Isaac Ashkenazi, left for his heavenly abode....

A jewel of Jewish community of Cochin, Isaac Judah Ashkenazi, passed away today  (12.40 pm IST, 30 July 2011) at a private hospital. He was a bachelor aged 83. He served as the superintendent of the Cochin electric company (owned and operated by Cochin Jews) and resigned as senior superintendent in 1979, after two years from the company’s government takeover.

He was Isaac Uncle for me, tolerant and pious by nature and so friendly by behavior. I still remember my first rendezvous with him (23 June 2009). It was from Sarah auntie’s house. On that day he asked me how I learned Hebrew Calligraphy and even I had took a photo with him and Sarah auntie. 

Issac uncle, Sarah auntie and Me (took on 23 Jun 2009)

From there he was very friend to me and he had helped me for my research on Cochin Jewish Cuisine, he used to stand outside Sarah auntie’s house, that is near the front door and always talks about the community's history and some stories related to that and he use to explain about the Jewish festivals and beliefs. His solitude life was not at all a matter for him, always uses to be happy, crack jokes and makes us happy and was a kind of fun loving person.

But when I went to his house for last time (21 June 2011) he was bedridden, but he welcomed me with a warm smile and blessed me, literally that was so touching I saw tears in his eyes and I never thought that it would be the last vale. Today Thaha’s phone call about his demise, made me terribly sad and I pray

May God rest his soul in peace…

 The funeral ceremony will be between 11.00 am to 12.00 in the noon at Paradesi Jewish Cemetery (31 July 2011).

Jews of Calicut, History reread......

Believed to be formed after the collapse of the Chera dynasty, Calicut as a maritime city was prosperous in the hands of Zamorins. The overseas trade with the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, English and many more from west and Chinese from eastern world as a whole has many stories of friendship, warship and victory to share with us. But most of those stories are untold ones or would have gone into the graves of history….

But the clues of those events and happenings if found would reveal those untold stories and mysteries to the 21^st century, It came in reality when some of the pages of “The voyages of Francois Pyrard of Laval, to the east indies, the Maldives, the molucass and Brazil.” were turned, the possibility of existence of a Jew street in Calicut was found.

“Among others, the Jews have their own quarter and synagogue, which none enter but they.”

 The existence of the Jew Street was not accepted by some of the Local historians and topographical location was not identified till it was re-explored by the team of Calicut Heritage Forum and I am glad for being the one who alerted the research team.

The origin of the Jewish settlement of Calicut is not known, but it would have been an off shoot of the Jews of Madayi, Shaliat (Chaliyam) Flandrina (Panthilayini Kollam). Could have settled after the up gradation of Calicut as thriving Port city or later, Portuguese travelers and historians mention about the Jews of Calicut is in 15^th century. And believed to be the first record about them and from the Dutch abstract of Hebrew chronicles of Cochin, a Jewish prince of Jews of Malabar is said to be died in 17^th century. But this community would have nourished by later by Jews of south or more precisely by Cochin Jews in a later period just for trade purpose or this last Jewish community the northern Kerala would have coupled with south. But the dwindling phase of this community is unknown.

Shaliat and Flandrina, both close to Calicut, are mentioned by Muslim and Christian geographers of the 12th and 13th centuries as having Jewish settlements. i.e.

Chaliyam was called as Shaliat by Arabians, Chale by Portuguese, Chaly by Francois Pyrard. Arab historian and geographer Abu’l Fida Ismail Hamvi’s (1273 - 1331 AD)  Taqwim al-Buldan, mentions “ The town of Shaliyat that is inhabited by Jews”. 

Reports of Friar Odorico De Pordenone (1286 – 1331 AD) an Italian medieval traveller (The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the ... By Richard Hakluyt Pg 412), mentions pepper & trade at Flandrina. He also mentions that Christians and Jews reside there. 
“And the forest in which the pepper growth for a good eighteen day’s journey, and in that forest there be two cities, the one whereof is called Flandrina and the other Cyngilin. In the city of Flandrina some inhabitatnts were Jews and some are Christians; and between those two cities there is always internal war, but the result is always that the Christians beat and overcome the Jews.”

The presence of Jewry in Calicut is even mention along with the arrival of Vasco da Gama. With the coming of the Portuguese to India, travelers such as Girolamo Sernigi (1453 - 1510) refer to the Jewish association with Calicut.

“He (a jewish pilot) says that there are not many Jews there (Calicut) ; and that there is a King of the Jews of the ten tribes of the Jewish people which went out of Egypt.”

Ludovico di Varthema (early 16th century) mentions

“There was also a Jew here who had built a very beautiful galley and had made four mortars of iron. They said Jew going to wash himself in a pond of water was drowned.”

 Abraham Farissol ben Mordecai in his Iggeret Orḥot Olam (completed in 1524A.D; printed Venice, 1587 A.D) alluded to the presence of Jews in Calicut and the neighboring islands. While the Portuguese historian Gaspar Correia speaks in 1536 of the great number of Jews in Calicut, the Yemenite traveler Zechariah b. Saadiah (16th century) looked in vain for coreligionists there.  

A rare Dutch abstract record of the “Hebrew Chronicles” found in custody Jews of Cochin, by Leopold Emanuel Jacob Van Dort (AD 1757), a Jewish convert to Christian says “A.M. 5410, and A.D. 1650, on the 5^th day of the month Sh’vat (i.e January), died the last of the family of their Rabbi, Whose name was Joshiah, Prince of the Jews of Malabar, Who resided at Calicut.” 

Dr. David G. Mandelbaum, an American anthropologist in his article "The Jewish Way of Life in Cochin," records the following tradition current among the Jews of Cochin, India: “While the Jews could scarcely defend themselves against great armies of marauders, it is clear that they were proficient in arms. The two great opponents of the Malabar coast, the Raja of Cochin and the Zamorin of Calicut, each had a brigade of Jewish soldiers in their forces.”
This also gives us a hint of existence of the Jewish presence in Calicut, i.e. Jewish soldiers.

But above all, the information from Francois Pyrard and Van Dort, i.e. a Jewish quarter and a synagogue, a Jewish prince or community leader had made me to think about the possibility of a Jew street in Calicut. I had browsed in the net to get any address from Calicut with the suffix Jew street, I found an address of an electric appliances company, with a phone number and I had a forwarded it to Mr. Ramachandran the author of the blog Calicut Heritage, whom I had thought would be the best, and he was. He took it so serious and his enthusiastic approach has made Adv. Madhusoodan, to find this place. The pin code mentioned in the address was the key to find the place.  You can fetch more details from his blog – Calicut Heritage

As per Calicut Heritage’s exploration,

“As we walked down from the Miskal Mosque heading south, one road leads east and turns south again towards Idiyangara. There are a few shops on this street and this place is now called Jootha Bazar or Jews Street. Local people had different explanations for the origin of the name. An elderly person said that perhaps the origin could be traced to mothers calling their naughty offspring children of Jews as a curse. But, why should the name called stick to a place, unless only children of that locality were mischievous. Another ingenious explanation given was that naughty young people of that locality would gather in the Jootha Bazar and gamble and, therefore, the name stuck. 

A third person, who appeared to be more knowledgeable about the history and culture of the place explained that it was just possible that the location of the present Jews Street was once a flourishing market run by the Jews, like the Silk Street, Gujarati Street etc.”

                                   Courtesy to Calicut Heritage

But we cannot stick to these folklore or narratives  and says that there were no Jews lived here in this street. We can even assume that a mother cursing their offsprings as “Children of jews” is not a common usage and even this usage could be a hint that speaks about the presence of Jewish community there in a sense. But when written history is reread that may takes us to new explorations.

Jew Street, in Calicut ????

Click the image to enlarge.

or read online

ASI misses a Monumental error - Revised edition

Published in The New Indian Express, Kochi edition on Monday, 4, July 2011.

Click  the image to enlarge

or read online

Would like to make clear the points,

Parur synagogue, one of the seven existing synagogues of Kerala exists near to the vicinity of Pattanam, the city near the ancient port of Muziris or so called Cranganore, holds a Jewry. The Jew street, the remnants of the pillar at the entrance and the synagogue complex tells us the story of Jews of Parur.

Muziris project of Kerala department of tourism in association with Archeological department of Kerala is restoring the Parur synagogue (believed to be build in 1616 AD). With a large synagogue complex compared other existing synagogues, Beholds a great blend of Jewish and Kerala Architecture. The initiation took by the government for restoration works are quiet appreciatable.  But would like to bring out some points into the notice of the authority undertaken the restoration work.

Firstly at the entrance just above the main door a Hebrew writing is there and now it is written as 

As seen below

But it is wrong. Some recent photos took before the restoration shows the same inscription, it happened because of the flaking or the chipping off of the Plaster. The flaked portion is also visible.

But after the restoration the same mistake was repeated rather than correcting it. It has to be corrected to 

Which is read "Beith Ha Knesset"means "House of assembly", Hebrew equivalent to the Greek word Synagogue. It is clear mistake to be corrected.

Following that the restoration has to be done with the utmost care, and has to be done after research.

Some pieces detailing designing works and wooden carving were seen within the complex compound, but these wooden decorative pieces given least importance. Still lies in the ground.

Other than that this heritage site's restoration is actually spoiling the building's antiquity estimating parameters by introducing new modern architectural techniques like using ceiling tiles under the roof tile for beautification, making the concealed electric cables wiring, attaching the electrical fixtures by drilling the walls. Few new items like nut and bolt are also used for the restoration it would be nice if avoided those kind of new and alien items to a 400 year old building, it would be better if old locally made iron nails were used.

As per the information got from the caretaker of the Parur synagogue, the Ark of covenant to be restored there will resemble the design of the Ark of Chennamangalam synagogue. But Original Ark of the Parur synagogue (dated 1892) was dismantled and restored in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem Israel.  And its design is very much unique from that of the Arks of other Synagogues of Kerala, with a carving with a depiction of the seven-branched candelabrum from the vision of the Prophet. So restoration of of the Ark of its exact replica has to be considered.

Even hope that the Parur Jewish Cemetery with those existing tombs will also be protected as a part of the project (Located near Excellent College, North Parur).

Synagogues of Kerala - III

Lost synagogues of Kerala - II

Northern Kerala.

Synagogues of Madayi & Ezhimala.

Madayi near to Ezhimala is in the province of Cannanore (Kannur). Madayi is believed to be one of the oldest Jewish settlements according to Kerala Jewish traditions, probability of a synagogue in the vicinity is very much clear. More details regarding the Jewish settlement is not much found but “Malik Bin Habib, who established the Madayi Mosque, found Jews in the place, they used to have a place of worship at “Heli Madayi” ( Muslim History of Kerala, P.A. Syed Mohammed) Heli Madayi is the place identified with Madayi Para, were only a Jewish Pond is remaining. This place was the residence for the brahmins, jews, christians, muslims and buddists.

Marvel is mentioned as the third center of Jews by medieval travelers,   Ezhimala, also known as Monte D’ely to Portuguese, Mount Delly to English from the account of Malik Bin Habib, the existence of Jews in Ezhimala is known and there would have flourished a community and probability of the synagogue cannot be denied. So there is a maximum possibility of three settlements, ie in

Madayi – According to Kerala Jewish tradition,

Ezhimala and Madayipara - It is believed that there was a Jewish settlement site near the Ezhimal Naval academy and in Madayipara still the Jewish pond is there

Jewish Pond in Madayipara, known as Juda Kulam

This community would have vanished during the Portuguese established their Fort or invasion. This community would have migrated to any other jewish community of south. This community would be the parental community of the other later Jewish of northern Kerala.

Synagogue of Flandrina / Panthalayini Kollam

Panthilayini Kollam, it is the same Fandarina of Edrisi, Fandaraina of Ibnu battuta and Rashiduddin, Fundaraina fundreeah of Sheik Zainuddin Makdoom, Coulotte of Francois Pyarard, Flandrina of Friar Odoric, Kollottu or Kolottunad by locals.

Was the second great center of Jews in Malabar, This lost Port of Kerala north to the Koyilandy, and near to Calicut.  Jews resided here is Mentioned in the reports of Friar Odorico De Pordenone (The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the ... By Richard Hakluyt Pg 412) who passed by around the period of 1330, he mentions pepper & trade at Flandrina. He also mentions that Christians and Jews reside there. 
“And the forest in which the pepper growth for a good eighteen day’s journey, and in that forest there be two cities, the one whereof is called Flandrina and the other Cyngilin. In the city of Flandrina some inhabitatnts were Jews and some are Christians; and between those two cities there is always internal war, but the result is always that the Christians beat and overcome the Jews.”

So no more details are required to state that there existed a synagogue in Panthilayini Kollam.

  

Synagogue of Calicut

The origin of the Jewish settlement of Calicut is not known, but it would have been an off shoot of the Jews of Madayi, Shaliat (Chaliyam) Flandrina (Panthilayini Kollam). But this community would have nourished by later by Jews of south or more precisely by Cochin Jews.

Calicut port on Malabar Coast, Shaliat and Flandrina, both close to Calicut, are mentioned by Muslim and Christian geographers of the 12th and 13th centuries as having Jewish settlements. The presence of Jewry in Calicut was mention along with the arrival of Vasco da Gama. With the coming of the Portuguese to India, travelers such as Girolamo Sernigi (1453 - 1510) refer to the Jewish association with Calicut.

“He (a jewish pilot) says that there are not many Jews there (Calicut) ; and that there is a King of the Jews of the ten tribes of the Jewish people which went out of Egypt.”

Ludovico di Varthema (early 16th century) mentions

“There was also a Jew here who had built a very beautiful galley and had made four mortars of iron The said Jew going to wash himself in a pond of water was drowned.”

 Abraham Farissol ben Mordecai in his Iggeret Orḥot Olam (completed in 1524A.D; printed Venice, 1587 A.D) alluded to the presence of Jews in Calicut and the neighboring islands. While the Portuguese historian Gaspar Correia speaks in 1536 of the great number of Jews in Calicut, the Yemenite traveler Zechariah b. Saadiah (16th century) looked in vain for coreligionists there. But alike other lost Jewish community’s history Francois Pyrard (1607 AD), clearly mention about this medieval community, that they had their own Jewish quarter and synagogue in Calicut

And the rare Dutch abstract record of the Sefer Yasher (A Hebrew Chronicles found in custody Jews of Cochin) by Leopold Emanuel Jacob Van Dort (AD 1757), a Jewish convert to Christian recorded “A.M. 5410, and A.D. 1650, on the 5^th day of the month Sh’vat (i.e January), died the last of the family of their Rabbi, Whose name was Joshiah, Prince of the Jews of Malabar, Who resided at Calicut.” 

This information about a Jewish quarter, synagogue of a under a community leader had made me to think about the possibility of a Jew street in Calicut. I had browsed in the net to get any address from Calicut with the suffix Jew street, I found an address of an electric appliances company, with a phone number and I had a forwarded it to Mr. Ramachandran the author of the blog Calicut Heritage, whom I had thought would be the best, and he was. He took it so serious and his enthusiastic approach has made Adv. Madhusoodan, to find this place. The pin code mentioned in the address was the key to find the place.  You can fetch more details from his blog - Calicut Heritage

Dr. David G. Mandelbaum, an American anthropologist in his article "The Jewish Way of Life in Cochin," records the following tradition current among the Jews of Cochin, India: “While the Jews could scarcely defend themselves against great armies of marauders, it is clear that they were proficient in arms. The two great opponents of the Malabar coast, the Raja of Cochin and the Zamorin of Calicut, each had a brigade of Jewish soldiers in their forces.” 
This also gives us a hint of existence of the Jewish presence in Calicut, i.e. Jewish soldiers.

Synagogue of Shaliat

Chaliyam was called as Shaliat by Arabians, Chale by Portuguese, Chaly by Francois Pyrard. Arab historian and geographer Abu’l Fida Ismail Hamvi’s (1273 - 1331 AD)  Taqwim al-Buldan, mentions “ The town of Shaliyat that is inhabited by Jews”. 

The presence of a Jewish settlement in Chaliyam was even mentioned by Velayudhan Panikkasherri, a local historian.

The presence of Jews in Dharmapattanam, Mangalore were also mentioned by some historians but there is no proof of the existence of a community. Story of Abraham Ben Yuji proves that.

Synagogues of Kerala - II

Lost synagogues of Kerala - I

Southern Kerala

According to traditions, in 70 AD the Jew established their settlements at Cranganore, Palur, Pulut, and Madai. The first three are in south and last one in North. In time, due to persecution first by the Moors in the twelfth century, the natural disaster in fourteenth (1341 AD) century later in the sixteenth century persecution by Moors and then Portuguese, and of many various reasons the Jews living in these early settlements shifted to more secure places and established the settlements. In the process, the earliest synagogues were abandoned and lost, and the next generation of buildings was built. None of these synagogues survives, yet through narratives and the Jewish folksongs sung by the women in Malayalam, some things are known about them.

Here we are discussing on some of the Jewish settlements and possibility of a prayer hall or a synagogue

Kodungallor synagogue (? A.D)

The Jewish community of cranganore where they lived for almost thousands of years would definitely had a synagogue or more.

 The evidence for the existed synagogue can be derived from the Thomma Parvam, ancient Christian song.

The song tells that,

“ there were forty members of the Jewish community including Rabbi Paul of the Cranganore Synagogue where every Saturday the Apostle used to go and read and explain the Old Testament for the Jewish congregation. Though Rabbi Paul received baptism and became a Christian, a good number of the Cranganore Jewish community continued to stick fast to their ancestral religion and gave the Christians the name "Nazaranis ", meaning followers of the man from Nazareth i.e.; Jesus Christ.”

This gives the hint that there were Synagogues in the cranganore. But there exists no archeological evidence. But the below given lines may give more hint

“The Apostle called the young convert and asked him to live with him. The young man, who had received the Apostle's name in baptism agreed to live with him and came to be known as Thomas Maliyakal, in recognition of his Brahmin family name. Subsequently he was raised to priest hood, and after sometime was given the title of Ramban or Arch-priest. In course of time a Jewish Synagogue as well as a Hindu temple at Cranganore were transformed into Christian churches. Accompanied by Prince Kepha, who was consecrated as the Bishop of Cranganore and Malabar, St. Thomas left Cranganore to preach the Gospel elsewhere.”

This can be a clue to the new discoveries or a key to find the Synagogue or synagogues of Cranganore.

Quoted from "A History of Christianity in Kerala" by Dr. C.V.Cherian

http://www.acns.com/~mm9n/Malankara/parvom.htm

Sheik Zainuddin Maqdoom recored in Tohfut, that in 1523 AD a disagreement occurred between the Jews and the Muslims resided in Cranganore and a Muslim having in consequences fallen the victim. A major battle occurred between and in 1524 AD many Jews were drove to a village east ward. Town and synagogues were set to fire. In a Cochin Jewish Malayalam song, "The Song of Everayi", P.M. Jussay traces the migration of the Jews from Jerusalem through Egypt, Yemen and Persia to Palur, north of Cranganore, whence they moved to Chennamangalam.

Palur/Palayur Synagogue

                   The synagogue at Palur, a village south of Ernakulam in the eastern part of Trichur district, was destroyed long ago, yet it is mentioned by the Dutch Jewish traveler Pereya de Paiva during his travels to the area in 1685. Palur’s synagogue is also referenced in a Jewish Malayalam folksong. The song, sung only by the women, reveals that the first Jews arrived in Palur, and they later fled to Cranganore.

Evidence for the existence of Palur synagogue

                   It is believed that some of the Palur Jews found peace only when they came to Kochi, where the rajah befriended and protected them. Perhaps the families from the Palur would have joined the congregation of Kochangadi Synagogue after that colony had been destroyed.

                   There is a Sefer Torah finial (pomegranate shaped ornament ) from the Palur Synagogue that can be found today in the synagogue in Nevatim, near Be’er Sheva, Israel where some Kerala Jews resettled in the 1950s and currently have a museum about their cultural heritage.

                   A circumferential dedicatory inscription is engraved in square linear letters, which reads:
" השכ"ה שנת (ר)פלו הכנסת בית של הרמון זה "
"This is the Torah finial (possession) of the synagogue of Palu (Palur), the year 5325 (1565)"

                   The finials are one of the earlier testaments of the Jewish community in the Malabar Coast, in south west India. The name of the synagogue of “Palu” engraved on them, possibly relates to the synagogue of Palur – a Jewish settlement, which no longer exists. The exact location of this settlement is uncertain, but the presence of Jews in Palayur in earlier times, may be indicated by the naming and designation of place as "Jew hill- Jooda kunnu" later called as Jewish bazar- up till today, with no Jewish life existing. Christian sources also refer to an early Jewish presence there and some say the remains of a synagogue and a Brahmin temple can be seen nearby the church.  Besides folk stories and oral traditions among the Jews and the local environment, this inscription is therefore the only historical evident mentioning the Jewish settlement and its synagogue. 
                   These finials are unique in their shape and are one of the earliest dated finials known until now. They resemble the pomegranate fruit and it is possible that the name Rimon (pomegranate) derives from their shape.

This also adds the point that there existed a Jewish community in Palur.

                    “From Kottakavu the Apostle proceeded to Palayur, one of the strongest Brahmin centers in Kerala. A prosperous Brahmin community was living there from ancient times. The place where the Jewish community had their residence at Palayur is still called Jewish hill.”

Quoted from "A History of Christianity in Kerala" by Dr. C.V.Cherian

Kochangadi Synagogue (1344 A.D)

Renowned as the first synagogue built in the Cochin region predated the resettlement of the Kerala Jews en bloc in the sixteenth century as a result of Portuguese aggression. Dating from 1344 and attributed to Joseph Azar, it was located in a village called Kochangadi (near Mattancherry), now a part of the city of Kochi. It was most likely built when the Jews abandoned an area in or around Cranganore after the Periyar River flooded. This synagogue in Kochangadi was apparently raze by the army of Tipu during the Second Anglo-Mysore War in the 1780s. The building was never rebuilt, and the Jewish community is thought to have moved to nearby Kochi no later than 1795. They carried with them the inscription stone verifying the fourteenth century date of construction and placed it in the Kadavumbagam Synagogue in Mattancherry. Today it can be found inset in the east wall of the courtyard of the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry. 

Tekkumbagam Synagogue, Mattancherry (1647 A.D)

                   At one time a synagogue, the Tekkumbagam, stood in the Mattancherry area of Kochi on Synagogue Lane in Jew Town, very near the Paradesi Synagogue on the same, or west side of the street. It is widely believed construction of the synagogue began in 1647 during Portuguese colonial rule and was completed by Jacob Castiel in 1687.( The reason for it may be because of Portuguese bullying faced by the community) It is unclear whether the building was ever altered or renovated during its long history,

When the Tekkumbagam Synagogue congregation left India for Israel, the property was turned over to the Paradesi community in Jew Town. The Ark of Covenant of Thekkumbagom synagogue was dismantled and preserved in Magnes Museum, The former synagogue sat for some time, and was eventually purchased by a Paradesi Jew and a house was built. This two storey building was recently (2011) purchased by non- Jew.

Recently for the present owner of this land, I had made many rough sketches of this old synagogue from different angles. As a clear and perfect picture were not available personal interviews with elders of the Cochin Jewish community, some old photos and oral traditions served as the aid to do the sketches. The rough sketches were scanned and mailed to his architect. Hope this synagogue will be reconstructed in same shape but will be serving as a Hotel.

The sketch of Thekkumbagom synagogue, Mattancherry.

From the interviews with the elders of the community I came to know that it almost a replica of Paradesi synagogue. and this was confirmed by seeing the Heckal of this synagogue, This look exactly similar to that of the paradesi synagogue.

The Heckal of Thekkumbagom synagogue Mattancherry, presently in Magnes Museum, California. 

Beginning in the fourteenth century and continuing into the mid-1800s, the Kerala Jews, according to local narratives, also built small synagogues in Tir-Tur, Fort district (Fort Cochin) Saudi (or Senhore Soude), Muttam. and there existed Jewish colonies in Kayamkulam and Kollam (Quilon)

Synagogue of Tir-tur (1750 A.D)

Tir-tur is identified with the present “Thiruthur”

Tir-Tur as an island was once owned by a wealthy Paradesi trader by the name of Ezekiel Rahabi, was the site of another Kerala synagogue. It was built in 1750 or 1756 for the few dozen Jewish families living there. The Rahabi Family had fields on the island, which they used during the summer months as a retreat. According to local narrative, Rahabi settled ten Jewish families there to make sure that there was a minyan (quorum), although the congregation could have been larger. It had closed by 1761, when the Jews left for Kochi and other towns. Another source claims that the Tir-Tur Synagogue was abandoned because the Jews were fleeing from Tipu Sultan, with the result that the small congregation left the island. At that point the building was sold to the Chief Minister of Cochin.

Fort Cochin Prayer Hall (1848 A.D)

                   At Fort Cochin, Jews known in the community as Meshuhrarim (the Hebrew word means “freed people”, and it is understood to refer to freed or converted slaves), are believed to have initiated the building of a Jewish prayer hall in Lilly street by 1848 AD. This was in response to their failed effort to secure equal rights and standing within the Paradesi community. As an act of protest, they formally separated and organized their own congregation. Its leaders, along with others, are said to have come down with the plague some time thereafter, so the building remained incomplete, and religious services were never held there. After these deaths, the remaining community are said to have returned to their former synagogue in Mattancherry.

Saudi Synagogue (1514 A.D)

                   Another Kerala synagogue dating from 1514 AD once existed at Saudi, also called as Saude which is the part Kochi located south of present day Fortkochi somewhere north of Mundamveli. This building existed until 1556, yet services were rarely held there. There existed a port of Saudi, it would have hosted the arrival of many Jews who came from west. The name Saudi’s etymology according to local Historians is, this was the main port were the Arabians arrived thus named so.

But the etymology of the Topography as per my findings are, according to me some Dutch records mentions about eleven Parish under the Dutch company among those one named “Sr. Saude” (abbreviated form of Senhora de Saude, which is actually a second derivative of “Nossa senhore de saude” which means Our lady of Health in Portuguese), near to Mattancherry a search on this I found “Our lady of Health Church”  Mundamveli, This 16^th century church is believed to be built by Portuguese. Portuguese were strong patron of Our lady of Health, after the outbreak of a plague in Lisbon, Portugal in 1568. This would be most probable etymology.

Synagogue of Muttam

Muttam, a short distance to the north of cochin and not far from Allepey to the south, a village where a small enclave of Jews once existed. and the small Jewish community of Muttam seems to have been so persecuted by the armies of Tipu Sultan in the late eighteenth century that they were never able to recover, and the synagogue was ultimately closed.

Muttam mentioned in the report of Moses Pereya de Paiva,( Notisias dos Judeos de Cochin) 1686. Which can be have the literal evidence of Jewish existence:

Fra. Paolino Da San Bartholomeo, mentioned about the Jewish population of Muttam.

And there is no evidence or ruins for the Jewish existence. But believed a wealthy Jewish family holds much land which was used for agricultural purposes. One Malabari Jewish family name “Muttath” is belived to be the descendant of the Jews of Muttam.

Synagogue of Kayamkulam

Fra. Paolino Da San Bartholomeo(1748 - 1806), mentioned that Cayamcolla or Calicoulon, i.e present Kayamkulam had Jewish population. But he haven’t mentioned about anything regarding the Prayer house or the synagogue. But like any other settlement there would have existed a synagogue. But he gave a hint to the Jewish population there “The number of the Jews, who reside at Mattincera, Muttam, and Cayamcolla, may be about from 15 to 20,000.” From this we can see there is a possibility of a Prayer hall or a synagogue.

Synagogue of Quilon

Kollam by localites, Kaulam by Arabians, Kiu- lan by Chinese, Coulão by Portuguese,  Columbum of Friar Jordanus, Coilan by Francois pyrard. Benjamin of Tuleda (1130 – 1173 AD) mentions that about קאילם ie Quilon,

“And throughout the island, including all the Towns there, live several Israelites. The inhabitants are all black and the jews also. The latter are good and benevolent. They know the law of Moses and the Prophets, and to a small extent the Talmud and Halacha”.

(The iteneraray of Benjamin of Tuleda, Rabbi Benjamin Ben Yonah)

This provided detail about the Jews of Quilon makes us to think possibility of more than one settlement and synagogue.

The traveller Marco Polo had mentioned in the thirteenth century that there lived Jews in Quilon. Marco Polo, the great Venetian traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublai Khan visited Kollam in 1293 A.D. on his return trip from China to Venice. He found Christians and Jews living in Coilum (Kollam). He also found merchants from China and Arabia. He has given a detailed account of Kollam in his writings, extracts of which are reproduced in the Travancore Manual.

The copper plate grant of Quilon, known as Tharisappalli plates also give a hint about the Jews of Quilon. Among the signatories four were Jewish Merchants and the plate is date to 9^th century A.D.

Jews of Anjenco

Anchuthengu, formerly known as Anjengo and Balita , is a coastal town in the Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala. This was an old Portuguese settlement lies between Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram  near Varkala. Literally the word ‘Anjuthengu’ means 'five coconut palms.’ The whole land is cultivated with coconut trees.

The Jewish settlements in Anjenco the ancient port area was not studied well by Kerala historians. The Jewish people who settled here had to merge with certain communities like ezhavas because they remained separate entity from Hinduism and a safer way to escape persecution from the Portugese. Queen of Attingal granted refuge to them, but sooner they settled Portugese were after them and they made a collection center and subjugated these paradesi settlers. Some they forcefully converted to Christianity and others took shelter under the Ezhava Community. But those got shelter under Ezhava community remained away from Hindu rites and they were basically Atheists and do not had a family temple. They retained their family name Kotek, later they put it as Kotekazhikom (House of Koteks).

More details can be fetched from this Link