Even
as the tiny Jewish community in Kochi renovates their cemetery, there
are fears that part of the sacred ground will be taken away for road
expansion
By
Shevlin Sebastian
On
November 23, 2016, Josephai Abraham (Sam) stood inside the 1.5 acre
Jewish cemetery on the Kathrakadavu-Pullepady road, Kochi. It was the
burial of his mother-in-law Miriam Joshua, aged 89. “When I looked
around, I suddenly realised that the cemetery was in bad shape,” he
says. Many tombs could not be seen because of the high grass.
There
were more problems. “At one corner, neighbours had thrown their
garbage, in plastic packets,” says Sam, the president of the
Association of Kerala Jews. “Some inhabitants had pushed their
water pipes under the wall, so that all the waste water would flow
into the property.”
So
Sam decided to do something, with the backing of six families of the
association. Workers were hired, grass and weeds were chopped off,
and, at one side, where there was a marshy pond, several layers of
building waste was put in, to smoothen the surface. “Thereafter,
interlocking tiles have been put,” says Sam. “At least, now, we
can park our cars inside. Otherwise, we had to do so on the narrow
road and it created problems for the other motorists.”
The
walls have been painted white and many tombs, which were broken, have
been repaired and repainted. And, on the wall, at the opposite end to
the entrance, two Star of Davids have been etched, along with the
seven candles of the Menorah. The Menorah has been a symbol of
Judaism, from ancient times, and is now part of the emblem of the
state of Israel.
However,
it has not been smooth sailing. One neighbor approached Sam and told
him he could not do any renovation, as all construction has been
frozen. On being asked how, the neighbor said there are expansion
plans for the road and the cemetery will be taken over. “I said no
such decision has been taken,” says Sam.
Then,
in mid-January, Gracy Joseph, Chairperson, Standing Committee for
Development of the Cochin Corporation, came to inquire. “I had
received complaints from the local residents that some construction
was going on,” she says. “But the members of the Jewish community
told me that they were only renovating the place.”
Clearly,
the cemetery is under threat. “The Cochin Corporation has plans to
broaden the road,” says Association secretary Dr. Susy Elias. But
Soumini Jain, the Mayor of the Corporation says that the stretch in
front of the cemetery has been handed over to the Public Works
Department of the State government. “It is they who will do the
road expansion works,” she says. “There are suggestions of
building an overbridge, in front of the cemetery. But whether the
government has the funds for that, I am not sure.”
Meanwhile,
according to Jewish religious law, once a person is buried, the grave
cannot be disturbed. It can only be removed if a relative gives
permission. But the local Jews have no idea where they are, since
many have emigrated to Israel several years ago. So, the Jews are
anxious about whether the authorities will insist that they will have
to give up a part of their cemetery. “Many tombs will be
disturbed,” says Sam.
Sometime
ago, the association got in touch with Israeli ambassador Daniel
Carmon. Thereafter, last month, the Bengaluru-based Israeli Counsel
General Yael Hashavit met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and
appraised him of the situation. “The CM said that he was aware of
it,” says Mordokkayi Shafeer, the treasurer of the association.
Meanwhile,
despite these tensions, the Jews come once a month to light candles
and to pray at the graves. “We also come on death anniversaries and
during the Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) festival,” says Shafeer.
“Life has to go on.”
(The
New Indian Express, Kerala editions)
No comments:
Post a Comment