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Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi, Kerala, India

The Paradesi Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue is a synagogue located in Mattancherry Jew Town, a suburb of the city of Kochi, Kerala, in India.

It was built in 1568 CE by the flourishing Paradesi Jewish community in Kochi.

Cochin Jews were composed mainly of the much older Malabari Jews and the newly arrived Sephardic refugees from the Portuguese religious persecution of Jews in Spain and Portugal.

Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was built by Sephardic or Portuguese-speaking Jews, some of them from families exiled in Aleppo, Safed and other West Asian localities.

Synagogue clock tower
The synagogue has an 18th-century clock tower, which, along with other parts of the complex, was restored between 1998 and 1999.


Entering the synagogue

Inner courtyard

Entering the main sanctuary

Panorama of the main sanctuary
This is the central area where the congregation gathers for worship services, and it typically houses the Ark (Aron Kodesh), where the Torah scrolls are kept.


Blue tiled floor

Ark (Aron Kodesh)
The Ark (or Aron Kodesh in Hebrew) serves as the most sacred part of a synagogue.

  • Its primary function is to house the Torah scrolls, which are the holy scriptures of Judaism.
  • The Ark typically faces east, towards Jerusalem, and is often beautifully decorated to reflect its significance.
  • When the Torah is read during services, the scrolls are taken out from the Ark, and a special ceremony often accompanies this process, highlighting the reverence and importance of the Torah in Jewish worship.

Reading pulpit (Bimah)
The reading pulpit in the center of a synagogue is called the bimah (also spelled bema).

  • This elevated platform is where the Torah is read during services.
  • The bimah's central location allows the reader to be seen and heard clearly by the congregation, symbolizing the centrality of the Torah in Jewish worship and communal life.

Poster with a brief history of the synagogue

See Also

Source

Location

Location: X745+XPW, Synagogue Ln, Jew Town, Kappalandimukku, Mattancherry, Kochi, Kerala 682002, India