Paradesi Jews refer to Jewish immigrants to the Indian subcontinent during the 15th and 16th centuries following the expulsion of Jews from Spain and Portugal. Paradesi means foreign in Malayalam and Tamil. These Sephardic immigrants fled persecution and death by burning in the wake of the 1492 Alhambra Decree 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. fleeing forcible conversion, persecution, and antisemitism. The Paradesi Jews of Cochin traded in spices. They are a community of Mizrahi Jews and 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.

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.

History of Madras (Chennai) Jews

thumb|Plan of Fort St George and the city of Madras in 1726, b.Jews Burying Place is the location of Second [[Madras Synagogue and Jewish Cemetery Chennai.Bartolomeo Rodrigues Tomb in Four Brothers Garden]]

thumb|The [[Census of India prior to independence|1921 Census of British India shows 45 Jews living in Madras.]]

thumb|left|Rabbi Salomon Halevi (Last Rabbi of Madras Synagogue) and his wife Rebecca Cohen ([[Najran Jew) ]]

thumb|left|Mr. Cohen ([[Najran Jew), his German wife, and children, Paradesi Jews of Madras]]

thumb|left|Paradesi Jews of Madras

thumb|left|Paradesi Jews of Madras at EIC garden

thumb|left|Paradesi Jews of Madras at [[Fort St. George ]]

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.

de Paiva died in 1687 after a visit to his Golconda diamonds mines and was buried in the Jewish cemetery which he had established,

After de Paiva'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 3,000. Before his death, de Paiva established 'The Colony of Jewish Traders of Madraspatam' with Antonio do Porto, Pedro Pereira, and Fernando Mendes Henriques.

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.

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.

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 de Paiva, also from Amsterdam Sephardic community in Madras, Peddanaickenpet, which later became the south end of Mint Street. 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.

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

thumb|left|Holocaust Memorial of Isaac & Rosa Henriques Decastro, erected by C. N. Annadurai Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

  • 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.

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.
  • Samuel de Castro – Founder of De Castro Trading house. - Last Rabbi of Madras Synagogue

Madras (Chennai) Jewish surnames (partial list)

  • Sardo
  • Pereira

<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|Rabbi 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

</gallery>

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
  • Jews of Kerala
  • The Jews of Chennai