In Fort Kochi there was a famous synagogue called the Pardesi synagogue. It was established in the mid 1500s and the structure still stands in good condition today. It is located in the old part of the city called 'Jew town', which is known as a hub for commercial activity. The picture above is of the Synagogue's clocktower.
One of the other unique features of the synagogue is that it shares a wall with the Mattancherry Palace temple, which demonstrates the multicultural nature of the community.
But how does this connect to Christianity in India?
Far before Christianity spread in India, there were waves of Jewish immigration to Kerala (for example, the Beni Israel). These inhabitants formed some of the first Christians, and their traditions also got added to the collective conscious. Christians weren't the only community that emigrated to the shores of India, and Kerala's role as a hub in the spice trade has lasting, visible, consequences.
Currently however, the synagogue stands empty. Most of the remaining Jewish people have emigrated out of Kerala, either to Israel or to countries like the US. 'Jew Town' stands as a remainder of the cultures that inhabited the city and the various faiths that inhabited its streets.
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