THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A twenty-member Israeli team including four children has visited Santhigiri ashram on Wednesday. For the elderly among the team, it was a nostalgic visit to the state as they were Malayalees by birth. It was 58 years back that these Jews had migrated to Israel along with their families as part of their decision to settle down in the ‘promised land’.
Majority of them were visiting their birth place for the first time. Izaya Ashtamker, the leader of the delegation said that they were visiting God’s own country as part of their search for peace.
Toba Elias and Pennina Hey said that while living a life ravaged by war and conflicts, they had dreamt of returning to Kerala.
The team arrived at the Ashram and offered floral tribute at the spiritual zone -Parnasala. Nava Nama Gnana Thapaswi, director of the Ashram explained the activities of the Ashram to the visitors.
The Israelis said that they had enough money to sustain themselves in their country.
Peace was a distant dream in their country. Every citizen has to serve in the military when they complete the age of 18, they said. There are also 4 children in the delegation.
Though their visa was valid only for 6 months, they would try to stay back in India, the team said. Most of team members are still able to speak Malayalam. In search of their roots they would go to Kochi on Republic Day on Thursday.