Synagogues of Kolkata

As the giraffes were busy chewing the leaves of the almost bare to the bark tree my daughter commented: “which one of the giraffes is named Ezra?” I was busy clicking photographs of the giraffes so did not hear her properly and my daughter repeated her question. Almost stunned I was speechless as to why would a giraffe be named Ezra then my daughter pointed out to the cemented embossed name on the giraffe section of the Alipore Zoological Gardens in Kolkata. Instantly I was taken aback almost thirty years when I heard my cousins always telling me that I belong to the Gubay House which actually was the monkey enclosure at the very same zoo.

What I failed to notice then and just realized it while I was drafting the blog is the contribution of the Jewish community to my city of Calcutta. Ezra, Gubay etc. were esteemed members of the Jewish community in the city who had actually donated large sums of money for various development works around the city and that included donating to the Zoo for animal welfare.

I had decided at the beginning of the year 2018 that this year I would like to concentrate on the various minority communities of the city and after the Chinese, my next blog would be about the Synagogues of Kolkata. Many of my blogger friends remind me that there were a few existing blogs on the same topic so what would be different about my blog. Well to put it straight for the first I would like to individually look at each of the three existing synagogues and also to write a little more about the two synagogues that do not exist anymore.

History of the Jews of Kolkata

Almost all the Jews that the city once had come from Iraq or we can say that they were Baghdadi Jews. To set the matters straight these people mainly came from Baghdad, Basra and Aleppo. They wore Arab dresses and spoke Arabic which of course later on seamlessly merged with the local environment of Calcutta.

Let’s go back a couple of thousand years to know about this particular group of Jews. To make it easy to understand I have made bullet points.

• Abraham wanted to migrate to better pastures so along with his people he migrated to Cannan (modern day Israel)
• Joseph (not the father of Jesus Christ) the great-grandson in the line of Jacob was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers.
• As a slave, Joseph landed up in Egypt
• Joseph was a wise man and could interpret dreams
• The Egyptian Pharaoh had some disturbing dreams and wanted to know the reason and the meaning of his dream
• Joseph was called in to help the Pharaoh interpret his dreams
• Joseph interpreted the dream as seven years of good harvest and then seven years of famine. He also advised the Pharaoh to save up for the seven good years of the famine.
• The dream became a reality and the Pharaoh made Joseph the governor
• The tide changed again and the future descendants again became slaves in this region
• Moses came to deliver his people from slavery and led them to their promised land
• During this phase, one day Moses received the Ten Commandments in for of stone tablet
• Israel the promised land was discovered (1200 BC)
• Monarchy of Jewish state was established and had kings like David and Solomon
• After the death of Solomon, the kingdom again fell back and came under rule of Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia (586 BC)
• Around 50,000 slaves were taken to Babylonia
• Cyrus of Persian again concurred Babylonia (538 BC)
• Cyrus allowed the slaved Jews to return to Israel
• Some did return but some stayed back in Babylonia
• Those who stayed back established business and some became traders, artisans, farmers, landowners etc.
• They were allowed to practice their faith and thus developed their own culture seamlessly merging with the Arabs yet keeping their Jewish identity
• The ones who stayed back were what we now refer to the Baghdadi Jews

How Did The Jews Land Up In Calcutta (Kolkata)

The first Jewish settlers were actually from Aleppo (Syria) and not from Baghdad, Shalom ben Aaron ben Obadiah Ha-Kohen (Shalom Aaron Cohen) born in 1762 landed up in this city and became one of the first Jewish settlers. His journey started in the year 1789 and travelled to Baghdad from Aleppo from here we went on to Basra via Hillah. Next year in 1790 he travelled to Bombay (Mumbai) and from there he moved onto Surat where he initially settled.

He along with Jacob Semah who was another businessman from Baghdad started a jewellery business, later on, Shalom Aaron Cohen married Jacob Semah’s sister and established their business empire (Jewellery) slowly in India.

In 1797 Shalom Aaron Cohen came to Calcutta along with his business partner and suddenly saw the trading opportunity in the city. Calcutta then was the trading hub and a gateway to the rest of South East Asia. Apart from jewellery, they started trading in cotton, indigo, silk etc. With their existing connection with Baghdad, it was easy for them to establish themselves here in this city.

Moving forward in time in the early 19^th century there was a major influx of Jews from Baghdad to Calcutta since it was a place filled with opportunities as well as for the Jews it was a safe haven away from the oppression of the Arab rulers.

Some of the significant Jews who migrated to Calcutta included the likes of Moses Duek Cohen, Eleazar Iraki and others. Moses Duek Cohen, later on, was considered as one of the most important founders of the Jewish society in the city.

Why Did The Jews Leave the City?

Well, they not only left Kolkata but left India in masses after the end of Second World War (WWII). By the end of the war Jewish state (Israel)was formally established and this gave the Jewish community of the city a reason to leave the city and start establishing themselves in their original “Promised Land”.

They had made enough money from various business in the city and they felt it was time for them to head back to the newly formed state of Israel. Since the country was new it was also a good opportunity for the Jews of Kolkata to relocate themselves in Israel and start all over again.

While most of them left some stayed back just like the Baghdadi Jews who stayed back in Babylonia but here in India their population slowly started decreasing and after few decades were just reduced to double-digit numbers.

Synagogues of Kolkata

Once the Jewish community in this city was as high as 6000 and it demanded that they have their own place of worship or Synagogues as they say.

As per records there were five Synagogues in Kolkata (listed on basis of date of establishment):-

Neveh Shalom Synagogue

Beth- El Synagogue

Maghen David Synagogue

Maghen Aboth and Yesheebath Jacob Benjamin Elias (Beth Hakeneseth) Prayer Hall

Sha’areh Rasone (Shaare Rason) Prayer Hall

Locations of All the Synagogues on Map

Neveh Shalom Synagogue

English Translation = Oasis of Peace
Year of Construction = 1825 / 1911
Address = 9 A, Indra Kumar Karnani Street, China Bazar, Kolkata 700001
Timings = 10 AM – 5 PM (all days)
Photography = Allowed except on Saturdays due to Sabbath

The current Neveh Shalom Synagogue that we now see is not the original one but was built much later. The original Neveh Shalom Synagogue was the first synagogue in the city.

The first Neveh Shalom Synagogue was established in the year 1823, Ezekiel Musleah and Benjamin Abraham Solomon David purchased a land for Rs. 16,000 from an Englishman named John Bowers. Rs. 6,000 was provided by the local Jewish community and Rs. 10,000 was taken as a loan from Mackintosh & Co.

On 29^th of August 1825, the synagogue constitution was established and was witnessed by 32 members of the local Jewish community.

This synagogue had a very unlikely short history and after just 59 years the synagogue was in need of an urgent state of repairs. Instead of repairing the old synagogue it was decided to build a new one on the grounds next to the Neveh Shalom Synagogue and for this one of the rich Jew of the city the Ezra’s were approached to help the authorities in building the new synagogue.

Elias Ezra built the opulent Maghen David Synagogue in honour of his father David Ezra. In the meantime, the old Neveh Shalom Synagogue was transformed into a library.

The second phase of Neveh Shalom Synagogue started in the year 1888 when the old synagogue was reopened only to be used as a prayer hall but as fate would dictate it again started having regular services. This was again reconverted into a fully functional synagogue.

The third phase of this synagogue was in the year 1911 when the synagogue had to be demolished due to its bad structural condition and was newly rebuilt at the very same spot where the original synagogue once stood.

Beth- El Synagogue

English Translation = House of God
Year of Construction = 1856
Address = 26, Pollock St, Chitpur, Barabazar Market, Kolkata 700001
Timings = 10 AM – 5 PM (all days)
Photography = Allowed except on Saturdays due to Sabbath

This synagogue has two sets of history initially it was built by David Joseph Ezra and Ezekiel Judah in the year 1856 and at a later stage was modified and expanded by Elias Shalome Gubbay.

Some features of the synagogue:-

• Two upper-level galleries for the ladies one on each side
• Iron columns
• Marble floors
• Ornamental windows
• Provision of Mikveh (baths)
• Winepress at the basement
• Traditional ovens for baking Matzoth/Matzo (bread prepared during Passover)

The original Jewish Girls School was actually established in the building right opposite to this synagogue. Later on, this was shifted to their current premises at Park Street. A stone tablet in the basement written in Hebrew and English bears its original legacy. Now, this building houses the post office and other private offices.

The wine press at the basement is not open to the public and is currently being restored slowly.

Maghen David Synagogue

English Translation = Shield of David
Year of Construction = 11^th September 1884
Address = 19, Synagogue Street, China Bazar, Barabazar Market, Kolkata 700001
Timings = 10 AM – 5 PM (all days)
Photography = Allowed except on Saturdays due to Sabbath

The foundation stone for this synagogue was laid down on 23^rd of January 1883 and the construction was completed in September 1884 at a staggering cost of Rs. 2,00,000 all paid by Elias David Joseph Ezra. The land on which the synagogue was built partly belonged to the Neveh Shalom Synagogue and that on Elias Ezra’s step mother. The new synagogue was named after David Joseph Ezra the father of Elias Ezra.

The new synagogue was inaugurated on 11^th of September 1884 and was considered an architectural masterpiece which even had electric chandeliers and the steeple had a clock which was imported from London.

Some features of the synagogue:-

• Outer walls built with red and grey bricks
• Pillars with floral designs on top (these sections were imported from Paris)
• Dome (Apse) at the main altar (Hekal) looks like a blue sky with starts resembling heaven
• Separate ladies gallery on the upper floor on both the sides
• Electrified in 1921
• Steeple tower rises to a height of 43 meters
• Size of the synagogue is 24 meters by 43 43 meters
• Quarter chime clock with four faces on four sides on the steeple
• Raised Tebah/ Tevah at the centre of the floor

Maghen Aboth and Yesheebath Jacob Benjamin Elias (Beth Hakeneseth) Prayer Hall

English Translation = Maghen Aboth (Guardian of Patriarchs), Beth Hakeneseth (House of Assembly)
Year of Construction = 1897
Year of Closure = 2007
Address = 25 Blackburn Lane, Bowbazar, Kolkata, 700012
Timings = N/A
Photography = From the gate you can photograph the stone tablet

This was a relatively small prayer hall which was opened by a religious teacher named Hakham Solomon Twena inside his own home in the year 1897. It was then known by its original name Beth Hakeneseth. In the year 1942, this prayer hall was taken over by Benjamin Nissim Elias since the older prayer hall was in huge debt and was about to shut off. The Elias family renovated the prayer hall and thus we get Maghen Aboth which also served as a Yeshiva (Jewish institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts).

At present this prayer hall, as well as the Yeshiva, do not exist anymore, the old building was raised and a new multi-storeyed building was built (2007) at the same spot which is residential in nature. Only a marble plaque at the basement reminds one of its original past.

Sha’areh Rasone (Shaare Rason) Prayer Hall

English Translation = Gates of Acceptance
Year of Construction = 1933
Year of Closure = 1963
Address = 6 – 1 Sudder Street, Kolkata 700016
Timings = N/A
Photography = From the main street you can photograph the exterior face of the building

This blog had been written a long time back but the reason that I did not publish it because there was no concrete information available about this prayer hall. Most of the existing information that was present online had some errors and the same errors were being replicated from article to article. The challenge was to find something new about this prayer hall. First of all, I needed to know its exact address and secondly the name of the person who originally built it.

Across various articles, the only location that was mentioned was that it was located somewhere near the Sudder Street and Free School Street (Mirza Ghalib Street) crossing. After running from pillar to post still no one had the answer. To track down the original residents of all the houses that existed on Sudder Street I had to individually dig into the history of ownership of each of the properties and that is how I was able to narrow it down to three properties. The second phase involved in tracking relatives of those people who once lived in those houses. This is how I was able to track down Professor Léo-Paul Dana who currently resides in Christchurch – New Zealand. He happed to once speak to one of the homeowners a couple of decades back and the prayer hall was in the next door.

I had to photograph each door and window of these houses and email to the professor who was finally able to narrow it down. Thus the location was finally sorted out.

The next challenge to find the real name of the person who established the prayer hall which was just mentioned as A Levroy. The problem was that there seems to be a spelling mistake in the surname it actually should be Leveroy with an “E” and not Levroy and the second was to retrieve what “A” would stand for. In most probability, the name would have been Alroy Judah Leveroy. As per burial records at the Jewish Cemetery at Narkeldanga, only one Leveroy is buried in the city who is Alroy Judah Leveroy.

Sha’areh Rasone or Shaare Rason prayer hall was established in the year 1933 mainly because there was a few Jewish family living around Sudder Street and Free School Street. If you look at the Thackers Directory of that era you would surely find many Jewish surnames and for these people, it was always not feasible to travel to one of the three synagogues instead it was easy for them to walk down their neighbourhood and perform prayers. These Jewish families also had businesses around New Market and Park Street which was another reason for them not to venture out from a certain periphery.

The next bit of the puzzle was to find out when it was shut down. The only available information was this prayer hall was shut down when the Hacham/Hakham (Torah Scholar) of this place Abraham Silas left for the UK. I had to somehow track down family members of Abraham Silas and I managed to track Shelly Silas who herself is an author based out of UK. After a quick exchange of emails, I came to know that Rabbi Simon Silas who is the son of Abraham Silas is based out of UK and would have this piece of information.

With further information from him, it was clearly established that Abraham Silas left for the UK in the year 1963 so that year the prayer hall ceased to exist.

I have tried my best to get all the information as correct as possible. If however, you find any discrepancies please feel free to get in touch me. If you have any information which you think can make this blog post better then please do share.

References Used

Thacker’s India Directory 1935

Entrepreneurship and Religion by Professor Léo-Paul Dana

Origin and the History of the Calcutta Jews by Isaac S Abraham

British Library UK