ABSTRACT
The Jews of Cochin are perhaps the oldest Indian Jewish community, and one which was relatively well known to the outside world. One of the main features of its history stressed both by its members and in almost every account of its life is its friendly relations with local rulers. According to the origin legend of the Jews of Cochin, their ancestors had arrived in Malabar in 70 CE after the destruction of the Second Temple. One of the most distinguished synagogues of Cochin, the Pardeshi synagogue of the White Jews houses paintings showing the Temple in flames and Jews leaving for India.1 The earliest document that is supposedly related to the history of this community is the charter on the copper plates given to the Jews when they were originally settled in Cranganore, another town of Malabar. According to this document, the ruler of Muyirikkodu, which is identified with Muziris (future Cranganore), grants certain privileges to Issuppu Irappan (in the Jewish tradition Joseph Rabban), an alleged leader of the Jewish community.2 The tradition of Cochin Jews states that the plates provided a charter for an independent Jewish principality and were granted in 379 CE, though modern scholars date them to the eleventh century (Katz 1995: 123; Menon 1970: 128). One can assume that by the time the Jews received the charter, they already constituted a recognised community prominent in the society. Given the fact that Muziris was an important port, it is possible to suppose that the Jews of that town were engaged in trade. Another argument in support of this view is that when in 1341 the harbour of Cranganore became silted up and the town lost its significance as a port, the Jews moved to Cochin (Menon 1970: 60).
