KOCHI, INDIA, August 27, 2007: Down a narrow, stone-paved road in a quarter known here as “Jew Town”, a woman with salt-and-pepper hair was sewing glittery beads onto the rim of a Jewish prayer cap. It was just after 3 p.m. and Sarah Cohen, wearing a house dress and flip-flops, sat in the sunny doorway of her shop, waiting for the visitors from around the world to come in for a visit.
Cohen lives right near the Pardesi Synagogue, which was built in 1568 when Jewish spice traders set up businesses in this small outpost of the Jewish world on the South Indian Malabar coast. The synagogue sparkles with colorful Indian chandeliers and green and red glass candleholders that swing from the ceiling beams. The floor is an intricate pattern of blue and white floor tiles imported from a Jewish community in China in the 15th century.
As visitors wandered by on their way to the synagogue, one of the oldest in the world, they looked curiously at the little Jewish woman speaking in Malayalam, the language of the southern state of Kerala.
Cohen explained that she is a part of a dying tradition here, which will likely no longer exist in 10 years, since most of the Jews who used to live here emigrated to Israel, during its creation in 1948. Now, there are believed to be only 13 elderly Indian-born Jews — from seven families — still living in Kochi, a sun-dappled city thick with coconut trees.
“We couldn’t bring ourselves to leave. We are Indians, too. Why should we leave the only place we have known as home?” Cohen said with a gentle wobble of her head, an Indian gesture sometimes used for emphasis. “Besides, I like this place. And I like the people.”
Jews flourished in India for centuries — since biblical times, some scholars say. The country also gave safe haven to Jews during World War II. For more of this story, click URL above.