New York: While Jews were persecuted all over the world, Kerala was a place where they lived safely. Now, Jewish monuments in Kerala are being targeted by terrorist organizations. Reports indicate that there is a terrorist link behind the arson attack on the Kadavumbhagam Synagogue in Ernakulam.
Maruppacha tour group at kavadumbhagam Jewish Synagoge
Recently, there was a bomb threat against the Mattancherry Synagogue. Many buildings in Kerala bearing Jewish marks have been set on fire or destroyed. Many properties belonging to Jews have been encroached upon.
There were 12 synagogues in Kerala. Now only 7 are in a visitable condition. The oldest is the Mattancherry Paradesi Synagogue, but the most beautiful is the one at Kadavumbhagam in Ernakulam. Jewish presence in Kerala dates back to 300 years before Christ. They arrived at the Muziris port in Kodungallur in search of foreign spices. Research confirming the Pattanam in Kodungallur confirms the Jewish presence in Kerala. It was among the Jews that St. Thomas the Apostle arrived at the Muziris port in AD 52. The 8 Jewish-Christian communities known as Ezharappallikal (Seven and a Half Churches) are also connected with water bodies.
It is the responsibility of the government to protect the Jewish heritage monuments in Kerala. Tens of thousands of tourists come every year to see the monuments of Jewish culture. Terrorist organizations aim to erase these marks. If vigilance is not exercised, not even a trace of Kerala’s Jewish monuments will remain.
