Download or read book The Last Jews of Kerala written by Edna Fernandes and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-06-01 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two thousand years ago, trade routes and the fall of Jerusalem took Jewish settlers seeking sanctuary across Europe and Asia. One little-known group settled in Kerala, in tropical southwestern India. Eventually numbering in the thousands, with eight synagogues, they prospered. Some came to possess vast estates and plantations, and many enjoyed economic privilege and political influence. Their comfortable lives, however, were haunted by a feud between the Black Jews of Ernakulam and the White Jews of Mattancherry. Separated by a narrow stretch of swamp and the color of their skin, they locked in a rancorous feud for centuries, divided by racism and claims and counterclaims over who arrived first in their adopted land. Today, this once-illustrious people is in its dying days. Centuries of interbreeding and a latter-day Exodus from Kerala after Israel's creation in 1948 have shrunk the population. The Black and White Jews combined now number less than fifty, and only one synagogue remains. On the threshold of extinction, the two remaining Jewish communities of Kerala have come to realize that their destiny, and their undoing, is the same. The Last Jews of Kerala narrates the rise and fall of the Black Jews and the White Jews over the centuries and within the context of the grand history of the Jewish people. It is the story of the twilight days of a people whose community will, within the next generation, cease to exist. Yet it is also a rich tale of weddings and funerals, of loyalty to family and fierce individualism, of desperation and hope.
Download or read book The Last Jews of Kerala written by Edna Fernandes and published by Skyhorse Publishing Inc.. This book was released on 2008-06 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 70 CE, the Roman capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple scattered a wave of Jewish immigrants across the globe. One group--attracted by the tropical environment and a history of lucrative trade--chose to settle in the Kerala region of southwestern India. Feted as foreign kings by Kerala's rajas, and lavished with land, privilege, and autonomy, they enjoyed a harmony that is rare in their history. Despite living in peace with their Hindu, Muslim, and Christian neighbors, they were plagued by division from within. Separated by a narrow stretch of swamp an the color of their skin, the White Jews of Mattancherry and the Black Jews of Ernakulam engaged in centuries of acrimonious dispute over who arrived first in India. The resulting apartheid led to too few marriages, too few children, and an ever-declining population. In this book, journalist Edna Fernandes details the history of Kerala's Jews as chronicled by written records and the personal accounts of its less than 50 remaining Jewish inhabitants. Fernandes's narrative takes us on a voyage from King Solomon's Israel to the West coast of modern-day India, moving between the great intercontinental migrations of early modern history and the tragicomic feud of Jew Town which has brought Kerala's Jewry to its knees.
Download or read book The Last Jews Of Kerala written by Edna Fernandes and published by Granta Books. This book was released on 2011-03-03 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Separated by a narrow stretch of swamp-like waters, and distinguished by the colour of their skin, the Black Jews and the White Jews have been locked in a rancorous feud for centuries. Only now, when their combined number has diminished to fewer than fifty and they are on the threshold of extinction, have the two remaining Jewish communities in south India begun to realise that their destiny, and their undoing, is the same. Living in Cochin alongside this last generation, Edna Fernandes tells their story from the illustrious arrival of their ancestors from the court of King Solomon, through their long heyday of wealth, tolerance and privilege to their present twilight existence, as synagogues crumble into disuse and weddings become a thing of the past, leaving only funerals.
Download or read book The Last Jews of Cochin written by Nathan Katz and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For two thousand years, a small colony of Jews in Cochin, South India, enjoyed security and prosperity, fully accepted by their Hindu, Muslim, and Christian neighbors. In this most exotic corner of the Diaspora, Jews flourished in the spice trade, agriculture, the professions, government, and military service. India's tolerant, nurturing atmosphere produced a Jewish prime minister to a Hindu maharaja; an autonomous Jewish principality; Hebrew and Malayalam-language poets; powerful, well-educated women; and Qabbalists revered by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike. Cochin's Jews were so well-integrated into Hindu society that they evolved an identity which was both fully Indian and fully Jewish. This book analyzes the strategies by which this dual identity was established. The Cochin Jews have narrated a historical legend which emphasizes their longstanding residence in India, the site of Jewish autonomy under Hindu patronage, and their attestable origin in ancient Israel, the center of the Jewish universe. Although the Cochin Jews remained faithful to Jewish law and custom, Hindu symbols of nobility and purity were adopted into their religious observances, resulting in some of the most exotic religious practices in the Jewish world. The Jews of Cochin mirrored Hindu social structure and became a caste, well-positioned in India's hierarchy. Yet in emulating caste behavior, Jews came to discriminate against one another, in a breach of Jewish law, giving rise to a controversy which lasted five hundred years. Despite millennia of security, when their two beloved homelands, India and Israel, attained independence in the late 1940s, virtually all of the Jews living in Cochin opted for the more precarious life in Israel. This book concludes with an exploration of their reasons for leaving India and an appraisal of their adaptation to Israeli life.
Download or read book Who Are the Jews of India written by Nathan Katz and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2000-11-18 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the Diaspora communities, the Jews of India are among the least known and most interesting. This readable study, full of vivid details of everyday life, looks in depth at the religious life of the Jewish community in Cochin, the Bene Israel from the remote Konkan coast near Bombay, and the Baghdadi Jews, who migrated to Indian port cities and flourished under the British Raj. Who Are the Jews of India? is the first integrated, comprehensive work available on all three of India's Jewish communities. Using an interdisciplinary approach, Nathan Katz brings together methods and insights from religious studies, ritual studies, anthropology, history, linguistics, and folklore, as he discusses the strategies each community developed to maintain its Jewish identity. Based on extensive fieldwork throughout India, as well as close reading of historical documents, this study provides a striking new understanding of the Jewish Diaspora and of Hindu civilization as a whole.
Download or read book The Jews of Kerala written by P. M. Jussay and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Aliyah written by Sethu and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Next time in Jerusalem' -- uttered every Passover, these words kindle, within the small Jewish community of Kerala, a homesickness for their promised homeland. They must prepare to break all ties with the place they have known and loved for centuries -- all in response to the Zionist call.Salamon, the tongue-tied, day-dreaming firstborn of his family, must decide whether to set sail or stay back as the last Jew in Cochin -- the place where his ancestors had found sanctuary -- for it was here that their roots had struck, amongst those who accepted them as neighbours, classmates, teachers.In this story of cultural and religious identity, told through three generations of a Jewish family in Kerala and their complex interpersonal relationships, Sethu weaves together myth, history and fiction to create a compelling narrative about man's constant search for home and permanence.
Download or read book Eating With History written by Tanya Abraham and published by Niyogi Books. This book was released on 2020 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Eating With History: Ancient Trade-Influenced Cuisines of Kerala is an invaluable compendium of a culinary tradition and variety of food recipes that evolved out of Kerala’s kitchens. The food trail is extensive and as varied as it can get. The proximity to the sea and the natural beauty and resources of the state–especially the fragrant spices which grew in abundance–attracted inhabitants of foreign soils and inspired them to initiate overseas trade along what was later known as the Spice Route. In a state with fish, other sea food and vegetables dominating people’s food habits, the various kinds of meats, foreign cooking techniques and exotic flavours were curried to life from foreign trade influences and became significant foods. There are numerous recipes in each foreign-influenced community in Kerala, well represented in this book, in meticulous detail. These recipes were cherished by the families and handed down generations via cross-cultural interactions within Jews of the Paradesi and Malabari sects, Syrian Christians, Muslims, Anglo-Indians, Latin Catholics and others who mingled with and evolved from the local populace. The book provides a well-researched and rich cultural history of foreign food culture, tracing how the new elements adapted to local food traditions and evolved as a parallel line of foods, creating new textures, flavours and tastes.
Download or read book Holy Warriors written by Edna Fernandes and published by Penguin Books India. This book was released on 2007 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Excellent Detailing Of The Complex Web Of India S Cultural And Religious Bigotry Business World No Other Nation Has Witnessed As Much Proselytizaton Or Heard As Many War Cries In The Name Of God As Has India. Here, There Is Evidence That Every Religion Can Be Hijacked By The Forces Of Fundamentalism. Edna Fernandes Travels To The Country S Recent And Past Theatres Of Fundamentalism From Kashmir And Gujarat To Punjab And Goa To Meet The Generals And Foot Soldiers Of Communal Wars, And Lets Their Rage And Rhetoric Speak For Them. The Result Is An Important And Utterly Absorbing Book About The Consequences Of Prejudice, Insecurity And Hate. A Powerful Book . . . As Fair And Objective An Assessment Of The Perils That Lie Ahead For India As Any That I Have Ever Read Khushwant Singh A Gripping, And Necessary, Book On The Political Issues Facing India Today Mahesh Bhatt This Is A Remarkable, Brave, Moving, Disturbing, Funny And At Times Beautiful Book. It Tackles Head-On The Great Indian Paradox: That India Is A Centre Of Religion And Spirituality, And Hence Of Tolerance . . . Yet It Has Also Been Home To Some Of The Most Terrible Atrocities Committed In The Name Of Religion Simon Long, Asia Editor, The Economist A Reporter With A Gift For Details, Fernandes Weaves Together Voices Of Key Actors As Well As Innocents Caught In The Cleft Of History To Explain The Seductions Of Fundamentalism . . . There Are Genuine Flashes Of Wit And A Talent For Mockery That Make The Book A Racy Read Manish Chand, Hindustantimes.Com Holy Warriors Shows Up, In All Its Ugliness, The Cancer Of Religious Bigotry And Intolerance That Afflicts All Communities . . . It Is A Vivid And Shocking Mosaic That She Puts Together, From Nagaland To Goa And From Amritsar To Ayodhya . . . An Excellent Detailing Of The Complex Web Of India S Cultural And Religious Bigotry Jawed Naqvi, Business World
Download or read book Ruby of Cochin written by Ruby Daniel and published by Jewish Publication Society. This book was released on 2001-10-01 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Vishnu s Crowded Temple written by Maria Misra and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As it enters its sixtieth year of independence, India stands on the threshold of superpower status. Yet India is strikingly different from all other global colossi. While it is the world's most populous democracy and enjoys the benefits of its internationally competitive high-tech and software industries, India also contends with extremes of poverty, inequality, and political and religious violence. This accessible and vividly written book presents a new interpretation of India's history, focusing particular attention on the impact of British imperialism on Independent India. Maria Misra begins with the rebellion against the British in 1857 and tracks the country's advance to the present day. India's extremes persist, the author argues, because its politics rest upon a peculiar foundation in which traditional ideas of hierarchy, difference, and privilege coexist to a remarkable degree with modern notions of equality and democracy. The challenge of India's leaders today, as in the last sixty years, is to weave together the disparate threads of the nation's ancient culture, colonial legacy, and modern experience.
Download or read book Spice Kosher written by Essie Sassoon and published by Tamarind Tree Books Incorporated. This book was released on 2013 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exotic Sephardi/Mizrahi cuisine from the Malabar coast of India, as developed or adapted by an ancient community of Jews who landed there 2000 years ago. These Jews are called Cochinis and most of them live today in Israel. Spices, especially the 3 Cs - cardamom, cinnamon and cumin - along with coconut, coriander and pepper dominate their cooking. The book contains plenty of fascinating historical notes along with the recipes. This book on Cochini Jewish cooking is the first of its kind in the world.
Download or read book Bene Appetit written by Esther David and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2021-04-24 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Jewish community in India comprises a tiny but important part of the population. There are around five thousand Jews and five Jewish communities in India, but they are fast diminishing in number. Intrigued by the common thread that binds the Indian Jews as a whole despite their living in different parts of the country, Esther David explores the lifestyle and cuisine of the Jews in every region, from the Bene Israelis of western India to the Bene Menashes of the Northeast, the Bene Ephraims of Andhra Pradesh, the Baghdadi Jews of Kolkata and the Kochi Jews. She discovers that while they all follow the strict Jewish dietary laws, they have also adapted to the local cuisine. Some have even turned vegetarian! Extensively researched, with heartwarming anecdotes and mouthwatering recipes, Bene Appetit offers a holistic portrait of a little-known community.
Download or read book Growing Up Jewish in India written by Ori Z. Soltes and published by . This book was released on 2021-12-29 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: * A comprehensive historical account of the primary Jewish communities of India, their synagogues, and unique Indian Jewish custom* The essays and over 150 images in the book explore how Indian Jews retained their unique characteristics, as well as became integrated into the larger society of India* Includes the memoir of growing up Jewish in India by Siona Benjamin, and an analysis of her trans-cultural artGrowing Up Jewish in India offers an historical account of the primary Jewish communities of India, their synagogues, and unique Indian Jewish customs. It offers an investigation both within Jewish India and beyond its borders, tracing how Jews arrived in the vast subcontinent at different times from different places and have both inhabited dispersed locations within the larger Indian world, and ultimately created their own diaspora within the larger Jewish diaspora by relocating to other countries, particularly Israel and the United States. The text and its rich complement of over 150 images explore how Indian Jews retained their unique characteristics as Jews, became well-integrated into the larger society of India as Indians, and have continued to offer a synthesis of cultural qualities wherever they reside. Among the outcomes of these developments is the unique art of Siona Benjamin, who grew up in the Bene Israel community of Mumbai and then moved to the US, and whose art reflects Indian and Jewish influences as well as concepts like Tikkun olam (Hebrew for 'repairing the world'). In combining discussions of the Indian Jewish communities with Benjamin's own story and an analysis of her artistic output - and in introducing these narratives within the larger story of Jews across eastern Asia - this volume offers a unique verbal and visual portrait of a significant slice of Indian and Jewish culture and tradition. It would be of interest to Jews and non-Jews, Indian and non-Indian alike, as well as to history enthusiasts and the general reader interested in art and culture.
Download or read book Handbook of Jewish Languages written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2017-10-17 with total page 780 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Handbook of Jewish Languages is an introduction to the many languages used by Jews throughout history, including Yiddish, Judezmo (Ladino) , and Jewish varieties of Amharic, Arabic, Aramaic, Berber, English, French, Georgian, Greek, Hungarian, Iranian, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Malayalam, Occitan (Provençal), Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Syriac, Turkic (Karaim and Krymchak), Turkish, and more. Chapters include historical and linguistic descriptions of each language, an overview of primary and secondary literature, and comprehensive bibliographies to aid further research. Many chapters also contain sample texts and images. This book is an unparalleled resource for anyone interested in Jewish languages, and will also be very useful for historical linguists, dialectologists, and scholars and students of minority or endangered languages. This paperback edition has been updated to include dozens of additional bibliographic references.
Download or read book Jewish Topographies written by Julia Brauch and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-06 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How have Jews experienced their environments and how have they engaged with specific places? How do Jewish spaces emerge, how are they contested, performed and used? With these questions in mind, this anthology focuses on the production of Jewish space and lived Jewish spaces and sheds light on their diversity, inter-connectedness and multi-dimensionality. By exploring historical and contemporary case studies from around the world, the essays collected here shift the temporal focus generally applied to Jewish civilization to a spatially oriented perspective. The reader encounters sites such as the gardens cultivated in the Ghettos during World War II, the Israeli development town of Netivot, Thornhill, an Orthodox suburb of Toronto, or new virtual sites of Jewish (Second) Life on the Internet, and learns about the Jewish landkentenish movement in Interwar Poland, the Jewish connection to the sea and the culinary landscapes of Russian Jews in New York. Employing an interdisciplinary approach, with a strong foothold in cultural history and cultural anthropology, this anthology introduces new methodological and conceptual approaches to the study of the spatial aspects of Jewish civilization.
Download or read book Indo Judaic Studies in the Twenty First Century written by N. Katz and published by Springer. This book was released on 2007-04-02 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection analyzes the affinities and interactions between Indic and Judaic civilizations from ancient to contemporary times. The contributors propose a new, global understanding of commerce and culture, to reconfigure how we understand the way great cultures interact, and present a new constellation of diplomacy, literature, and geopolitics.
