Mattancherry, Kerala. June 24th, 2021: The locals led by the councilor blocked the officials of the State Archeology Department who came for the renovation of the ‘synagogue of the black Jews’ on Thursday morning. The protest was led by Councilor M.H.M. Ashraf. The Department of Archeology had decided to make the synagogue a protected monument. Kerala Government had allocated Rs. 91.45 lakhs for the renovation of the synagogue in 2018. On 18 November 2018 Minister Kadannappali Ramachandran explained about few technicalities which delaying the process of renovation while he answering the questions of MLA Sri. John Fernandez.
Subsequently, the Kerala government sanctioned Rs. 25 lakh for temporary protection. The officials who came to repair the Synagogue in October ’20 had returned after facing resistance from the locals.
The Kadavumbhagam Synagogue as known as the ‘Synagogue of the Black Jews’ or ‘Jootha Palli’ as the locals call it, was built in the 14th century. Located in a short distance away from the Mattanchery’s famous ‘Paradesi’ Synagogue. It is one of the oldest synagogues in India. After the formation of Israel in 1948, the Jews who had settled in Kochi migrated to the promised land and the Synagogue became inactive. It was later owned by private individuals.
In 1991, the English Jewish couple Freddie Weiss and Della purchased the entire interior of the church, including the ceiling, altars, and other decorations were taken away to Israel. Only the exterior structure of the synagogue remains. The synagogue was rebuilt in Jerusalem with the materials taken away. In September 2019, the facade of the church collapsed in heavy rain.
This three-and-a-half-century-old Synagogue partially collapsed in rain. The incident took place on 9th September 2019. There were rumors that said it was brought down by the locals.
The Black Jewish Synagogue was an important part of the Jewish history of Kochi. It was built in Marakkadavu when Black Jews were not allowed to enter the famous synagogue in Mattancherry town known as the Foreign Synagogue or ‘Paradesi Joothappalli’.
Later the ownership of the church passed into the hands of a Gujarati merchant. After some time it became a godown. When the Gujarati merchant returned home, he handed it over to a Christian woman who was his employee. An attempt was made to sell the church building years ago. Three years ago, a fresh attempt was made to sell the church, but disputes erupted. The church was later placed under police protection.
According to the Councilor, if the synagogue becomes a protected monument, it will not be possible to carry out any other construction work in the area around hundred meters of the synagogue perimeter. This is untrue, there is no such law is ruled out in the particular site. There are hundreds of cultural monuments protected in this country in densely populated areas. When a simple statement from the authorities can solve such confusion, nothing left to justify the delay in the renovation process for so long years.