Judaism in Kerala

The history of the first Jewish diaspora in Kerala or Kerala’s exposure to Judaism or, to put it even more differently, the story of the granting of asylum to the Jews in Kerala is a long and interesting one. It is not always supported by authentic records and, precisely for that reason, speculations abound about the exact time of the arrival of the Jews on the western shores of the southernmost part of India. According to some historians, the first Jews to reach Kerala were traders. They came during the time of King Solomon, that is, more than 2,000 years back.