The Jewish merchant, Abraham ben Yiju (known documents: 1132-1156) spent twenty years of his life in India. He imported merchandise from Yemen and from the Eastern Mediterranean countries and exported Indian products. He owned and ran a big workshop of bronze vessels, where Yemenite Jews and local Hindis were employed. Upon returning to Egypt to reunite with his ancestral family, he was accompanied by his Indian wife, Ashu, now bearing the Hebrew name Beracha (blessing) after being converted to Judaism, and with his Hindi chief trade agent Bama.

Geniza document Halper 472 was written by Ben Yiju in 1152, upon his return to Egypt. It contains several lists; some of them register the goods he has brought with him, among them typical Indian products such as gold jewellery, bronze vessels, china wares and perfumes. A kerchief and a pair of shoes were especially brought for Bama. Ben Yiju's biography illustrates the itinerant life style of medieval Jewish traders.