For years, we have wanted to visit the synagogue in Cochin & in the space of 3 days we manged to visit it 3 times. Our 1st glimpse of it was from the Dutch Palace, not surprisingly, since it was built in the Palace grounds in 1568, when the Cochin Raja granted local Jews the land, offering them refuge when they were forced to flee Cranginore/Shingly, to the north, by firstly the Moors & then the Portuguese. Amazingly, Jews had their ruled their own princedom there for 1000 years, from the 5th to the 15th centuries CE. It's not known exactly when Jews arrived in Southern India, but it's possible that it was as long ago as King Solomon's time. There is definite evidence that they have lived in the area since 1st century CE.
The community in Cochin only numbered 3000 at its height but they were a significant, well regarded part of the community, valued particularly for their trading abilities. Relations were always amicable with their Hindu neighbours. The narrow streets around the synagogue are still known as Jew Town, although there are only 7 families remaining now. Most left to go to Israel for idealistic reasons. Sadly, now the oldest synagogue is the only synagogue.
The synagogue, both externally & internally is unlike any we have seen in Europe or America, although it did remind us strongly of the shuls we visited in Safed & they do follow the Sephardi tradition. Having said that, it is truly unique & very beautiful. The floor has 1100 hand-painted Chinese tiles, no 2 of which are the same. They were laid in 1762. There are beautiful glass chandeliers from Venice & Belgium. The Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) & many of the glass lamps burn oil rather than electric light. There are 5 Torah scrolls in wood & silver cases, 4 with silver latticework crowns & 1 with a gold crown, which was a gift from the Cochin Raja. Interestingly, we discovered that it was the tradition, during Shabbat services, for the Torah scroll to be carried upstairs to the wooden gallery to be read, rather than resting on the central Bimah downstairs. The ladies nowadays sit in a porch area at the back of the shul downstairs & therefore cannot see & barely hear what's going on during the Torah service, but in times gone by the ladies' gallery was immediately behind the balcony where the Torah service takes place - so the women would have had a much better view & hearing than most of the men for several centuries.
So, why were we there 3 times? Firstly, we went as tourists (2 out of 1000 tourists daily, 5 days a week - closed on Fridays & Saturdays), then we returned for Friday night service & the Shabbat morning service. Howard's presence ensured a minyan (along with some rather rude & ignorant cruise passengers!!) something the community cannot now ensure from amongst their own numbers. We were more than warmly welcomed & found ourselves guests at a Shabbat dinner on Friday in Ernakulam & a Kiddush in a wonderful old house doors away from the shul on Saturday. Our thanks to Yosef & Yosefa Asher & to Shmuel Hallegua (who had a daughter called Fiona!). They were entertaining, highly informative hosts who gave us fascinating insights to an amazing community.
To have visited Cochin at last & to see the synagogue for ourselves would have been a fantastic enough experience, but it was deeply moving to have been able to actively participate in a community with such a venerable history. Obviously we can understand the motivation that led to so many Cochin Jews making Aliyah, but it doesn't lessen feelings of sadness that in a few years time Jews may no longer have the opportunity of witnessing a living shul there.
The community in Cochin only numbered 3000 at its height but they were a significant, well regarded part of the community, valued particularly for their trading abilities. Relations were always amicable with their Hindu neighbours. The narrow streets around the synagogue are still known as Jew Town, although there are only 7 families remaining now. Most left to go to Israel for idealistic reasons. Sadly, now the oldest synagogue is the only synagogue.
The synagogue, both externally & internally is unlike any we have seen in Europe or America, although it did remind us strongly of the shuls we visited in Safed & they do follow the Sephardi tradition. Having said that, it is truly unique & very beautiful. The floor has 1100 hand-painted Chinese tiles, no 2 of which are the same. They were laid in 1762. There are beautiful glass chandeliers from Venice & Belgium. The Ner Tamid (Eternal Light) & many of the glass lamps burn oil rather than electric light. There are 5 Torah scrolls in wood & silver cases, 4 with silver latticework crowns & 1 with a gold crown, which was a gift from the Cochin Raja. Interestingly, we discovered that it was the tradition, during Shabbat services, for the Torah scroll to be carried upstairs to the wooden gallery to be read, rather than resting on the central Bimah downstairs. The ladies nowadays sit in a porch area at the back of the shul downstairs & therefore cannot see & barely hear what's going on during the Torah service, but in times gone by the ladies' gallery was immediately behind the balcony where the Torah service takes place - so the women would have had a much better view & hearing than most of the men for several centuries.
So, why were we there 3 times? Firstly, we went as tourists (2 out of 1000 tourists daily, 5 days a week - closed on Fridays & Saturdays), then we returned for Friday night service & the Shabbat morning service. Howard's presence ensured a minyan (along with some rather rude & ignorant cruise passengers!!) something the community cannot now ensure from amongst their own numbers. We were more than warmly welcomed & found ourselves guests at a Shabbat dinner on Friday in Ernakulam & a Kiddush in a wonderful old house doors away from the shul on Saturday. Our thanks to Yosef & Yosefa Asher & to Shmuel Hallegua (who had a daughter called Fiona!). They were entertaining, highly informative hosts who gave us fascinating insights to an amazing community.
To have visited Cochin at last & to see the synagogue for ourselves would have been a fantastic enough experience, but it was deeply moving to have been able to actively participate in a community with such a venerable history. Obviously we can understand the motivation that led to so many Cochin Jews making Aliyah, but it doesn't lessen feelings of sadness that in a few years time Jews may no longer have the opportunity of witnessing a living shul there.
No comments:
Post a Comment