The Last Jews of Kerala
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Review
'A touching, investigative account - Fernandes movingly captures the sombre, embattled mood of this population in countdown modeA".' Sunday Times 'Fernandes' material is fascinating - The story of these Jews is so compelling and the author' reporting of it so assiduous - Indeed, she has unearthed gems' Economist
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'A rare glimpse of an intriguing people that soon will be no more'
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For those who want to learn about the somewhat sad history of the Jews of Kerala - and indeed about the Jews generally in India over the last two millenia then this is for you. It is an easy read and if you are going to that part of the world then this book is a must. The thing that really struck me is that the Jewish peoples have been persecuted in every country that they have settled in - EXCEPT India. This shows how the three great religions can be at peace with each other given an element of goodwill.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jew Town (how politically incorrect is that!) in Cochin has been on the tourist trail for many years. People have been drawn there in part by the incongruity of an ancient practising Jewish community in verdant Kerala. I paid a visit to the white Jews' synagogue myself when I was backpacking around India 20 years ago.
These days it is not just an ancient community but a disappearing community of ancient people. That is the sad part of the story. The Jewish community is dying out fast and in this book Edna Fenandes emphasises the impact of the White Jews' prejudice against their 'black' co-religionists and how the apartheid between the two communities, which barred inter-marriage, has brought about their downfall in land where neither suffered any external persecution.
Undoubtedly the historic division between the communities has been bad but it is not the main reason for their decline. The main reason is the gathering home of the Jewish people to their homeland. Even after 2,000 or more years in India where they prospered, were privileged and content the Kerala Jews overwhelmingly recognised this beautiful place as a wandering place in the desert of the world and after the formation of the state of Israel they returned to Zion after their long exile. The glimpses the author shares of the lives these pioneer settlers of the 1950's made in the deserts of Israel is inspiring.
The disappearance of the Jews from India is sad but not all bad. This is a relatively short book and a little bit light on the detailed history of the two Jewish communities but nevertheless a very good read.
One final thought. I bought the hardcover version of this book which is an attractive format - but why no photographs? A few pictures would have been good.
These days it is not just an ancient community but a disappearing community of ancient people. That is the sad part of the story. The Jewish community is dying out fast and in this book Edna Fenandes emphasises the impact of the White Jews' prejudice against their 'black' co-religionists and how the apartheid between the two communities, which barred inter-marriage, has brought about their downfall in land where neither suffered any external persecution.
Undoubtedly the historic division between the communities has been bad but it is not the main reason for their decline. The main reason is the gathering home of the Jewish people to their homeland. Even after 2,000 or more years in India where they prospered, were privileged and content the Kerala Jews overwhelmingly recognised this beautiful place as a wandering place in the desert of the world and after the formation of the state of Israel they returned to Zion after their long exile. The glimpses the author shares of the lives these pioneer settlers of the 1950's made in the deserts of Israel is inspiring.
The disappearance of the Jews from India is sad but not all bad. This is a relatively short book and a little bit light on the detailed history of the two Jewish communities but nevertheless a very good read.
One final thought. I bought the hardcover version of this book which is an attractive format - but why no photographs? A few pictures would have been good.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
To learn about this dying community was very instructive but one cannot help feeling sadness at the infighting which may hasten their demise.
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