In Photos: A Moving Tale of Religious Tolerance in Kochi's Jew Town

At its peak, the Paradesi Jewish community in Kochi had 2,000 members. Today, there are only two Jews left.

Sarah Cohen, the oldest Jew to have lived in Kochi, and her caretaker Thaha Ibrahim.

(Photo: Meenakshy Sasikumar)

Jew Town in Mattancherry is one of the many tourist spots in Kerala's Kochi – where old buildings, antique shops, clothing stalls, and bookstores are lined on either side. But it is the town's very name that sets it apart.

Jew Town was a settlement for the thousands of Jews who ended up on the Kochi coast while escaping persecution in European countries in the 1500s. The Jews who lived here were mostly Paradesi Jews (Foreign Jews).

In 1568, a synagogue was built here for the flourishing Jewish community in Kochi. Called 'Paradesi Synagogue', it was built by Sephardic or Portuguese-speaking Jews. It is, in fact, the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth.

Soon, the synagogue became the focal point for the community's religious and social celebrations; over the last four centuries, this synagogue has seen several Jewish weddings, which saw the presence of Jews from all over the Commonwealth. But the last celebration to happen here was a wedding in 2018 – a testament to the dwindling Jewish population in Kerala.

At its peak, the Jewish community in Kochi had 2,000 members. Today, there are only two Jews left – both of whom are abroad with their families. In this photo, you can see the house of a Jewish woman who has migrated to Israel. The house has since been sold to a hotel chain.

Even as Jew Town has fewer Jews than ever, their stories live on through those who have known them and revered them. One such story is that of the late Sarah Cohen and her caretaker Thaha Ibrahim.

Sarah Cohen (left), the oldest Jew to have ever lived in Kochi, died at age 96 in August 2019. Her caretaker Thaha Ibrahim, a 53-year-old Muslim man, who was by her side for over 40 years, tells The Quint: "I'm lucky to have known and cared for Sarah aunty. It's God who brought us together."

Thaha was 12 or 13 when he came to Jew Town in 1982 to sell spices and postcards, he tells The Quint. "Back then, there were very few houses here. There were 30 Jews living on this street. This lane was gated – with a few business establishments. I remember coming here as a young boy who had just quit school to make some money."

Jacob Cohen, Sarah's husband, took a liking towards him. "He offered to pay for my education – they didn't have any kids of their own. After a while, uncle asked me to stay on and take care of aunty. Aunty was very bold, and I was very scared of her at the time. I suspect she didn't like me very much," quips Thaha.

But soon, Sarah grew fond of Thaha – so much so that she let him run her embroidery shop, which forms a portion of her house.

In the photo, you can see her house-cum-embroidery shop, which is home to rare photographs, intricate hand-embroidered kerchiefs, kippah (Jewish cap), pillow covers, books on Jewish history, and other knick-knacks.

Sarah was an expert at embroidery. "Some of the laces that she used to make...they're so beautiful. I still haven't mastered the technique even today. Even as she was very old, she would expertly stitch. It's like muscle memory for her," says Thaha.

Sarah was born in 1924 in Kochi. After her education in Ernakulam, she got married to Jacob in 1942. "Both aunty and uncle were born here, and they died here, despite other community members migrating to different countries," says Thaha. Cohens are said to be intellectuals, who have been in Kochi for over 550 years. Sarah's ancestors are said to have migrated from Baghdad, Iraq.

Thaha says Sarah always wore her kippah (as seen in the photo), though usually, it is the Jewish men who wear it. "Sarah aunty was like that, she was the face of the community here, and people looked at her with respect."

After Sarah's death in 2019, Thaha turned a portion of her house into a museum of sorts in memory of her. "During her final days, I would sit beside her at the hospital. If I'm not there, my wife or my sister will be there. We were a family. She was always so bold on the outside, but I have heard her tell others that I'm more than a son to her."

"She would always sit on this chair and work on her embroidery," says Thaha. "Sometimes, when I'm busy at the shop, I wouldn't get time to talk to her. She would be very upset then. 'You could at least wish me good morning,' she would call out to me from this chair," recalls Thaha.

While a portion of Sarah's house is being managed by Thaha, here, he points to kitchen(s) of the Cohen house. "Jewish families in Kochi generally had three kitchens. That was their custom."

Though he is a practising Muslim, Thaha says he runs 'Sarah's Hand Embroidery' as per Jewish customs. "On Fridays after 6 pm, the shop is closed to mark the beginning of Shabbat. On Saturday, too, it is closed," says Thaha.

"Religion has never been a barrier for us. Back then, people used to coexist. But that's not the case now. Now, even loving is wrong. It feels like we are going backwards," he adds.