History of the Jews in Sri Lanka

Jews in Sri Lanka have had a presence on the island nation since at least the 9th century . In the 10th century , Abu Zeid al Hasan, an Arab Muslim traveller from Siraf , Persia , stated that there were ‘a great number of Jews ’ in Serendib , as Sri Lanka was known to the Arabs . In the 12th century , Benjamin of Tudela , a Sephardi Jew (Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent) who was a medieval adventurer from Navarre , Spain , reported that there were 3,000 Jews in Sri Lanka. These early Jews in Sri Lanka either assimilated into the local population over the centuries, or, upon the arrival of the Portuguese in the early 16th century , were forced to abandon their faith and identity (leading to an assimilation in more recent centuries) or slaughtered in an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition . Neither practising Jews, nor people who preserved a knowledge of being descendants of Jews, appear to have survived from that early period, although Jewish lineages may be present. Holders of the "de Fonseka" surname in Sri Lanka may be the mixed descendants of " de Fonseca " surnamed people, which is commonly associated with Sephardi Jewish origins.

Jews in Sri Lanka have had a presence on the island nation since at least the 9th century. In the 10th century, Abu Zeid al Hasan, an Arab Muslim traveller from Siraf , Persia , stated that there were ‘a great number of Jews ’ in Serendib , as Sri Lanka was known to the Arabs . In the 12th century, Benjamin of Tudela , a Sephardi Jew (Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent) who was a medieval adventurer from Navarre , Spain , reported that there were 3,000 Jews in Sri Lanka. These early Jews in Sri Lanka either assimilated into the local population over the centuries, or, upon the arrival of the Portuguese in the early 16th century, were forced to abandon their faith and identity (leading to an assimilation in more recent centuries) or slaughtered in an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition . Neither practising Jews, nor people who preserved a knowledge of being descendants of Jews, appear to have survived from that early period, although Jewish lineages may be present. Holders of the "de Fonseka" & the "de Alwis" surname in Sri Lanka may be the mixed descendants of "[Fonseca, de Olivera (surname)" surnamed people, which is commonly associated with Sephardi Portuguese Jewish origins. The other famous known Jewish origin descendants would be the "Alkegamas". Their history could also be traced back all the way down to the Colonial times in Ceylon. The Vishwakarma (or Visvakarma) community is a caste/community comprising five sub-groups – carpenters, blacksmiths, bell metalworkers, goldsmiths and stonemasons. It is stated that the Tamils belonging to this caste have Jewish lineage. The goldsmiths or Thattars as they are known were money lenders to the rich and powerful and over time came to wield huge influences over Kings, Lords and State. Due to their enormous wealth and power, the Tamil Thattar Jews were systematically killed as the state and its rulers deemed it a better option than pay back the money owed . Over time the Thattars assimilated in their brother/ sisters casts and their numbers dwindled. Fewer than 350 Jewish Thattars are estimated to exist today. Many prominent Tamil Jews have kept their lineage strong but in secret. It is stated that they still class themselves at Tamil Thattar Jews but due to persecution have kept it hidden and tend only to reveal to their fellow brothers. Their rituals and practices have mixed Hindu and Jewish elements and this can be witnessed in their marriages but as the community slowly thins out the Hindu element has taken prominence over the Jewish. "Secrets of Ceylon: What Happened to the Jews of Sri Lanka?" . eJewish Philanthropy .

History of the Jews in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon ). Jews have had a presence on the island nation since at least the 9th century or even earlier. Sri Lanka was already known to Jews living in Kerala as early as the 3rd century BC. Yemeni Jewish traders used to visit Sri Lanka for trade. In the 10th century, Abu Zeid al Hasan, an Arab Muslim traveller from Siraf , Persia , stated that there were "a great number of Jews" in Serendib , as Sri Lanka was known to the Arabs . It has also been said that Jewish links with Sri Lanka could go back thousands of years. The city of Galle in southern Sri Lanka was said to be the biblical Tarshish where King Solomon, in 1000 BCE, once shipped elephants, apes, peacocks, jewels and spices. Cinnamon was exported from 1500 BCE. In the 12th century, Benjamin of Tudela , a Sephardi Jew (Jews of Spanish and Portuguese descent) who was a medieval adventurer from Navarre , Spain , reported that there were 3,000 Jews in Sri Lanka. These early Jews in Sri Lanka either assimilated into the local population over the centuries, or, upon the arrival of the Portuguese in the early 16th century, were forced to abandon their faith and identity (leading to an assimilation in more recent centuries) or slaughtered in an extension of the Portuguese Inquisition . Neither practising Jews, nor people who preserved a knowledge of being descendants of Jews, appear to have survived from that early period, although Jewish lineages may be present. Holders of the "de Fonseka" and the "de Alwis" surname in Sri Lanka may be the mixed descendants of "[Fonseca, de Olivera (surname)" surnamed people, which is commonly associated with Sephardi Portuguese Jewish origins. The other famous known Jewish origin descendants would be the "Alkegamas". Their history could also be traced back all the way down to the Colonial times in Ceylon. Their rituals and practices have mixed Hindu and Jewish elements and this can be witnessed in their marriages but as the community slowly thins out the Hindu element has taken prominence over the Jewish. Dr Fiona Kumari Campbell, Deshamanya Tissa Devendra and Dr Tuan Zameer Careem Khan are among the few academics who have done significant researches on the Jewish community in Sri Lanka, while author Carl Muller has researched on the Jewish connection of the Dutch and Portuguese Burghers in Sri Lanka. "Secrets of Ceylon: What Happened to the Jews of Sri Lanka?" . eJewish Philanthropy .

The known history of the Jews in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon ) begins at least in the ninth century BCE. Jews living in the neighbouring Kerala as well as Yemen had connections with those living on the island.