during the mid twentieth century the baghdadi jewish community peaked at over 6,000 members during the second world war as smaller communities fled japanese invasions or internments. this highpoint was followed by a precipitously decline in numbers. the community largely emigrate after indian independence in 1947, leaving overwhelmingly to london and to a lesser extent israel. this migration followed the turmoil of partition, the breakdown of the colonial trading system in asia, severing historic trade flows between the middle east and asia, and the birth of a jewish state in palestine. the few remaining adopted a judeo-indian identity and achieved prominent positions in the military, politics and the arts.