Sephardic Jews in India
Encyclopedia
Indian Sephardic Jews left the Iberian peninsula at the end of the 15th century and throughout the 16th century, in search of religious freedom after increasing tormet due to the Spanish Inquisition in both Spain and Portugal. They Originally spoke, Spanish
and Portuguese
however, they later began to speak Judeo-Malayalam
in Kerala
, South India
.
Most of them were crypto-Jews, which means Jews who had converted to Catholicism under pressure but continued to practice Judaism
in secrecy. Traveling through Asia minor the Indian Sephardic Jews settled in the Konkan and Malabar Coast of South western coastal India, joining the more ancient settlements formed by the Cochin Jews
and Bene Israel
as well as, forming their own settlements in India. The city of Madras, now known as Chennai
, was heavily influenced by the Sephardim from Iberia.. A notable Jewish population once existed in Goa
. They had settled in Goa before the advent of the Portuguese. They had their own synagogue
s and enjoyed freedom. Many of them integrated with the local Goan culture and spoke the Konkani language
, whereas part of them were Palestinian
migrants who spoke Spanish language
. As a part of the Inquisition many Jews were killed by the Portuguese colonists in South Western India. Many Jews from Goa fled to Cochin in Kerala and joined the Malabar Yehudan. However, in Kerala the Malabar Jews and the Malabar Nasranis
of Hebrew heritage were both persecuted by the portuguese in the South Western Indian
chapter of the spanish and portuguese inquisition known as the Goa Inquisition
. Additionally, some of the later Baghdadi Jewish
families that arrived in India, such as the Sassoons
, were of Sephardic
origin.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
however, they later began to speak Judeo-Malayalam
Judeo-Malayalam
Judeo-Malayalam is the traditional language of the Cochin Jews , from Kerala, in southern India, spoken today by a few dozens of people in Israel and by probably fewer than 25 in India....
in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
.
Most of them were crypto-Jews, which means Jews who had converted to Catholicism under pressure but continued to practice Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in secrecy. Traveling through Asia minor the Indian Sephardic Jews settled in the Konkan and Malabar Coast of South western coastal India, joining the more ancient settlements formed by the Cochin Jews
Cochin Jews
Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews , are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots claimed to date to the time of King Solomon, though historically attested migration dates from the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Historically, they lived in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India, now part of the...
and Bene Israel
Bene Israel
The Bene Israel are a group of Jews who migrated in the 19th century from villages in the Konkan area to the nearby Indian cities, primarily Mumbai, but also to Pune, and Ahmedabad. Prior to these waves of emigrations and to this day, the Bene Israel formed the largest sector of the subcontinent's...
as well as, forming their own settlements in India. The city of Madras, now known as Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, was heavily influenced by the Sephardim from Iberia.. A notable Jewish population once existed in Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
. They had settled in Goa before the advent of the Portuguese. They had their own synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s and enjoyed freedom. Many of them integrated with the local Goan culture and spoke the Konkani language
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
, whereas part of them were Palestinian
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
migrants who spoke Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. As a part of the Inquisition many Jews were killed by the Portuguese colonists in South Western India. Many Jews from Goa fled to Cochin in Kerala and joined the Malabar Yehudan. However, in Kerala the Malabar Jews and the Malabar Nasranis
Syrian Malabar Nasrani
The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people, also known as Saint Thomas Christians, "'Nasrani Mappila'" and Nasranis, are an ethnoreligious group from Kerala, India, adhering to the various churches of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition...
of Hebrew heritage were both persecuted by the portuguese in the South Western Indian
South West India
South West India extends over the regions in the states and territories of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Goa, Orissa, and Lakshadweep....
chapter of the spanish and portuguese inquisition known as the Goa Inquisition
Goa Inquisition
The Goa Inquisition was the office of the Inquisition acting in the Indian state of Goa and the rest of the Portuguese empire in Asia. It was established in 1560, briefly suppressed from 1774–1778, and finally abolished in 1812. The Goan Inquisition is considered a blot on the history of...
. Additionally, some of the later Baghdadi Jewish
Baghdadi Jews
Baghdadi Jews, also known as Iraqi Jews, are Jewish emigrants from Baghdad and elsewhere in Iraq, who fled religious persecution and formed immigrant communities in their new homelands...
families that arrived in India, such as the Sassoons
Sassoon family
The Sassoon family was an Indian family of Iraqi Jewish descent and international renown, based in Bombay, India. It was descended from the famous Ibn Shoshans, one of the richest families of medieval Spain...
, were of Sephardic
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
origin.