On the sad passing of Mrs Queenie Hallegua – Warden of the Paradesi Synagogue
Today marked the end of a powerful life and eyes that saw great changes over time in India, Israel and America; Mrs Queenie Hallegua, Rabbi Joel Weinberger reached out to us with the sad news that our good friend and warden of the Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin (Established in 1568) had passed to her eternal reward peacefully with her children at her side.
Over the last years, despite formally leaving my post as Scholar in Residence for the Paradesi my work for the Star-K regularly brought me back to India and as a family we always made sure to visit her immediately on arriving Jewtown near Fort Kochi, we exchanged photos of the children growing up too quickly and made sure to get the right English Chocolates that she always appreciated.
During our years at Paradesi Mrs, Hallegua became our friend and confidant as well as our employer – her priority was always keeping the Synagogue alive, filled with prayers, learning Torah: the eternal flame must continue. Her home was place that travellers always found hospitality and meals for Shabbat and Yom Tov, she would relate to us that her father S.S Koder (1907-1994), an accomplished businessman, Jewish Indian historian and warden of the Synagogue would have large meals at his residence all the time and that he would look after the Jewish Soldiers and arrange lodgings for them over the Shabbat and festivals. She continued strongly with this custom with her late husband Sammy and their home was forever a place of community life, meals, meetings and important decisions.
It is not lost on me that Monday night is Tish B’av, in a year that has already been so difficult for so many families in Israel, it feels like the Paradesi Community is a fading candle, especially as only Keith remains now as the last Jew in Jew town. But despite how things may appear, the truth is somewhat different: through the tireless work of Praveen and the Hallegua family, a beautiful new museum is set to open at the Paradesi Synagogue preserving the history and unique stories of the Paradesi Community:
Today, Israeli Indian Jews with are said to number more than 85,000, the Cochin Jews form a significant majority in the Moshavim (agricultural settlements) of Nevatim, Shahar, Yuval, and Mesilat Zion, others settled in the neighbourhood of Katamon in Jerusalem, and in Beersheba, Ramla, Dimona, and Yeruham, where many Bene Israel had previously settled – the Indian Diaspora has largely returned to the Land of Israel.
I know from my own experiences at the Synagogue, the sometimes-sleeping building can suddenly spring to life with guests, visitors, prayer services, Torah classes, delicious Kosher food (prepared in the Star-K kitchen) and even boasts the only Mikveh in South India. The legacy of the Synagogue, much like the Hallegua family is one of permanence, the story of the Jews of India is an important one for our people: it speaks stories of family, tolerance, adaption, hard work, fidelity to tradition and an unwavering dedication to Torah: such a light cannot ever be snuffed out completely, it retains the ability of igniting itself and others eternally.
My heart aches for the Hallegua family to lose such a powerful and wonderful matriarch, I know that my future visit to Cochin will never be as bright now that she has passed on and I feel a great sadness and guilt that I was not able to be there personally to attend the funeral of my friend who did so much for our family and helped us settle into our first Rabbinical role under her guidance and tutelage.
Our deepest condolences and love to her family and many devoted friends around the world,
Baruch Dayan Emet
Rabbi Jonathan Goldschmidt ©2024
Photo credit: Ellen Goldberg
