Traditions and way of life Cochin Jews

group of cochin jews, c. 1900

the 12th-century jewish traveller benjamin of tudela wrote malabari coast of kerala: know law of moses , prophets, , small extent talmud , halacha. european jews sent texts community of cochin jews teach them normative judaism.

maimonides (1135–1204), preeminent jewish philosopher of day, wrote,

lately well-to-do men came forward , purchased 3 copies of code [the mishneh torah] distributed through messengers.... thus, horizon of these jews widened , religious life in communities far india revived.

in 1535 letter sent safed, israel italy, david del rossi wrote jewish merchant tripoli had told him india town of shingly (cranganore) had large jewish population dabbled in yearly pepper trade portuguese. far religious life, wrote they: recognize code of maimonides , possessed no other authority or traditional law. according contemporary historian nathan katz, rabbi nissim of gerona (the ran) visited cochini jews. preserve in song books poem wrote them. in kadavumbagham synagogue, hebrew school available both children s education , adult study of torah , mishnah.

the jewish encyclopedia (1901-1906) said,

though neither eat nor drink together, nor intermarry, black , white jews of cochin have same social , religious customs. hold same doctrines, use same ritual (sephardic), observe same feasts , fasts, dress alike, , have adopted same language malayalam. ... 2 classes equally strict in religious observances,

according to, martine chemana, jews of cochin coalesced around religious fundamentals: devotion , strict obedience biblical judaism , jewish customs , traditions ... hebrew, taught through torah texts rabbis , teachers came yemen... jews of cochin had long tradition of singing devotional hymns (piyyutim) , songs on festive occasions women singing jewish prayers , narrative songs in judeo-malayalam; did not adhere talmudic prohibition against public singing women (kol isha).