Prof tells story of Jews living on Indian coast

For 2,000 years, over 5,000 Jews lived on the southwest coast of India, in a village called Cochin. Now only 50 Jews remain, the rest having emigrated to Israel over the last 40 years. Monday night, Ithaca College Anthropology Professor Barbara Johnson spoke about the Cochin Jews to about 30 students, professors and community members. She has studied the community for almost two decades, following their move from India to Israel. Using slides and video material, Johnson concentrated on the Jewish and Indian customs and rituals of the Cochin Jews. She also discussed women, immigration and assimilation. Johnson said that no one was sure when or why Jews came to India. "It was probably part of the merchant spice trade 2,000 years ago," she said. "Others came over during the Spanish Inquisition." The people which Johnson studies lived in an area called Jewtown, on a street called Synagogue Lane. Eight Jewish communities existed in Cochin, each defined by a synagogue. "You see Jewish symbols as you walk down the street," Johnson said. "There are mezuzahs on every door post." In India, the Cochin Jews were religious and traditional. The Cochin culture, language and life enhanced typical Jewish practices, she said. In the 1950s, Johnson said, Cochin Jews began emigrating to Israel. Usually, Johnson said, Jews leave their homes after experiencing persecution or mass destruction; the Cochin situation was different. "There was a pure, innocent and religious Zionism," Johnson said. "In some cases, it was also a desire for a better life economically." The Cochin Jews took many of their Indian traditions with them, including language, dress and practices. However, they also practice Israeli customs, speak Hebrew and wear "modern" Israeli garb, Johnson said. "The preservation of identity and transformation of identity occurs at the same time," Johnson said. "In India, their Jewishness set them apart. In Israel, their Indian culture sets them apart." Johnson briefly related the Cochin experience to Jewish life in America. She said that in America, non-Jews and Jews learn to understand each other just as the Cochin immigrants and Israelis do. "There's mutual respect and coexistence," Johnson said. "There aren't too many people who know about this," Asian and Middle Eastern Studies professor Yael Zerubavel said. "I wanted to bring her to Penn so that people will become aware of the Indian Jews." "[The program] demonstrated the diversity of the Jewish community," said College senior Yaakov Yendelbaum. "We're interested in things that deal with rich and diverse Jewish culture," explained Jeremy Brochin, director of Hillel, which co-sponsored the event with several other groups. "This is an interesting and exciting example." "It's sad when cultures move to new environments," College freshman Vanessa Eisemann said. "But ? this showed that they can keep their roots and be accepting of the communities around them."