Cochin Jews

They traditionally spoke Judeo-Malayalam , a form of the Malayalam tongue native to the state of Kerala in India . Several rounds of immigration of the Jewish diaspora into Kerala led to a diversity amongst the Cochin Jews.

Ethnic group Cochin Jews , also called Malabar Jews, are of Mizrahi and Sephardi heritage. They are the oldest group of Jews in India , with possible roots claimed to date to the time of King Solomon . The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India , now part of the state of Kerala . As early as the 12th century, mention is made of the Black Jews in southern India. The Jewish traveler, Benjamin of Tudela , speaking of Kollam (Quilon) on the Malabar Coast, writes in his Itinerary : "...throughout the island, including all the towns thereof, live several thousand 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." These people later became known as the Malabari Jews. They built synagogues in Kerala beginning in the 12th and 13th centuries. They are known to have developed Judeo-Malayalam , a dialect of Malayalam language. Following expulsion from Iberia in 1492 by the Alhambra Decree , a few families of Sephardic Jews eventually made their way to Cochin in the 16th century. They became known as Paradesi Jews (or Foreign Jews). The European Jews maintained some trade connections to Europe, and their language skills were useful. Although the Sephardim spoke Ladino (i.e. Spanish or Judeo-Spanish), in India they learned Judeo-Malayalam from the Malabar Jews. The two communities retained their ethnic and cultural distinctions. In the late 19th century, a few Arab Jews, who became known as Baghdadi , also immigrated to southern India, and joined the Paradesi community. After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most Cochin Jews emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s. Most White Jews though preferred to migrate to Australia and other Commonwealth countries, as Anglo-Indians did. Most of their synagogues have been sold and adapted for other uses. The Paradesi synagogue still has a congregation and also attracts tourists as a historic site. The synagogue at Chennamangalam was reconstructed in 2006. The one at Parur is currently being reconstructed. Descendants of Cochin Jews have had their DNA analyzed. A 2009 DNA report states that "Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel) and Indian Jews (Bene Israel and Cochini) cluster with neighbouring autochthonous populations in Ethiopia and western India, respectively, despite a clear paternal link between the Bene Israel and the Levant." Jews From Cochin Bring Their Unique Indian Cuisine to Israeli Diners Tablet Magazine, By Dana Kessler|23 October 2013 Census of India 2001 The Jews of India: A Story of Three Communities by Orpa Slapak. The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela (ed. From Cochin to Israel . "Kerala to restore 400-year-old Indian synagogue", The Jerusalem Post . 2009. The Chennamangalam Synagogue: Jewish Community in a Village in Kerala . "In an Ancient Land: Trade and synagogues in south India", Asian Jewish Life . 2011.

The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India , now part of the state of Kerala . As early as the 12th century, mention is made of the Jews in southern India. The Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela , speaking of Kollam (Quilon) on the Malabar Coast, writes in his Itinerary : "...throughout the island, including all the towns thereof, live several thousand 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 ." These people later became known as the Malabari Jews. They built synagogues in Kerala beginning in the 12th and 13th centuries. They are known to have developed Judeo-Malayalam , a dialect of Malayalam language. Following their expulsion from Iberia in 1492 by the Alhambra Decree , a few families of Sephardi Jews eventually made their way to Cochin in the 16th century. They became known as Paradesi Jews (or Foreign Jews). The European Jews maintained some trade connections to Europe, and their language skills were useful. Although the Sephardim spoke Ladino (i. e., Spanish or Judeo-Spanish), in India they learned Judeo-Malayalam from the Malabar Jews. The two communities retained their ethnic and cultural distinctions. In the late 19th century, a few Arabic-speaking Jews, who became known as Baghdadi , also immigrated to southern India, and joined the Paradesi community. After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most of the Malabar Jews made Aliyah and emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s. In contrast, most of the Parades Jews (Sefardi in origin) preferred to migrate to Australia and other Commonwealth countries, similar to the choices made by Anglo-Indians. Most of their synagogues are still existing in Kerala, whereas a few were sold or adapted for other uses. Among the 8 synagogues that had survived till the middle of 20th century, only the Paradesi synagogue still has a regular congregation and also attracts tourists as a historic site. Another synagogue at Ernakulam operates partly as a shop by one of few remaining Cochin Jews. A few synagogues are in ruins and one was even demolished and a two-storeyed house was built in its place. The synagogue at Chendamangalam (Chennamangalam) was reconstructed in 2006 as Kerala Jews Life Style Museum . The synagogue at Paravur (Parur) has been reconstructed as Kerala Jews History Museum. The Jews of India: A Story of Three Communities by Orpa Slapak. The Itinerary of Benjamin of Tudela (ed. From Cochin to Israel . "Kerala to restore 400-year-old Indian synagogue", The Jerusalem Post . 2009. The Place of Alwaye in Modern Cochin Jewish History", Journal of Modern Jewish Studies , 2010. 8(3): 319-335. The Chennamangalam Synagogue: Jewish Community in a Village in Kerala . "In an Ancient Land: Trade and synagogues in south India", Asian Jewish Life . 2011.

Jewish community that settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in modern-day Kerala, India Not to be confused with Paradesi Jews (White Jews) of Cochin who immigrated from Spain/Portugal during the 15th century. The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India , now part of the state of Kerala . As early as the 12th century, mention is made of the Jews in southern India by Benjamin of Tudela . They are known to have developed Judeo-Malayalam , a dialect of Malayalam language. Following their expulsion from Iberia in 1492 by the Alhambra Decree , a few families of Sephardi Jews eventually made their way to Cochin in the 16th century. They became known as Paradesi Jews (or Foreign Jews). The European Jews maintained some trade connections to Europe, and their language skills were useful. Although the Sephardim spoke Ladino (i.e., Spanish or Judeo-Spanish), in India they learned Judeo-Malayalam from the Malabar Jews. The two communities retained their ethnic and cultural distinctions. In the late 19th century, a few Arabic-speaking Jews, who became known as Baghdadi , also immigrated to southern India, and joined the Paradesi community. After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most of the Malabar Jews made Aliyah and emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s. In contrast, most of the Paradesi Jews (Sephardi in origin) preferred to migrate to Australia and other Commonwealth countries, similar to the choices made by Anglo-Indians. Most of their synagogues still exist in Kerala, with a few being sold or adapted for other uses. Among the 8 synagogues that survived till the mid-20th century, only the Paradesi synagogue still has a regular congregation. Today it also attracts tourists as a historic site. The Kadavumbhagam Ernakulam Synagogue was restored in 2018 and houses a sefer torah with occasional services managed by one of few remaining Cochin Jews of the ancient Malabari Jewish tradition. A few synagogues are in ruins and one was even demolished and a two-storeyed house was built in its place. The synagogue at Chendamangalam ( Chennamangalam ) was reconstructed in 2006 as Kerala Jews Life Style Museum. The synagogue at Paravur ( Parur ) has been reconstructed as Kerala Jews History Museum. "Jews from Cochin Bring Their Unique Indian Cuisine to Israeli Diners" , Tablet Magazine , by Dana Kessler, 23 October 2013 "Ancient Indian Jewish community holds on to customs despite shrinking numbers" . 13 September 2022. The Place of Alwaye in Modern Cochin Jewish History", Journal of Modern Jewish Studies , 2010. 8(3): 319-335. The Chennamangalam Synagogue: Jewish Community in a Village in Kerala . "In an Ancient Land: Trade and synagogues in south India", Asian Jewish Life . 2011.

Jewish community that settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in modern-day Kerala, India Not to be confused with Paradesi Jews (White Jews) of Cochin who immigrated from Spain/Portugal during the 19th century. The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India , now part of the present-day state of Kerala . As early as the 12th century, mention is made of the Jews in southern India by Benjamin of Tudela . Following their expulsion from Iberia in 1492 by the Alhambra Decree , a few families of Sephardi Jews eventually made their way to Cochin in the 16th century. They became known as Paradesi Jews (or Foreign Jews). The European Jews maintained some trade connections to Europe, and their language skills were useful. Although the Sephardim spoke Ladino (Spanish or Judeo-Spanish), in India they learned Judeo-Malayalam from the Malabar Jews. The two communities retained their ethnic and cultural distinctions. In the late 19th century, a few Arabic-speaking Jews, known as Baghdadis , also immigrated to southern India from the Near East . After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most of the Cochin Jews made Aliyah and emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s. In contrast, most of the Paradesi Jews (Sephardi in origin) preferred to migrate to Australia and other Commonwealth countries, similar to the choices made by Anglo-Indians . Most of their synagogues still exist in Kerala, with a few being sold or adapted for other uses. Among the 8 synagogues that survived till the mid-20th century, only the Paradesi synagogue still has a regular congregation. Today it also attracts tourists as a historic site. The Kadavumbhagam Ernakulam Synagogue was restored in 2018, it houses a sefer torah with occasional services, managed by one of few remaining Cochin Jews of the ancient Malabar Jewish tradition. A few synagogues are in ruins and one was even demolished and a two-storeyed house was built in its place. The synagogue at Chendamangalam ( Chennamangalam ) was reconstructed in 2006 as Kerala Jews Life Style Museum. The synagogue at Paravur ( Parur ) has been reconstructed as Kerala Jews History Museum. "Jews from Cochin Bring Their Unique Indian Cuisine to Israeli Diners" , Tablet Magazine , by Dana Kessler, 23 October 2013 "Ancient Indian Jewish community holds on to customs despite shrinking numbers" . 13 September 2022. The Place of Alwaye in Modern Cochin Jewish History", Journal of Modern Jewish Studies , 2010. 8(3): 319-335. The Baghdadi Jews in India: Maintaining Communities, Negotiating Identities and Creating Super-Diversity , London and New York: Routledge. The Chennamangalam Synagogue: Jewish Community in a Village in Kerala . "In an Ancient Land: Trade and synagogues in south India", Asian Jewish Life . 2011.