David Ezekiel Rahabi

David Ezekiel Rahabi was a prominent Jewish leader in India, active in the 18th century. He played a significant role in revitalizing Judaism among the Bene Israel community, the largest and oldest group of Jews in India. Rahabi, who hailed from Cochin on the Malabar Coast, is traditionally believed to have arrived in India around 1000 CE, though his active period is recorded as 1694–1772.12

The Bene Israel community, believed to have settled in India over 2,100 years ago, maintained Jewish practices while integrating into Indian society and its caste system. Rahabi's influence helped connect the Bene Israel with normative Jewish practices, with the Cochin Jews often serving as religious guides. Many Bene Israel later migrated to Bombay (now Mumbai) and eventually to Israel, particularly after the establishment of the state in 1948.12