This part of India is still called ‘Jew Town’. So where did all the Jews go?

Their homes, places of worship and symbols are still there, but the people are not.

Kochi (Keralam): The name has survived longer than the community itself. In Kochi's historic Jew Town, the synagogue is one of the neighbourhood’s best-known landmarks, Hebrew symbols can still be seen on old buildings and tourists fill its narrow lanes. But almost every Jewish family that once lived here has moved away.

Their homes, places of worship and symbols are still there. The people are not. Where did they go, and why?

The story of Kochi’s Jews goes back thousands of years. According to local records and traditions, the first Jewish traders arrived on the Malabar Coast around the time of Prophet Solomon, nearly a thousand years before Jesus Christ. They came by sea to the ancient port of Muziris, which is now known as Kodungallur, about 40 kilometres north of present-day city. They settled in the region, became part of local society and later came to be known as the Malabari Jews.

A second major wave arrived in 1492 after the community fled persecution in Spain. Travelling through Portugal, Turkey and Baghdad, many eventually reached Kerala and settled in Kochi. They became known as foreign Jews. Together, the Malabari and foreign Jewish communities formed what later became known as the Cochini Jews.

The community thrived under the protection of Kochi's rulers. According to historical records, after Portuguese influence increased in the region and Jews faced persecution, the King of Kochi allotted them land next to his palace and issued a copper plate assuring them that the land would belong to them for as long as the sun and moon continued to shine. The settlement that emerged on that land was later known as Jew Town.

For centuries, the community flourished. Kochi was one of the most important trading centres in the Indian Ocean, attracting Arabs, Europeans and merchants from across Asia. Jewish traders played a major role in the spice trade, particularly pepper, and many acted as representatives of the Kochi ruler in dealings with other kingdoms, including the Mughal court.

Today, the area looks different. Most of the businesses in the Jew Town are run by Muslim traders, many of whom trace their roots to communities from Kutch in Gujarat or Kashmir. Local shopkeepers say Jewish residents are now rarely seen in the area and that around 70 percent of the shops belong to Muslim families.

The past is still visible across the neighbourhood. The Star of David can still be seen on buildings throughout the neighbourhood. Many of the structures lining the streets are between 200 and 400 years old. Their original facades have largely been preserved, helping visitors imagine what the area once looked like when Jewish families lived above their shops and spent evenings socialising in the streets below.

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One of the most fascinating landmarks is the historic clock tower near the synagogue. Built in the 1760s or 1770s, it predates London’s famous Big Ben by almost a century. The tower once had numerals in different languages on each side, including Hebrew, Malayalam and Roman. Historical accounts suggest Arabic numerals were also visible on the side facing the sea, helping sailors identify the town from a distance.

Jew Town’s economy has changed as well. The spice warehouses that once defined the area have largely given way to antique stores, art galleries and cafés. Tourists from India and abroad now visit to experience the neighbourhood’s unique mix of cultures and history. The pepper trade still survives in nearby areas, where traders continue to buy and sell spices through organised exchanges.

Why the Jews left

Why Kochi’s Jews left has a surprisingly simple answer. Locals explain that Jewish communities around the world have long held a religious belief that one day they would return to Jerusalem. When the State of Israel was established in 1948, many the community members across different countries moved there. For them, it was the fulfilment of that hope. Members of Kochi’s Jewish community also chose to migrate.

There was no widespread fear or persecution driving them out. Evidence suggests that the Jews in Kochi and elsewhere in India generally lived in peace. Many left because they wanted to settle in Israel. Others moved to countries such as the United States and Australia in search of new opportunities and a different future.

An interesting detail often overlooked is that many Cochini Jews spoke Malayalam as their mother tongue and used English for education. Hebrew was not commonly spoken in everyday life by many members of the community.

As the sun sets over Mattancherry, visitors can still walk past the synagogue and the Jewish cemetery, where generations of Cochini Jews are buried. The community may have largely moved away, but its story is woven into the streets of Jew Town. The buildings, symbols and memories continue to tell the story of a people who arrived by sea, helped make Kochi one of India’s great trading centres and eventually left for destinations thousands of kilometres away, leaving behind a neighbourhood unlike any other in the country.