Yaheh Hallegua
Encyclopedia
Yaheh Hallegua is the youngest female Paradesi Jew
in Cochin, Kerala
, south India
, and indeed the only Cochin Jew
of childbearing age. She is employed as a ticket-seller in the Paradesi Synagogue
, handling the thousands of tourists' 2 rupee
entrance fees and "periodically shrilling instructions to cover their bare shoulders, or brusquely turning away those who disrespectfully wore above-the-knee skirts or shorts." She has been identified as being "notoriously frosty with visitors."
Her refusal to marry one of her cousins
and thus help perpetuate the community has resulted in the accusation that, "the end of thousands of years of Jewish history rests on [her] head." In turn, this allegation has been decried as "emotional blackmail
," and Yaheh's position referred to as "a uniquely lonely existence."
where she now has three sons, and her uncle Sammy served as warden to the Paradesi Synagogue until his death in 2009. Sammy and his wife Queenie – whose father was Sattu Koder, a prosperous businessman – were considered to be the 'First Couple' of the remaining Paradesi Jews (or 'White Jews'), and lived in Mattancherry
, very close to Yaheh, who still resides with her parents. Johnny Hallegua is involved in the administration of the Synagogue.
Yaheh has an aunt named Blossom Hallegua, who is bedridden and cared for by her sons Keith and Len, considered "the last eligible 'young men' left in Synagogue Lane." However, they are both very retiring characters, Keith having been a wealthy businessman in control of a travel agency
but abandoning the enterprise on the unexpected receipt of family money, and neither are regular synagogue attenders. Yaheh has repeatedly refused marriage with the pair: "she is not keen on either of them," and this has been said to guarantee the extinction of the Cochin Jews "within a few decades."
Yaheh's only known hobby is the care of her pet dog Baby Doll.
Paradesi Jews
Paradesi Jews are a community of Sephardic Jews settled among the larger Cochin Jewish community located in Kerala, a coastal southern state...
in Cochin, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, south India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and indeed the only Cochin Jew
Cochin Jews
Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews , are the oldest group of Jews in India, with roots claimed to date to the time of King Solomon, though historically attested migration dates from the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Historically, they lived in the Kingdom of Cochin in South India, now part of the...
of childbearing age. She is employed as a ticket-seller in the Paradesi Synagogue
Paradesi Synagogue
The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin...
, handling the thousands of tourists' 2 rupee
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
entrance fees and "periodically shrilling instructions to cover their bare shoulders, or brusquely turning away those who disrespectfully wore above-the-knee skirts or shorts." She has been identified as being "notoriously frosty with visitors."
Her refusal to marry one of her cousins
Cousin marriage
Cousin marriage is marriage between two cousins. In various jurisdictions and cultures, such marriages range from being considered ideal and actively encouraged, to being uncommon but still legal, to being seen as incest and legally prohibited....
and thus help perpetuate the community has resulted in the accusation that, "the end of thousands of years of Jewish history rests on [her] head." In turn, this allegation has been decried as "emotional blackmail
Emotional blackmail
Emotional blackmail is a term used to cover a central form of psychological manipulation - 'the use of a system of threats and punishment on a person by someone close to them in an attempt to control their behavior'. "Emotional blackmail.....
," and Yaheh's position referred to as "a uniquely lonely existence."
Family and refusal to marry
Born to Johnny and Juliette Hallegua, her "beautiful" elder sister has emigrated to IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
where she now has three sons, and her uncle Sammy served as warden to the Paradesi Synagogue until his death in 2009. Sammy and his wife Queenie – whose father was Sattu Koder, a prosperous businessman – were considered to be the 'First Couple' of the remaining Paradesi Jews (or 'White Jews'), and lived in Mattancherry
Mattancherry
Mattancherry is the western part of city of Kochi, India. It is said that the name Mattancherry is drawn from "Ancherry Mattam", a Namboodiri illam which then the foreign traders pronounced it as Matt-Ancherry, gradually became Mattancherry. It is about 9 km from Ernakulam town. There are...
, very close to Yaheh, who still resides with her parents. Johnny Hallegua is involved in the administration of the Synagogue.
Yaheh has an aunt named Blossom Hallegua, who is bedridden and cared for by her sons Keith and Len, considered "the last eligible 'young men' left in Synagogue Lane." However, they are both very retiring characters, Keith having been a wealthy businessman in control of a travel agency
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
but abandoning the enterprise on the unexpected receipt of family money, and neither are regular synagogue attenders. Yaheh has repeatedly refused marriage with the pair: "she is not keen on either of them," and this has been said to guarantee the extinction of the Cochin Jews "within a few decades."
Yaheh's only known hobby is the care of her pet dog Baby Doll.