Paradesi Jews

Paradesi Jews were Jewish people who immigrated to the Indian subcontinent during the 15th and 16th centuries following the expulsion of Jews from Spain. ''Paradesi'' refers to the Malayalam word that means ''foreign'' as they were newcomers. These Sephardic (from Spain and Portugal) immigrants fled forced conversion, persecution and antisemitism in the wake of the Alhambra Decree expelling Jews from Spain, and King Manuel's 1496 decree expelling Jews from Portugal. They are sometimes referred to as "White Jews", although that usage is generally considered pejorative or discriminatory and refers to relatively recent Jewish immigrants (end of the 15th century onward), predominantly Sephardim.

During the 18th and 19th centuries Paradesi Jews were Sephardi immigrants to the Indian subcontinent from Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries who fled forced conversion, persecution and antisemitism.

The Paradesi Jews of Cochin traded in spices. They are a community of Sephardic Jews settled among the larger Cochin Jewish community located in Kerala, a coastal southern state of India.

Paradesi Jews of Madras (now Chennai) traded in Golconda diamonds, precious stones and corals. They had very good relations with the rulers of Golkonda, because they maintained trade connections to some foreign countries (e.g. Ottoman empire, Europe), and their language skills were useful. Although the Sephardim spoke Ladino (i.e. Judeo-Spanish), in India they learned Tamil and Konkani as well as Judeo-Malayalam from the Cochin Jews, also known as Malabar Jews.Katz 2000; Koder 1973; Thomas Puthiakunnel 1973

After India gained its independence in 1947 and Israel was established as a nation, most of the Malabar Jews made Aliyah and emigrated from Kerala to Israel in the mid-1950s.
In contrast, most of the Paradesi Jews preferred to migrate to Australia and other Commonwealth countries, similar to the choices made by Anglo-Indians.Weil, Shalva. ''From Cochin to Israel'', Jerusalem: Kumu Berina, 1984. (Hebrew)

History of Madras (Chennai) Jews

The East India Company (EIC) wanted to break the monopoly of Portugal in trading with Golconda diamonds and precious stones from the mines of Golkonda. The EIC entered India around 1600 and had built the Fort St. George (White Town) fortress by 1644 at the coastal city of Madras, now known as Chennai.

EIC policy permitted only its shareholders to trade in Golconda diamonds and precious stones from the mines. The Company considered the Madras Jews to be interlopers because they traded separately through their Jewish community connections.

Madras Jews specialised in Golconda diamonds, precious stones and corals. They had very good relations with the rulers of Golkonda and this was seen as beneficial to Fort St. George, so Madras Jews were gradually accepted as honourable citizens of Fort St. George/Madras.

Jacques de Paiva (Jaime Paiva), originally from Amsterdam and belonging to Amsterdam Sephardic community, was an early Jewish arrival and the leader of Madras Jewish community. He built the Second Madras Synagogue and Jewish Cemetery Chennai in Peddanaickenpet, which later became the South end of Mint Street,

Jacques (Jaime) de Paiva (Pavia) established good relations with those in power and bought several Golconda diamond mines to source Golconda diamonds. Through his efforts, Jews were permitted to live within Fort St. George.

Jacques (Jaime) de Paiva (Pavia) died in 1687 after a visit to his Golconda diamond mines and was buried in the Jewish cemetery which he had established in Peddanaickenpet, which later became the north Mint Street, alongside the synagogue which also existed at Mint Street.

After Jacques (Jaime) de Paiva (Pavia)'s death in 1687, his wife Hieronima de Paiva fell in love with Elihu Yale, Governor of Madras and went to live with him, causing quite a scandal within Madras’ colonial society. Governor Elihu Yale later achieved fame when he gave a large donation to the University of New Haven in Connecticut, which was then named after him — the Yale University. Elihu Yale and Hieromima de Paiva had a son, who died in South Africa.

In 1670, the Portuguese population in Madras numbered around 3000. Before his death he established ‘The Colony of Jewish Traders of Madraspatam’ with Antonio do Porto, Pedro Pereira and Fernando Mendes Henriques. This enabled more Portuguese Jews, from Leghorn, the Caribbean, London and Amsterdam to settle in Madras. Coral Merchant Street was named after the Jews' business.

Three Portuguese Jews were nominated to be aldermen of Madras Corporation. Three - Bartolomeo Rodrigues, Domingo do Porto and Alvaro da Fonseca - also founded the largest trading house in Madras. The large tomb of Rodrigues, who died in Madras in 1692, became a landmark in Peddanaickenpet but was later destroyed.

Samuel de Castro came to Madras from Curaçao in 1766 and Salomon Franco came from Leghorn.

Isaac Sardo Abendana (1662–1709), who came from Holland, died in Madras. He was a close friend of Thomas Pitt and may have been responsible for the fortune that Pitt amassed.

Portuguese Jews were used as diplomats by the East India Company to expand English trading. Avraham Navarro was the most prominent of these.

In 1688, the famous Sephardi poet Daniel Levy de Barrios wrote a poem in Amsterdam, with historical and geographical meaning. His information was usually most precise and drawing upon him we may receive a panorama of Sephardi life in the seventeenth century. There were six Jewish communities — Nieves, London, Jamaica, fourth and fifth in two parts of Barbados, and the sixth in Madras-Patan.

During the 18th and 19th centuries Yemenite Jews started coming to Madras via Cochin. They were very religious. Some came from Najran. They were Rabbis and jewelry-makers.

From the 19th centuries Yemenite Jews and Portuguese Jews started intermarrying.

Paradesi synagogues and cemeteries

The Paradesi Jews had built three Paradesi synagogues and cemeteries.

In 1500 the first Madras Synagogue and cemeteries was built by the Amsterdam Sephardic community in Coral Merchant Street, George Town, Madras, which had a large presence of Portuguese Jews in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Neither the synagogue nor the Jewish population remains today.

In 1568 the first Cochin Paradesi Synagogue and cemetery was built in Cochin-Jew Street, adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by the Raja of Kochi.

In 1644 the second Madras Synagogue and Jewish Cemetery Chennai was built by Jacques (Jaime) de Paiva (Pavia) also from Amsterdam Sephardic community in Madras, Peddanaickenpet, which later became the south end of Mint Street, It was demolished by local government in 1934 and the tombstones were moved to the Central Park of Madras along with the gate of the cemetery on which ''Beit ha-Haim'' (the usual designation for a Jewish cemetery, literally "House of Life") were written in Hebrew. The tombstones were moved again to Kasimedu, when a government school was approved to be built. In 1983, they were moved to Lloyds Road, when the Chennai Harbour expansion project was approved. In this whole process seventeen tombstones went missing, including that of de Paiva.

Last Jewish Business House and Trust of Chennai, Owned by Henriques De Castro Family

* HDC Transports, Henriques De Castro family.
* HDC Industrial and management consultants, Henriques De Castro family.
* Isaac and Rosa Charitable Trust, Henriques De Castro family.

Places named after Madras (Chennai) Jews

* Isaac Street was named after Isaac Henriques De Castro, who was killed in the Holocaust.
* Pereira Street was named after Pedro Pereira, a member the colony of Jewish traders of Madraspatam.
* Coral Merchant Street was named after Jewish settlement.
* De Caster Main Road was named after De Castro family (Portuguese Jew).

Notable Madras (Chennai) Jews

* Jacques de Paiva – The first Madras Jewish community leader, he built the Second Madras Synagogue and Jewish Cemetery Chennai in Madras, Peddanaickenpet.
* Bartolomeo Rodrigues – Among 12 aldermen who founded Madras Corporation
* Domingo do Porto – Among 12 aldermen who founded Madras Corporation
* Alvaro da Fonseca – Among 12 aldermen who founded Madras Corporation
* Above Four were called four brothers, they had their own garden in which Bartolomeo Rodrigues Tomb was built
* Plan of Fort St George and the city of Madras in 1726, shows Four Brothers Garden and Bartolomeo Rodrigues Tomb
* Antonio do Porto – The Colony of Jewish Traders of Madraspatam
* Pedro Pereira – The Colony of Jewish Traders of Madraspatam
* Fernando Mendes Henriques – The Colony of Jewish Traders of Madraspatam
* Avraham Navarro – Prominent Jewish diplomat of East India Company
* Samuel de Castro – Founder of De Castro Trading house.
* Salomon Franco – Founder of De Castro Trading house.
* Isaac Sardo Abendana – Best Diamond Appraiser
* Isaac Henriques De Castro - Close friend of C. N. Annadurai Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
* Rabbi Salomon Halevi - Last Rabbi of Madras Synagogue

Madras (Chennai) Jewish surnames (partial list)

*ABENDANA SARDO
* Cohen
* De Castro
* DE PAIVA
* Franco
* Halevi
* Helen Herzberg
* Henriques De Castro
* Henriques
* HEYNEMANN
* JOSHUA
* Levi
* Meyer
* NAVARRO
* Pereira
* RODRIGUES
* do Porto
* da Fonseca
* Mendes
* Salomón
* SALOMONS
* SOFAER
* Toback
* WECHSLER
* Weichmann
* Wolf
* Moonien

Image gallery

File:Indemnity note 1932- Issac Henriques De Castro.jpg, Indemnity note 1932- Issac Henriques De Castro
File:Isaac Henriques De Castro Cheque - 1930.jpg, Isaac Henriques De Castro Cheque - 1930
File:Rabbi Salamon Halevi Fort St George Gazette 19 Dec 1956.jpg, Rabbi Salamon Halevi Fort St George Gazette 19 Dec 1956
File:Rabbi Salamon Halevi Pawnbroker ACT 1943- 1st June 1955.jpg, Rabbi Salamon Halevi Pawnbroker ACT 1943- 1 June 1955
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi - Inoculation.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi - Inoculation
File:Rabbi Salamon Halevi Madras Act No 30 of 1963.jpg, tRabbi Salamon Halevi Madras Act No 30 of 1963
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi War Damage Commission 7.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi War Damage Commission 7
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Registration of Vechicles Malacca 7a.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Registration of Vehicles Malacca 7a
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Registration of Vechicles Malacca 7b.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Registration of Vehicles Malacca 7b
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Air Sea passage sponser 12.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Air Sea passage sponsor 12
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Life Assurance 31st December 1942.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Life Assurance 31 December 1942
File:Rabbi Salomon Levi Indian Relief Committee.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Levi Indian Relief Committee
File:Rabbi Salomon Levi Prescription.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Levi Prescription
File:Rebecca Cohen 11-10-1913 Court Immoveables Declaration.jpg, Rebecca Cohen 11-10-1913 Court Immoveables Declaration
File:Rebecca Cohen 1940 Ownership Motor Vehicle.jpg, Rebecca Cohen 1940 Ownership Motor Vehicle
File:Rebecca Cohen Madrsa Motor Vechicles Taxation Act 1931a.jpg, Rebecca Cohen Madrsa Motor Vehicles Taxation Act 1931a
File:Rebecca Cohen Madrsa Motor Vechicles Taxation Act 1931b.jpg, Rebecca Cohen Madrsa Motor Vehicles Taxation Act 1931b
File:Rebecca Cohen Indian Postal and Telegraphs License.jpg, Rebecca Cohen Indian Postal and Telegraphs License
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Court Madras - 1944a.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Court Madras - 1944a
File:Rabbi Salomon Halevi Court Madras - 1944b.jpg, Rabbi Salomon Halevi Court Madras - 1944b
File:HDC ‘Henriques De Castro’ - Money lenders Receipt, Rangoon 1950a.jpg, HDC ‘Henriques De Castro’ - Money lenders Receipt, Rangoon 1950a
File:HDC Levi Henriques De Castro’ - Money lenders, Henzada, 12th March 1951.jpg, HDC Levi Henriques De Castro’ - Money lenders, Henzada, 12 March 1951
File:HDC Henriques De Castro - Industial and management consultants, Madras, 24th May 1957.jpg, HDC Henriques De Castro - Industrial and management consultants, Madras, 24 May 1957
File:HDC Henriques De Castro - Transports, Madras, 24th May 1957.jpg, HDC Henriques De Castro - Transports, Madras, 24 May 1957
File:Cheque 7th June 1884.jpg, Cheque 7 June 1884
File:Levi Henriques De Castro - Patta Receipt Fee.jpg, Levi Henriques De Castro - Patta Receipt Fee
File:Levi Henriques De Castro 1952 - Letter Registered.jpg, Levi Henriques De Castro 1952 - Letter Registered
File:Levi Henriques De Castro’ - Parry & Co.jpg, Levi Henriques De Castro’ - Parry & Co
File:Rachel Halevi Letter.jpg, Rachel Halevi Letter

See also

* Gathering of Israel
* History of the Jews in India
* Jewish Cemetery Chennai
* Madras Synagogue
* Meshuchrarim Jews of Cochin
* Synagogues in India

References

Further reading

* Diamonds and Coral: Anglo-Dutch Jews and Eighteenth-Century Trade New edition by Gedalia Yogev (Author)
* Renascent Empire?: The House of Braganza and the Quest for Stability in Portuguese Monsoon Asia C.1640-1683 by Glenn Joseph Ames
* Global Trade and Commercial Networks: Eighteenth-Century Diamond Merchants By Tijl Vanneste
* Goods from the East, 1600-1800: Trading Eurasia By Felicia Gottmann, Hanna Hodacs, Chris Nierstrasz
* The Jewish Merchant-Colony in Madras (Fort St. George) during the 17th and 18th Centuries: A Contribution to the Economic and Social History of the Jews in India (Concluded) Walter J. Fischel
* The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History edited by W. Rubinstein, Michael A. Jolles
*

External links

Jews of Kerala

The Jews of Chennai

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Ethnic groups in Kerala

Jewish ethnic groups
Judaism in Kerala
Sephardi Jewish culture in India