New Delhi [India] May 8 : Highlighting how the shared history, culture and values of Israel and India are what bring the two nations together, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Friday celebrated the countries' deep bond and connections by inaugurating a new mural for singer Zubin Mehta in Delhi's Lodhi Colony.
Azar, in a conversation with ANI highlighted how Jews have always felt safe in India because it has always been a society of acceptance of the other.
"It is always important to remind us that culture, heritage, and values are what bring us together. India and Israel are both old nations and modern countries, and throughout this short history of our modern countries, we've been able to make personal connections, national connections, and this cultural connection through music, which is something very unique that we are here to celebrate today," he said.
Azar said that India and Israel are capable of continuing this great bond.
"We know that Jews always felt very safe in India. They continue to feel safe because India has always been a society of acceptance of the other. We are so privileged to enjoy that through Jewish communities that have been living here for many years and now since the state of Israel was established. We are capable of continuing this great bond between our nations and celebrating it through culture and many other things that we're doing together," he said.
"We stand together; we've been working together to create the capabilities that we need to overcome the challenges, and I'm sure we will prevail," he said.
Azar, while speaking at the occasion, said that it was a special day of celebrating 90 years since the establishment of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Israel.
"Rachel and I are very proud to be here. This is a very special day because we are celebrating the amazing cultural cooperation between Israel and India that has been going on for many, many years. It is a special day also because we are celebrating 90 years since the establishment of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Israel, which has a very special story," he said.
Azar explained that in 1936, Bronislaw Huberman, a Jewish musician gathered Jewish musicians from all over Europe to save them from extermination.
"Ninety years ago, in 1936, thanks to the efforts of a very famous Jewish musician called Bronislaw Huberman, the orchestra gathered famous Jewish musicians from all over Europe. This was a period in which darkness was looming over Europe and Jewish musicians were being fired and persecuted. In order to save the heritage of music, he invited these musicians to be part of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. At that time, it was the orchestra of the Land of Israel. By doing that, he saved them and their families from extermination by the Nazis," he said.
Azar said that an Indian musician, Zubin Mehta has been working with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Coincidentally, he was born in 1936.
"In that same year, 1936, another famous musician was born: Zubin Mehta. For 70 years, he has been working with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Their performances all over the world have been so famous that it was impossible to book them unless you convinced them about two years ahead to visit your country or honor your Philharmonic Orchestra," he said.
Azar also shared a fond memory when in Romania, the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, Silviu Vexler wished to commemorate the brutal killing of Jewish musicians in Bucharest.
"I want to share that in 2024, when I was serving in Romania, the president of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, Silviu Vexler, had the task of trying to convince the Israeli Philharmonic to perform in Bucharest. He wanted to commemorate the brutal killing of Jewish musicians in Bucharest in 1941, who were taken out in the middle of a concert and shot in the street," he said.
Vexler wished Mehta to perform at the ceremony and he heeded to the request.
"He wanted the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra to come and perform the same concert at the Athenaeum in Bucharest with Zubin Mehta, and that is exactly what they did. In October 2024, they commemorated 145 years of Jewish citizenship in Romania and continued the concert that was cut short in 1941," he said.
Azar said that the bonds between India and Israel are thus musical as well as personal.
"We are talking here not just about music or the bond between Israel and India, which has been amazing for the last few decades. We are not only celebrating culture as the best connection between peoples all over the world, but also a very special relationship and a very special orchestra that had a leading role in culture around the world, alongside a partnership with a musician who was born in the same year that the Israeli orchestra was established," he said.
Azar extended his gratitude to relevant authorities for making the event possible.
He said, "We are here thanks to the kind cooperation of the Municipal Council of New Delhi, which agreed to have this mural here. I want to thank the artists, the company that has been working with us on this, our cultural attache, Avital, and the entire team of the embassy."