The Last Jews of Kerala: The 2,000-Year History of India's Forgotten Jewish Community

This is my second time reading this book. Some may find it a bit opinionated others will love the history that is relayed to the reader in this book. Big question here is what causes a community or society to fold. The author points to community dissension and an apartheid type apparatus operating in the Cochini Jewish community. There are two groups of Jews in Kerala, one is a darker skinned almost Indian looking Jew and another one which hail form Europe is of lighter complexion. The lighter complected Jews find themselves feeling superior to the other Jews and have excluded them from participating in the synagogue, will not eat from their restaurants and intermarriage between the two groups is absolutely forbidden. Jewish racism against other Jews is not something new. White Jews or European Jews have been been constantly discriminating against darker Jews since god knows how long.For poignant example one need look at how the Yemenite Jews were treated or the Moroccan Jews were treated. The Israeli Government had the audacity to kidnap 5,000 Yemenite babies and sell them abroad. Moroccan Jews were subjected to radiological experiments. Look up "Ringworm children" on the internet. The Bene Israel Jews have been at many times called "non Jews"despite several thousands of years of practice. The racism goes on.Jews first came to India in the time of King Solomon. Traders settled there and took on Indians wives and had children with them . This was the nucleus of one of the Indian Jewish communities. This community would later be supplemented by refugees from the Babylonian Exile an the Roman exile in 70 CE. The Paradesi Jews from Spain arrived during the inquisition. Later on they would proclaim themselves the original community and would look down upon their darker brethren . Joseph Rabban who both Jews claim descent from was sort of like a Jewish governor. He helped one on the Rajas in battle and was given control over several villages. The copper tablet are held in a Paradesi synagogue. The darker Jews claim it was stolen from them. This is a major sticking point between the two communities.Barriers started to break down during the Ghandi years when Avo Salem turned down a lucrative career in politics and fought a battle on behalf of his brethren. Against the Paradesi. He started slowly to enter the synagogue little bit by little bit until his community gain full recognition and were given a place. Avo's sons Balfour and Gamy would also marry Paradesi women. The women were ostracized to be sure. Some fought back really hard while others just went with the flow.Edna Flores visited this community while she was pregnant with her child. The community was dwindling in India and was in it's last days. But in Israel those that went there in most cases thrived. They were building profitable businesses in the Negev desert. One guy name Abraham did want to move back to India as the spiritual life in Israel was some what lacking.

The Last Jews of Kerala: The Two Thousand Year History of India's Forgotten Jewish Community by Edna Fernandes is a readable account of the history and semi-demise of the Indian communities of the southwest coast of India. She handles the historical split between the “white” and “black” Jewish communities of this area, and the influence of the caste and the colonial system on the formation of this division.Fernandes meets the people involved from both communities, those few remaining in India, and the bulk who have moved to Israel. This is a somewhat sad tale of a vanishing way of life for a special Jewish group, but it is by no means unique. In the post-war period, Judaism has become overwhelmingly dichotomous. Of the 14 million Jewish people worldwide, 6 million live in Israel, while 6 million live in the United States. Jewish people are increasingly either Israelis or Americans.Jewish groups have gone through tremendous demographic changes in the last hundred years; those changes continue, and this book chronicles one of them with respect and care. Much has been lost and gained.

We were in Kerala and saw "Jew City" where there are only enough men to have a minyon when there are visiting Jews. I had no idea of the centuries of history of the Jews in Kerala and the difference between "white" and "black" Jews and the collapse of the community.

I love this book I have always been a fan of Jewish people and I have always loved India and I felt the same from the author. When I visited India I was amazed when I found out that Kerala was communist at that time . I also knew that Jewish people had gone to that Western shore of India and the agent passed for trade but I had never read the details of how they lived peacefully with the other Indian people of Carolina whether Hindu Muslim or Christian . What a wonderful book

Instead of lamenting the demise of this unique Jewish community, the author seems to me to be celebrating it at times. She places the blame for the loss of the Jews of Kerala on a black/white divide, which undoubtedly exists and is a contributing factor. The emigration of India's Jews to Israel is undoubtedly the main reason for the community's loss, but in discussing this, Fernandez (who reveals toward the end of the book that she is of Indian descent but is not Jewish) repeatedly focuses on the religious biases in the Holy Land. So, in essence, the Jews of Kerala are prejudiced against each other on a black/white basis, but get along with Muslims, Hindus, and Christians in India; the Israeli Jews from Kerala are caught up in the religious strife of their new home. Individually, the Jews the author meets are gracious and wonderful. But "the Jews" of Kerala are petty and small-minded and insular and somehow "less than."So many books nowadays are not edited or proofread, and this one is no exception. The reader needs to parse numerous sentences to somehow get to the meaning of what the author is trying to say. Punctuation appears to be optional. But the error that made me cringe--and that was repeated and somehow never fixed--was "chilly powder." At the risk of sounding like a red pencil-wielding copy editor (which is what I used to be), an error this egregious is beyond sloppy. That Fernandez herself didn't review her manuscript before publication and let his one stand is inexcusable.Several books about the Kerala community are referenced, and I wish I'd purchased one of those instead of this repetitive, garbled, and often incoherent so-called history of the Jews of Kerala.

A captivating look at an ancient Jewish enclave in Kerala, India. We had come across it by accident during a cruise. This is very well written - but I'd rather skip the part about the ritually correct slaughter of chickens! The look at how some members of the community took to Israel is very sensitively written.

Jew Town (how politically incorrect is that!) in Cochin has been on the tourist trail for many years. People have been drawn there in part by the incongruity of an ancient practising Jewish community in verdant Kerala. I paid a visit to the white Jews' synagogue myself when I was backpacking around India 20 years ago.These days it is not just an ancient community but a disappearing community of ancient people. That is the sad part of the story. The Jewish community is dying out fast and in this book Edna Fenandes emphasises the impact of the White Jews' prejudice against their 'black' co-religionists and how the apartheid between the two communities, which barred inter-marriage, has brought about their downfall in land where neither suffered any external persecution.Undoubtedly the historic division between the communities has been bad but it is not the main reason for their decline. The main reason is the gathering home of the Jewish people to their homeland. Even after 2,000 or more years in India where they prospered, were privileged and content the Kerala Jews overwhelmingly recognised this beautiful place as a wandering place in the desert of the world and after the formation of the state of Israel they returned to Zion after their long exile. The glimpses the author shares of the lives these pioneer settlers of the 1950's made in the deserts of Israel is inspiring.The disappearance of the Jews from India is sad but not all bad. This is a relatively short book and a little bit light on the detailed history of the two Jewish communities but nevertheless a very good read. This book is all about Jews in India but if you want a perspective on fundamentalism amongst Indian Muslims, Sikhs, hindus and Christians try  Holy Warriors: A Journey into the Heart of Indian Fundamentalism  also by Edna Fernandes.One final thought. I bought the hardcover version of this book which is an attractive format - but why no photographs? A few pictures would have been good. Holy Warriors: A Journey into the Heart of Indian Fundamentalism

A great read, replete with highly personal narrative of the few Jews in Cochin. Sometimes the narrative is lyrical and flow beautifully. At times, it is ponderous and a bit repetitive. But the exposure to this Jewish community, and it's imminent demise, is fascinating.

The Jews were discriminated against and mercilessly persecuted wherever they settled, except in Kerala. Here they found a haven. In the idyllic surroundings they traded and prospered. Surprisingly, instead of living in harmony, they practised apartheid against their dark skinned fellow Jews. This not only led to the inevitable discord but to their decimation.Though the book is informative one feels that the author has not delved deep enough into the history of Kerala Jews. In the two millennia of their history, surely there have been many interesting incidents which have not found mention in the book.

For those who want to learn about the somewhat sad history of the Jews of Kerala - and indeed about the Jews generally in India over the last two millenia then this is for you. It is an easy read and if you are going to that part of the world then this book is a must. The thing that really struck me is that the Jewish peoples have been persecuted in every country that they have settled in - EXCEPT India. This shows how the three great religions can be at peace with each other given an element of goodwill.

I did not know of the Indian diaspora prior to reading this.I found the writer very engaging though repeatative at times.