India: Kochi – Jew Street and Paradesi Synagogue

Kochi is famous for its historic Jew Street and Paradesi Synagogue. The Jewish community in Kerala, one of India’s oldest, traces its roots to ancient trade networks along the Malabar Coast, possibly as early as the 10th century BC during King Solomon’s reign, when traders sought Kerala’s spices, ivory, and teak. Some legends suggest Jewish settlers arrived after the Babylonian Exile in 587 BC or following the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem 70 AD. These early settlers were known as Malabari Jews. By the 15th century, a second wave of Jews, known as Paradesi Jews, arrived, fleeing the Spanish Inquisition and Portuguese persecution. They settled in Cochin, joining the Malabari Jews, all along one narrow street known as the Jew Street that dead-ended into a synagogue built in 1568 – Paradesi Synagogue. Today, it’s a major tourist attraction – the street is lined with colonial-era buildings, antique shops, spice markets, and cafes. The synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations and it’s packed to the rim with historic artifacts inside.