Paradesi Synagogue And Jew Town,The Paradesi Synagogue is a beautifully preserved Jewish house of worship, with Belgian glass chandeliers, hand-painted blue-and-white floor tiles, gold-crowned Torah scrolls and old copper plates. It stands at the end of a narrow lane in “Jew Town,” lined with antique shops, spice warehouses and cafes. The area has an old-world charm and tells the story of one of the oldest Jewish communities in India.
About this place
History & highlights
The synagogue was built in the 16th century by the Paradesi (foreign) Jews, descendants of Sephardic Jews who arrived after persecution in Iberia, joining older Jewish communities in Malabar. Located next to the Cochin Raja’s palace, it reflected a period of royal tolerance and active trade. Over time, migrations to Israel and elsewhere reduced the local Jewish population, but the synagogue continued as a functioning place of worship and heritage site. Today, Paradesi Synagogue and Jew Town encapsulate Kochi’s past as a cosmopolitan Indian Ocean port, where Jewish, Arab, European and local cultures met.
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