Chendamangalam Synagogue
The Chendamangalam Synagogue (Malayalam: ചേന്ദമംഗലം ജൂതപള്ളി) (Hebrew; בית הכנסת צ'נמנגלם) is one of the oldest known synagogues built by the Malabar Jews, in Chendamangalam, a village in the Ernakulam district of the coastal state of Kerala. It is dated to 1100 A.D., though the synagogue structure itself dates to 1420 A.D or 1614 A.D., making it the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations. A tombstone recovered from Kodungallur was stored in this synagogue and is presently on display in the front yard. This tombstone with the inscription of Sarah Bat Israel is the oldest Jewish epitaph found in India, dating to 1269 A.D.
| Chendamangalam Synagogue
בית הכנסת צ'נמנגלם ചേന്ദമംഗലം ജൂതപള്ളി | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Status | Kerala Jews Lifestyle Museum |
| Location | |
| Location | Chendamangalam, Kerala |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 10.1797°N 76.2097°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Synagogue |
| Style | Cochin Jewish Architecture Portuguese colonial architecture |
| Completed | 1420 A.D |
| Direction of façade | South |
After the entire congregation made aliyah to Israel in the 1950s, the synagogue was defunct for decades. Today it serves as a Kerala Jews Lifestyle Museum for the Muziris Project, a conservation project by the Government of Kerala. The synagogue is open to visitors from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays.