From his early days in New York, Romiel Daniel has been eager to speak to Jewish congregations across the city about India's Jewish history. Mumbai-raised Daniel, who was sent to New York about 11 years ago by a textile company to look after its business in the United States, was surprised that many Jews, predominantly of Eastern European origin, had no idea how Jews had lived peacefully in India. Daniel would tell them that India was "the least known and the most benevolent Jewish Diaspora."

Now, as president of the Rego Park Jewish Center in Queens, he has more clout to speak about Indian Jews. He has been doing so with more enthusiasm and vigor since he was elected five months ago.

Daniel is the only person of Indian origin to be a cantor in the United States; he completed four years of singing and scriptural lessons at Yeshiva University in New York. He is the first Indian Jew to be president of a synagogue in the country. The congregation has about 500 members.

He says he feels a bit disappointed that the average American is not aware of what goes on outside of the European Jewish community. He reckons he has given at least 100 lectures about Indian Jewish experience at many prestigious venues, including the 92nd Street Y. He seldom misses an opportunity to remind his audiences that unlike Jews from most other countries, Indian Jews did not face any persecution. "We were allowed to profess our faith without any hindrance," he says.

He spoke with India Abroad this week about how his elevation in the Jewish community can be an inspiration to recently migrated Jews from many central Asian countries.

Daniel, 62, who was trained by his father and uncle in Bombay in liturgy, has conducted the sermons at the Rego Park synagogue in the absence of a rabbi. He does all this while working fulltime as the director of a Manhattan apparel business. He came to the United States in 1961 after graduating in chemistry from St. Xavier's College, Bombay, and acquired a master's degree in the subject from Brandeis University in 1964. He returned home to be with his parents, he says, adding that he joined the Sarabhai group and worked for it for years. Bombay still has a special place in his heart. His wife, Noreen, is from Pune and has many relatives in Bombay. Her grandfather E Moses was the city's mayor in 1938, he says.

His success at the Rego Park Jewish Center, which was founded in 1939 and was dominated by European Jews until a decade ago, affirms that immigrants have a role in their new country, says Daniel. It shows that a person can become a leader of a larger community even if he is from a minority community.

There are fewer than 300 Indian Jews in and around New York City. Apart from his work for the synagogue, Daniel leads the tiny Bene Israel congregation. "Within the strict code [of services and worship] that has to be adopted, there are a few variations," he explains.