At home in Kochi (Cochin), I was born to a Jewish doctor named Dr. Koder in 1950 (the youngest of five siblings). He was also a dentist, ran a general store, and was in charge of the synagogue, too.
Kochi is a city in India. The Dutch built my house there and it still stands today. It is now being used as a homestay for people to stay. Cochin was a great place to grow up because of its lush backwaters, Chinese fishnets, and long, sandy beaches with lots of room to play.
For centuries, the Jewish synagogue in Kochi, which was built in 1568 AD, has been a sign of how people have lived together. The Kochi rulers are to blame for India having the fourth-largest Jewish community in Asia because they were willing to let people come and go. The synagogue has scrolls of the Old Testament and copper plates that show that the Kochi rulers gave the synagogue a lot of power.
Source: https://www.jewishlives.nz/our-people/rachel-israel-a-jewish-indian-kiwi
