Centre of the Indian Jews.

The centre aims at not only preserving the heritage and rich culture of all the Jewish communities that have immigrated from India but will also serve as a base for the India-Israel trading centre. Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the Indian Jewish community as the “living bridge between the two most ancient civilisations.”