KOCHI: Kerala's once vibrant Jewish community has dwindled to just one person following the death of Queenie Hallegua at the age of 89 at her residence at Mattancherry in Kochi on Sunday.
Following her death, Queenie's nephew Keith I Hallegua(65) remains the sole representative of the Paradesi 'White' Jews of European or Middle-Eastern blood.
The Jewish history in Kerala which dates back to 68 AD was thriving in the 1950s when the Fort Kochi's Jew Street and nearby areas had around 3,000 Jews though many emigrated to the Jewish homeland when the State of Israel was created in 1948.
Queenie belongs to the Koder family. Her father was the late S Koder. She was born in a very rich family and used to live at the Koder house at Fort Kochi. Her house has now turned into a hotel.
Queenie married Samuel Hallegua and has two children, both of them are settled in America. Samuel and Queenie used to go to Israel and America every year. But, after the death of her husband, Queenie rarely travelled abroad.
In an interview with the TNIE way back in 2017, Queenie expressed her love for Kochi. “This is my ancestors’ land. I belong here. I want to be buried near my husband,” she said. Queenie had been always eager to share her knowledge about the Jewish culture and traditions.
According to M C Praveen, caretaker of Paradesi Synagogue, Queenie was the warden and managing trustee of the paradesi synagogue from 2012 to 2018. She was also the managing partner of S Koder private limited until 2011.
The funeral will be held later on Sunday at the Jewish cemetery near the paradesi synagogue in Mattancherry.
Queenie wished to be buried near husband
Samuel and Queenie used to go to Israel and the US every year. But after her husband’s death, Queenie rarely travelled abroad. The last trip she took was to the US nearly two years ago. In an interview to TNIE in 2017, Queenie had expressed her love for Kochi.
“This is my ancestors’ land. I belong here. I want to be buried near my husband,” she had said.
Queenie had been always eager to share her knowledge about the Jewish culture and traditions. According to M C Praveen, caretaker of the Paradesi Synagogue, Queenie was the warden and managing trustee of the Paradesi Synagogue from 2012 to 2018.
Writing about Queenie on his Facebook page, historian Saju Chelangad said, “She was Cherthala taluk’s biggest landowner. The name Queenie Hallegua appears on several pages in the document registers of village offices including Kadakkarapalli and Pattanakkad. Even today, there are hundreds of acres of paddy fields in the Vettakkal area alone in the name of Queenie who laid the foundation of the agricultural sector in Cherthala taluk.”
Some of the members of the Hallegua family were among the planners of Muttam, the commercial hub of Cherthala town, he wrote.
The funeral was held at the Jewish cemetery near the Paradesi Synagogue in Mattanchery.
