For David Hallegua, a trip back to memories and friendships on Jew Street

David Hallegua, son of Queenie Hallegua, reflects on his Kochi roots and lasting friendships before returning to the U.S.

David Hallegua, son of Queenie Hallegua, the last of the Paradesi Jewish women in Kochi who passed away a week ago, and the grandson of the iconic S. Koder, says he has more than thrice the number of friends in Kochi than in the U.S. to where he migrated soon after completing MBBS from the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 1988.

A little before he left to the airport on August 18 (Sunday) for returning to the U.S. from the house on Jew Street in Mattancherry, where he grew up, Mr. Hallegua, a rheumatologist, went back in time and spoke of fond reunions he had in Kochi during the past week, with his friends from school and college after 35 years. “During the past week, I fondly remembered my school days [he studied at St. John De Britto’s Anglo-Indian High School, Fort Kochi] when I went by bicycle to houses of friends in almost every heritage street in Mattancherry and adjacent Fort Kochi. They were many, like Elvis D’Cruz, Pankaj Asher, Mohammed Shiras and Mohammed Ansar, whom I fondly remember. Back then, there were a few students from the Jewish community also.”

“From among them, I met Pankaj, who is doing electrical business here, after over 45 years, on Sunday morning. Unlike in much of the Western world, there was no formality and the warmth of the friendship was special. The sole change was that his hair had greyed,” said Mr. Hallegua, before rushing to his house to meet traders and others from Mattancherry who arrived to convey their condolences to the Hallegua family.

The visitors included handicraft traders from Jew Town. “We will always remain indebted to the eminent Hallegua and Koder [both Jewish] families, for their ongoing efforts to maintain the cultural identity of the Mattancherry Jews and preservation of the iconic Paradesi Synagogue on Jew Street. It is due to their dedication that the renowned Mattancherry Jew Town continues to exist in its true form,” said Arafat Nazar, their representative.

Mr. Hallegua and his sister Fiona, who too had moved to the U.S., were at the bedside of their mother when she passed away peacefully on August 11. Queenie, who was managing partner of S. Koder Private Limited until 2011, had also served as the warden and managing trustee of the over-450-year-old Paradesi Synagogue on Jew Street, Mattancherry, until 2018.