First Jews in South India Cochin Jews

arrival of jewish pilgrims @ cochin, 68 ce



the inscription sasanam outlining grant of rights joseph rabban

p. m. jussay wrote believed earliest jews in india sailors king solomon s time. has been claimed following destruction of first temple in siege of jerusalem of 587 bce, jewish exiles came india. after destruction of second temple in 70 ce records found attest numerous jewish settlers arriving @ cranganore, ancient port near cochin. cranganore, transliterated kodungallur, known under other names, city of legendary importance community. fernandes writes, substitute jerusalem in india. katz , goldberg note symbolic intertwining of 2 cities.

in 1768, tobias boas of amsterdam had posed eleven questions rabbi yehezkel rachbi of cochin. first of these questions addressed said rabbi concerned origins of jews of cochin , duration of settlement in india. in rabbi yehezkel’s hand written response (merzbacher s library in munich, ms. 4238), wrote: ...after destruction of second temple (may rebuilt , reestablished in our days!), in year 3828 of anno mundi, i.e. 68 ce, ten thousand men , women had come land of malabar , pleased settle in 4 places; places being cranganore, dschalor,  madai [and] plota. in cranganore, called mago dera patinas; called sengale.

st. thomas, 1 of disciples of jesus, believed have visited india while proselytising. possible many of jews became christians @ time absorbed became nasrani or saint thomas christians. knanaya sub-group of nasrani christians claim jewish heritage , known having similar customs , rituals cochin jews.

central history of cochin jews close relationship indian rulers. codified on set of copper plates granting community special privileges. date of these plates, known sâsanam , contentious. plates physically inscribed date 379 ce, in 1925, tradition setting 1069 ce. indian rulers granted jewish leader joseph rabban rank of prince on jews of cochin, giving him rulership , tax revenue of pocket principality in anjuvannam near cranganore, , rights seventy-two free houses . hindu king gave permission in perpetuity (or, in more poetic expression of days, long world , moon exist ) jews live freely, build synagogues, , own property without conditions attached . family connection rabban, king of shingly (another name cranganore), long considered sign of both purity , prestige within community. rabban s descendants led distinct community until chieftainship dispute broke out between 2 brothers, 1 of them named joseph azar, in 16th century.

the oldest known gravestone of cochin jew written in hebrew , dates 1269 ce. near chendamangalam (also spelled chennamangalam) synagogue, built in 1614. operated museum.

in 1341 disastrous flood silted port of cranganore, , trade shifted smaller port @ cochin (kochi). many of jews moved quickly, , within 4 years, had built first synagogue @ new community. portuguese empire established trading beachhead in 1500, , until 1663 remained dominant power. continued discriminate against jews, although doing business them. synagogue built @ parur in 1615, @ site according tradition had synagogue built in 1165. every member of community emigrated israel in 1954.

black jew of cochin payot

in 1524, muslims, backed ruler of calicut (today called kozhikode , not confused calcutta), attacked wealthy jews of cranganore because of primacy in lucrative pepper trade. jews fled south kingdom of cochin, seeking protection of cochin royal family (perumpadapu swaroopam). hindu raja of cochin gave them asylum. moreover, exempted jews taxation bestowed on them privileges enjoyed tax-payers.

the malabari jews built additional synagogues @ mala , ernakulam. in latter location, kadavumbagham synagogue built 1200 , restored in 1790s. members believed congregation receive historic copper plates. in 1930s , 1940s, congregation large 2,000 members, emigrated israel.

thekkambagham synagogue built in ernakulum in 1580, , rebuilt in 1939. synagogue in ernakulam used services if former members of community visit israel. in 1998, 5 families members of congregation still lived in kerala or in madras.