RARE first history of Bene Israel - the Jewish community in India, by Haeem Samuel Kehimkar, published in Jerusalem by Dr. Immanuel Olsvanger fifty years after the completion of the manuscript by the author. The author is best remembered as founder of a Marathi and Hebrew elementary school named the Israelite School in 1875, later expanded to include a secondary school in 1881, and as author of `Hebrew Primer` and `Hebrew and Marathi Songs`. Contains many b&w illustrations. 220x165mm. VIII+290 pages. 28 illustration pages. Illustrated board Hardcover with black cloth spine. Cover stained and slightly curved. Cover edges slightly worn, corners peeling. Front cover slightly scratched. Spine stained. Spine edges bumped, upper edge slightly tattered. Inner cover dirty. Ink inscription on front whitepage upper part. Small pen inscription on rear inner cover. Text block edge yellowing and slightly stained. Pages yellowing. [SUMMARY]: This extremely rare pioneering historical account of Indian Jewry is otherwise in good condition.