Kerala History - Jews of Kerala

There is very little reliable information about the origin of Kerala Jews. One belief is that 10 Jewish families released from jail by a Persian king in BC605 came by ship to Kodungallore. Another group must have followed in BC586 when Judea was defeated by Babylon. In AD 68 when the second temple of Jerusalem was destroyed another migration of a thousand Jews took place. There were subsequent waves of migration in AD369 and AD490. One source state that a large group of Jewish refugees came from Mesopotamia in AD 486.Most historians agree that the local Hindu rulers did everything to settle the new immigrants.

The Jews were already here when St.Thomas arrived in AD52.A Jewish emissary named Habban , mentioned in ancient Christian songs was supposed to have arrived in AD 52. His mission was to find a master builder who could build a church more beautiful than Solomon's. A Roman sailor who made a voyage from the red sea to the Malabar cost in the second century AD saw a colony of Jews there. In AD 4th century St.Jerome talks about the Jews of Malabar coast in correspondence.

A Hindu ruler named Bhaskara Ravivarmman issued copper plates to a leader of the Jewish settlement in Kodungallore. The date of this copper plate is variously claimed as AD 4 th century or Ad 10 th century. The translated writings spell out theprivileges awarded to the jews by the ruler. The Jews were serving the local rulers providing protection against foreign invaders. It is believed that the early Jewish settlements were in Kodungallore, Pandalayini and Ezimala.

For another 1000 years, after the awarding of the copper platesthe Jewish community of Kerala flourished with new arrivals from countries like Spain. Many Jewish scholars ave visited Kerala Jewish settlements. A fourteenth century poet and traveller Rabbi Nissim talks about his travels in a song which was popular amongst Cochin Jews.

Following rule of the descendants of Joseph Rabban in 1941 there was a split between two brothers as to who should rule .The younger brother won the struggle and fled to Cochin with his wife. Both sides sought favor from Samuthiri and the latter overran the Jewish settlements. The first Jewish temple was built in Cochin in 1344 AD. In 1524 the Arabs clashed with the Jews with help from Samuthiri. Jewish temples in Kodungallore and Cochin were destroyed.

In the 16th century when the Portuguese arrived by sea the Jewish presence was very nominal. As Portuguese influence led to further decline in Jewish settlements the remaining Jews took refuge with the Raja of Cochin. The ruler very graciously gave the Jews land . The Jewish town of 1567 and the Jewish synagog of 1568 were built on this land..

The Portuguese period starting in AD 1500 was the dark ages for Jewish settlements. The Portuguese arrived with cross in one hand and sword in the other. There references in Portuguese documents about Jewish settlements in Cochin, Goa, Kodungallore, Kozikode and suratt.In a letter written by the Portuguese to their king in 1513 permission is sought for their extermination. The Portuguese destroyed the remnants of the Jewish population in Kodungallore. They also destroyed the Jewish settlement in Cochin and damaged the Jewish synagogue as well as historical documents.

In AD 1662 the Dutch attacked Cochin but were driven out. The Jews were severely punished by the Portuguese for allegedly aiding the Dutch. In AD 1663 the Dutch returned and defeated the Portuguese. The Jews were treated more tolerantly by the Dutch rulers. The Cochin Jews reestablished their links with European Jews. In 1687 a Jewish delegation from Amsterdam arrived under the leadership of mr. Thomas Perera. His report published in 1687 under the name "NOTSIAS DOS JUDEOS DE COCHIM " is the history of Cochin Jews.

The Dutch period was the Golden era for Cochin Jews. They provided services for the Cochin rulers and the Dutch East India Company. They dominated export trade .Eskiel Rahabbi was one such trader based in Mattancherri. He had close links with other local communities and European countries. He was also interested in science and mathematics. He reprinted in Amsterdam many of the books destroyed earlier by the Portuguese .

The British period starting 1795 was also favorable for the Cochin Jews. In 1832 a visiting rabbi David Beth published from Madras "Travels Of Rabbi Beth Hillel". This book gives a clear picture of India in the 19th century. The British established a school to teach English and Hebrew in 1835. When the Jews learned that the English had religious conversion in mind they withdrew their children from the school. The Cochin government took over the school later. A Hebrew Malayalam press was established in 1877.The first British viceroy who visited the Jewish synagogue in Cochin was Lord Karson in 1900.

Soon after India became independent in 1947 Israel also came in to existence. The Cochin Jews wanted to take part in the building of the new Jewish homeland. The first Jewish community that migrated was from Mala. After handing over their cemetery and church to the local panchayat the entire Jewish community of Mala sailed of to Israel on December 12, 1954. The Jewish churches in Cochin's south side and 'kadavumbhagam' are also closed now with most of the community having migrated to Israel.

Cochin Jews were known as 'white ' black' or' brown.' . This division is perhaps contrary to Jewish rules which state that children borne to a Jewish mother will be always Jewish irrespective of skin color. Cochin's Jews came from Amorite tribes, hirite tribes and local converts.

The Jewish synagog of Cochin which was established in 1568 came to be known as the 'urch of foreign Jews' (Paradesi Juda Palli ).The name is a misnomer as the congregation included both 'white' and'brown' jews.There are references to the two groups in travelogues of 1817 by Paiwa.

There is some indication that the converted Jews faced discrimination from the others and often rebelled to know avail. They wanted to build another Jewish church but the local British resident opposed it. They tried to worship from some private homes, but that was opposed by the Diwan of Cochin. In spite of this they managed to conduct their worship for some years from a private home on Cochin's Lillie street. A letter written by a Jewish company in Bombay on October 22, 1845 requests the Diwan to repeal discriminatory rules against converted Jews. Subsequently the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem ruled that all Jews converted and otherwise should have equal status in the religion..This led to removal all vestiges of discrimination in the foreign Jewish church of Cochin. The late prime minister of India Mrs.indira Gandhi inaugurated the 400th anniversary celebrations of the church on December 15, 1968.