The Jewish advance., 1880-01-30
The Jews on the Coast of
Malabar.

history of the Jews in Malabar -: ,
Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese
they lived ON the shores of the sea but
when the Portuguese took Caranganore,
the Jews, having suffered violent op-
preston and prosecutions, removed, in
the year 5236 of the creation (1565 of
the Christian era) from Caranganore to
Cochin. where the Rajah gave them a
certain piece of land to build their syn
agogues and some houses upon, near the
palace in order that he might be enabled
to protect them. The ground which
was assigned to them for this purpose
was given them under the names Of
Samuel Castiel, David Belbone, Ephraim
Talah, and Joseph Levy and the build
ings were finished in the year 5238
(1567) Nevertheless they were always
exposed to the prosecutions Of the Por-
tuguese, and they could not practice
their customs in quiet, or peaceably en-
joy the privileges granted to them. The
warlike Portuguese seized everything
that came under their hands, plundered
them, abused them, and drove them away
wherever they met them and the Jews
could neither obtain justice nor get any
indemnifcation.
The Jews were thus exposed to op-
preston, and to the greatest misfortune,
until the Hollanders came to Cochin, in
1862. The Jews assisted them, and rem
dered them many services, receiving In
return powerful protection. But at
this epoch dispute arose between the
people Of Cochin; the Raah was mur-
dered, and therefore the Hollanders left
Cochin and went to Ceylon. After their
departure, the Portuguese, assisted by
the natives of Malabar, set on fire the
synagogues and houses of the Jews, and
they were plundered and killed. because
they had furnished victuals to the Hol-
landers. The Jews had then a book,
entitled "Sepher Tekorok," containing
detailed narration of all that had hap
pened to them from their arrival at Nal
kept sd the synago que wi Bid the books
relating to the divine service, and they
were all destroyed in the confagration
The Jews, rendered desperate, left the
country, and were on the point of per-
ishing, when the Hollanders fortunately
arrived at Cochin. In a few days the
city Of Cochin was taken by the Dutch
commanders, Peter Depeter and the
Admiral Van Goesen This happened
on the 9Th of Jan. 1868 (839 of the Mala-
bar era)
AS soon as the Jews heard that Cochin
was taken by the Dutch, they came from
the different places they had retreated
to, and lived again in their old houses (
they likewise repaired the losses which
they had sustained, and lived under
guidance of their chief and director,
Samto Carteel, thanking the Almighty
for their deliverance, and praying Him
to continue to bless them under the pro-
lection of the Hollanders. Since that
time the Jews have been favored in every
way by the Hollanders and Rajahs, and,
thanks to their extensive commerce, and
to the services which they rendered, they
found at Cochin happy existence and
all the enjoyments, of life.
In the year 1856 of the Christian era.
CLINT Vosberg being Governor of
Cochin, four merchants from Amsterdam
arrived there, named Moses, Earcira.
Defaiven, accompanied by Irgat Isaac,
Mookarts, and Abraham Bort of the
Saph Ardim (Sephardim) After hay
ing paid a visit to the Jews at Cochin
who with much pleasure heard Of their
w IClHdlll WIUl UuCh OllCy
wrote to Amsterdam of all they had seen
and heard respecting the Jews of Mala-
bar, and begged of them to send the
books which they wanted. When the
community of Amsterdam (God bless
them y received this pleasant news, they
sent without delay the books of Moses
and the Prophets, and, besides, prayer
books, books of legislature, etc., at which
the community Of Cochin was delighted.
Since this, they have maintained friendly
intercourse with the Jews at Amster-
dam, kept up an annual correspondence,
and received all the books for which
they have asked from time to time, or of
which they had sent the manuscripts to
be printed at Amsterdam: and, on their
part, the Jews of Cochin have sent to
their co-religionists at Amsterdam all
that the latter have asked them for.
Therefore the ceremonies of the Jews
at Cochin are the same as those Of the
Sephardim Portuguese ritual.)
Cochin is considered the capital of
Malabar, in the East Indies. The
White Jews came originally from the