Grave photos added to 2007 post

Go to the Archive for 2007:

TUESDAY, MARCH 06, 2007

Jewish Gravestones in Kanatte

Who is this man - Prashan Rodrigo?

The Island Newspaper, 13/01/2010, p 4.

Who is this man - Prashan Rodrigo?

This blog has no association with the site Sri LankanJewish run by Deshamanya Bastian Koralalage Jude Quintus Prashan Rodrigo.

There are Youtube clips of this man's book launch. He says some unusual things about Jews , some which gets lost in the quality of English syntax used. Any information would be great - the blog is plural, but I am careful that we have 'legitimate' information here?

The Island Newspaper, 17/12/2009, p. 2.

Conservative/Masorti Tradition teshuvot on ‘Jewish identity’

The Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative/Masorti Tradition has published a teshuvot on ‘Jewish identity’ that maybe useful to blog readers of Sri Lankan Jewish origin who wish to claim / consider recognition. Remember this does not apply to orthodox tradition, which would appear to only offer ‘conversion’ as an option (if you do not have documents). In either case, you should consult with a Rabbi (more than one possibility) for guidance:

http://rabbinicalassembly.org/sites/default/files/public/halakhah/teshuvot/2011-2020/JewishIdentity6.2011.pdf

A mystery Cigarette Card sent to me by Rabbi Mendi Crombie. Here's the fruit of my enquiry thus far. Of course answers provoke even more questions:

This card was produced in 1889 by the Duke Cigarette Company and is called a "cigarette cards". The actress on the card is Belle Urquhart (1881 - 1882) and the card is from a series called Actor & Actresses Series #1.

This actress is obviously modelling what they believe to be the clothing of Jewish women in Ceylon in the 1880's. What unclear - is why choose clothing from Ceylon and (Jewish at that?). Is this representation of fashion based on reality - stories of travellers or, is it a fantasy that is a part some theatrical drama? It seems strange that the company picked an Island where Jews supposedly were so few in number to even be noticed?

Lost in Kandy ... A Passing Encounter

I received this email from a blog reader "JP", and he has agreed to have me share it with you. Obviously the encounter took place in the early 1980's. The Jewish man concerned may not be alive - any update to this story please add them to the comments below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I came across your blog and thought to share my anecdotal experience with respect to jews in sri lanka as to this day it remains a unique event in my life.

Upon graduating university in 1982 I set out on backpacking journey that took me through the south pacific, australia, and ultimately into Indonesia and asia.  After about a year and a half into my journey I found myself in Sri Lanka.Though I landed in Colombo, the only thing I can remember about the city is the dusty bus station that took me immediately out into the countryside.  I moved from beach to beach around the perimeter of the island until I finally decided to head inland toward Kandy. 

Whatever vestiges of western clothing and look i had at the time I left los angeles had long been discarded by the time I reached Kandy.   My hair was to my back, my skin dark, and my clothing was local shorts and sandals.  I share this only to say that there was nothing about my appearance that would give much about me away.  In fact, all throughout this part of world, “travelers” like myself were relatively common and we looked like each other more than anyone else from anyplace else.

During afternoons in Kandy there would be a procession of people making offerings of flowers and incense in the local temple.  People would line up, there coal black faces contrasted against their traditional white wraps.  I enjoyed this and like other travelers would join in this and other local customs.One afternoon, no different than any other, I was in line waiting my turn to bring  flowers into the temple when a very old man approached me.  Like every other Sri Lankan, he was dressed in white, his skin as dark as coal, yet there was still something different about his look. 

Sri Lankans had for the most part very consistent facial features, large brown eyes, oval yet defined facial structure, average noses.  This man’s face was far more angular, with a nose my uncle larry would be proud of.  He looked for all intents and purpose like an extraordinarily tan version of one of the old guys from my father’s golf club.

You see, I’m jewish, and I know an old Jew when I see one, heck I grew up around them.  To be clear, my nose is small, I am tall and athletic, and there was nothing about my outward appearance that would suggest religion at all.  What was amazing is that this very old Sri Lankan came up to me and the first words he said to me, in thick sri lankan accent was, “I know your jewish, right?” 

“Right”, I responded, though completely dumbfounded.  “How did you know?” I asked.

“I just know.  I am too.  Can you help me?”  He asked.

“How?” I asked.

He asked if when I went back home if I could arrange for Torah the Talmud to be sent to him and his people.  That they did not have them and that they’re Jewish tradition was passed along orally.  He told me that he and his family had lived there for hundreds of years. Tears formed in his eyes as he shared stories with me and about the excitement of getting the books he had long hoped form  He gave me the address where  to send it and left.

When I returned to the U.S. I had spent so much time in and out of South East Asia, going back and forth between countries that the customs officials viewed my with caution and went through every micro possession I had including giving me a strip search.  By the time I collected everything, left the airport, and finally unpacked I realized to my sadness that the slip of paper with the address on it had gotten lost.

I went to my families’ temple to inquire about jewish community in sri lanka and sending what I had promised.  I was told that there is no indigenous jewish community to contact and that the only jews to speak of are the ex-pats from Israel, America, Australia, etc.  I explained that there is a historical community there, but no one here had any knowledge of it.

It was my hope to fly back and fulfill my promise, however, very shortly after my return to the states the conflict with the tamils really erupted which lasted until now.  I found your blog because the event still resonates with me and  I would still love to fulfill my promise if it’s needed, but even now in 2010 there little if anything that can be found written or mentioned about a group of people I know are there.   Hopefully this story finds you and you find it interesting.

Secrets of Ceylon: What happened to the Jews of Sri Lanka, from Asian Jewish Life, Issue 6, 2011

Andrew Harris' latest piece. I think Andrew has diplomatically covered many of the complex issues.
Here's the link:
http://asianjewishlife.org/pages/articles/AJL_Issue_6/AJL_Feature_Ceylon_Sri_Lanka.html

Wikipedia post on Sidney Abrahams has an error: Correction here

Sidney Abrahams  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Abrahams

Sidney Abrahams, Chief Justice  was married in 1914 to Ruth Bowman and had two children, Valerie, and my husband Anthony.  There was indeed another Sidney Abrahams married to Rebecca Berkon, but this was not the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka.

Information supplied by Elizabeth Abrahams

Albert Einstein visited Ceylon

Albert Einstein visited Colombo Ceylon on the way to Japan during 28-30 October 1922. Any newspaper details would gratefully received.

Back Online

I have finally recovered my email address jewsinsrilanka@gmail.com and have been wading thru spam and correspondence. I have some leads to follow up and will in the next week or so upload new posts (I promise!).
However I should say what I am/this blog is NOT: I am not an accommodation finder nor a living person searcher. If you want details about shul activities currently in Sri Lanka, Rabbi Mendi from Chabad Sri Lanka is the best to contact.

I cannot undertake personal genealogical searches for you or give verifying information as the whether you ancestor is a Jew or not. I may because other people read this blog put up your information because often this involves piecing material together. Because people are not told about their religious pasts, and there are many myths ... I have learnt that nothing is certain. This is a big issue in proving one's Jewish status, like myself you probably don't have any papers/records -- that's what colonisation does, it destroys lineages. I will write more about this soon as there are some sections of Judaism that now recognise this important excluded group.

needles in the haystack

Looking for Sri Lankan's of Jewish descent or Jew's with Sri Lankan descent is a slow mining activity. Even when people "come out" they often wish to remain underground! Even Chabad who have set up in Sri Lanka have not had much contact with Sri Lankan Jews as such - there main constituency being Israeli's, expats etc (not that thats bad). I am wondering how it is possible to create a safe space for individuals exploring their heritage and religious beliefs can meet without expectations? There is by the way a group on Facebook: Jewish and Asian: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2205164688 - worth joining but that is a public group. In my own case, despite coming from a recognised jewish family (the van Dort's) I need to convert for recognition under Jewish law, as there are too many broken records and missing links. Bummer really! I will be undergoing this process this year (and it can take years). Please email me if you have any more information jewsinsrilanka@gmail.com

Updates etc

It's been some time since I have put a post on this blog. I have returned to Australia and am awaiting confirmation about my Sri Lankan citizenship. G-d willing, all will be well. Speak of which, I have been unwell since contracting dysentery in the June Colombo floods, one thing after another. I have been asked about my research on Jews in SL up until 1949. The article was sent to 2 Jewish journals and REJECTED ... I am used to sending in pieces and so was surprised. Usually one is asked to undertake revisions. I believe that there is a level of politics involved here. One aspect involves possible claims to another lost group of Jews in Sri Lanka (we all are aware of the Indian controversies), the other concerns "evidence", "proofs" etc - a very difficult point for underground communities and the destruction of historical materials, which I might add is not unusual in the Sri Lankan situation. Another fine point is that my piece is not arguing for the existence of a community as such, but it about identifying Jewish "presence" - these are not the same. Enough of gripes, I will submit the piece in modified form to an intercultural journal. Meanwhile Chabad Sri Lanka have kindly hosted the paper on their web site.

Great News - Chabad has an Official Presence in Sri Lanka

http://www.chabadsrilanka.com/

First Jewish center in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka too was placed on the map On November 2005, when Rabbi Mendi & Mrs. Talia Crombie arrived on the island to establish a Sri Lankan Jewish center for the first time in history. From November 2005 to April 2006 the Chabad house operated at the Hikkaduwa resort, where hundreds of Israeli surfers come for holiday. During those months the Chabad house held Evening activities, Shabbat dinners and Holiday activities on Chanukah and Purim. In the following months the activity expanded to Jews living in the capital of Colombo and gatherings began to be held for them also, mostly on holidays.n April, the Chabad House was permanently situated in Colombo in order to establish a Jewish community there and to provide Jewish necessities for the Jews living in the city and for businessmen and tourists who visit it.Within a short period of time, the Jews living in Colombo were forged into a vibrant active community. The activity included gatherings on Shabbat and Holidays and many Jewish related activities for adults and children. The peak was in the Yom Kippur prayers held at the Hilton hotel, with all of the community members participating. This was the first time Sri Lanka saw a Jewish Minyan in High Holidays prayer. Chabad House also became an address for Jews visiting Sri Lanka and are looking for Kosher food and other Jewish services.We are now working G-d willing to establish a Jewish Center in cooperation with Ascent of Zefat. The center will include a Synagogue, a Mikva, a Kosher Restaurant and a library. We are also working to complete the writing of a book of Torah.Let's be partners, and may the almighty bless you and bestow upon you goodness both physically and spiritually from his ever full hand.

In U.S.A: 170 College Ave. New Brunswich, New Jersey. 08901

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Ascent of Zefat - CSL Project.

Tax ID#: 11-2879462

In Canada: Ascent, 20 Shenstone Rd., willowdale, ON M2R 3B5

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Ascent of Zefat - CSL Project.

In Israel: 221/11 Kiryat Chabad, Tzfat. 13410

In U.K: 3 Sunny Gardens Parade, London NW4 1JA, Charity #: 328625 (please send us your gift aid form).

For Tax Deductible donations please write checks for: Friends of Ascent – CSL Project.

The Strange World of Statistics - lies, secrets and silences

I finally purchase an old book by Michael Roberts (1989) "People in Between", you don't see it in the shelves much these days. I came across a list drawn from the 1871 census in Colombo/coffee estates listing Nationalities, p 202. :

According to this list there was ONE Jew in Colombo/Coffee estates and she was FEMALE!!!!!!!!!!

There are other listings for nationality - Pole, Portuguese etc. Mmm, so we know there were others - they ended up in the cemetery! (to be blunt). Maybe they decided being Jewish, is not a nationality , which is true and they are correctly represented under other nationalities. Don't always believe what you see.

Jewish Gravestones in Kanatte

Today (6th March 2007) in the heat a friend and I walked through the Kanatte (Borella) cemetery. After showing mock pictures of Jewish graves stones - I have found 4 verified Jewish graves. So much for there not being Jews in Sri Lanka!!!!!!!!! I will be entering the data on the International Jewish Cemeteries Web site. For security reasons, to prevent these graves being desecrated I will not reveal on this site complex details. I can tell you there is [surnames deleted]... (all with Hebrew inscriptions, which need to be translated) and a [surnames deleted] ... (came via China) - all are early to mid 1800's. There are others - but their status is speculative at this point in time. A fruitful day indeed!

Update 2011: here are some photos. I have not identified where they are from, not to who's graves they are for security reasons.

Inscription of the Grave above.

A Quicky - Getting there with the research

I have nearly finished my article for publication in a journal - and will make it available online once it has been submitted to a journal. Unfortunately there are issues with people copying people's work, so one has to be careful. I have not had much luck with substantiating the matter of the building called "The Synagogue" - so will have to do some archival research. I will be putting in an advert in the English paper "The Daily News" to see if I get any responses. I do have some good historical material which is strong up till the British time. The British period at this stage is filled with colonials who came and went - and not so much on a community as such. The research conditions are a little difficult as there is some tension around the Israeli issue. Sri Lanka has broken off relations with Israel in the late 1960's and has resumed them in an offshore arrangment- does anyone have any information on this. The SL govt I understand buys Israeli military hardware.

I've arrived and open a book with a chapter on Sri Lankan Jews

I've arrived in Colombo (Jan 6, 2007) and will use the opportunity to visit gravesites and generally sniff around. But, a great surprise today - J. B. Mullers new book "The Burghers" has a chapter, yes a chapter called " Semitic Ancestors" on Sephardi Jews in Sri Lanka, Complete with family names. I will create a PDF version of this chapter soon. I am very excited because I had a email from Dr Nathan Katz who is an expert on Indo_ Jews and has lived in SL, but did not have lots of information.

De Worms Family : Rothchild Estate

I have come across an interesting report on the Worms brothers activities in the Rothchild estate in Ceylon:
http://www.rothschildarchive.org/ib/articles/AR2004ceylon.pdf

Responses Update

First, I would like to say thanks to all those people who emailed me on the web and directly. Your enthusiasm has been encouraging. The feedback has ranged from passing in anecdotal information about Jewish families and places to statements that there has never been a Jew in Sri Lanka … except jesus!?! I have also sent a Press release out to both Jewish and Sri Lankan web sources. I thought I would feedback some of the information – so the search and sharing continues ………. I have in most cases delated names for privacy reasons. If you are happy to be known, with or without contact details, let me know:

“ …do have one Jewish surname that I happen to know of and may help you add to your rich research - and that is the name HARMON or perhaps later changed to HERMON. I used to know a lady by the name of {…..} (nee Harmon) … (later married {……}) and they went as Dutch Burghers, who told me that they were from a Jewish family and went on to explain briefly about the Harmon name being changed to Hermon”.

“Nyanaponika Maha Thera, who was born in Hanau, Germany on July 21, 1901 as Siegmund Feniger, the only child of a Jewish family. He died 19th Oct 1994 in the Udawattekelle Forest Reserve, Kandy”.

“there must have been a significant community at one time--mostly pre 1939, I think, as on the main rd out of Colombo, to the South (Galle Rd but that bit is known as Kollupitiya Rd ) about a mile from the former central business district, is a house named "The Synagogue" from the days when it was used as such. I lived almost opposite that house from 1964 to 1973, when I came to Australia”.

“Family hearsay has it that there were Jewish families in Moratuwa”.

“Joe Simpson has posted more information on Justice Sidney Abrahams. I will upload the photo of him”.

Update 2011:
Since writing this, I have been forwarded to pictures taken in March 1966 by Zeev Raphael of the 'house' at 136 Galle Rd,Colombo 3:

“The Synagogue” ~ A house of Worship, just a house (or both) – or a Red Herring?

Fazli writes “The Synagogue – The house occupied for many years by Peter de Saram, a Retired Korale Mudaliyar at Galle Road (Sea-Side) Kollupitiya” . This is also referenced in M. Herath. (2004 ) Colonial Kollupitiya and Its Environs, Lions Club of Colombo, p 141. Is this the same building mentioned by Cecil Wikramanayake in “Jews of Old Ceylon” (reproduced as a Blog). The location appears to be similar – maybe the inscription that Cecil alluded to could tell us more. Was the building named The Synagogue because its style was believed to resemble such a building? Was it previously used for religious purposes? Walter Fischel again suggests in the Indian situation only very large Jewish communities had synagogues – most did not. So the non-existence of a religious building does not mean that there was not an observant community in SL. Any comments – can anyone photo the building and/or the inscription? Send it to me and I’ll post it up.

Drawing Inferences from work of Walter J. Fischel on the Jewish Asian Diaspora

Notes derived from 2 pieces by Fischel:

• Leading Jews in the Service of Portuguese India, The Jewish Quarterly Review, 47(1), 37 - 57, year 1956 ; and
• The Indian Archives: a Source for the History of the Jews of Asia,The Jewish Quarterly Review, 57: 192 - 209, year 1967.

Ceylon is explicitly mentioned as part of a hub of Jewish activities and settlement from 16th cent. onwards. This is significant as usually India stands in for all south asia countries. Fischel mentions that the Jewish communities of Cochin, Bombay etc "are actually the remnants of survivors of a once much wider extent of the Jewish diaspora" (195).

There is a need to guard against assuming that persons bearing certain names of Jewish resemblance as actually Jewish. Merchants working under the various companies VOC, EIC required to register their religious background, ethnic/national affiliation. Common names to look for "joodsche coopman", "judeo", "a jew", "a hebrew", "de raca judaica" etc. Fischel also notes that in the 16th century Jews were employed by the Portuguese as letter carriers, translators, agents. I wonder whether these people travelled to Ceylon or indeed were employed by the Portuguese in Ceylon in a similiar capacity?

Fischel reiterates that the study of Jews in South Asia needs to be correlated with world Jewish history. Despite the fact that the Portuguese used Goa (India) as the base for the launching of the Jesuit missionising activity/and the Inquisition - that Jews nonetheless were valued for their intercultural skills and gained prominance in public life.

Finally, notes for any research:
There is a need to examine Jewish Internal records, e.g. (a) ketuboth (marriage contracts), (b) Mazaboth (Tombstone inscriptions) and (c) Zevaoth (last Wills). Let's go rushing off to the cemetary! Any Jewish burial grounds at Borella????? Fischel indicates that examining marriage contracts have no been that fruitful as most merchants were either lifelong bachelors or 'intermarried' with local (indigenous) women and thus erased from official records.