Kochi was once home to a thriving Jewish population. But since 1948 they began migrating to their promised land Israel which has led to the gradual decrease in their population. It is believed that the forefathers of Malabari Jews were from Babylon who initially settled in Muzris which then was a happening international port. Once the port was destructed by a flood, a group migrated and settled in Kochi. Malabari Jews were primarily a trading community. The role that they played in developing Ernakulam into a trading hub is pivotal. The wholesalers in the Ernakulam market, till date, use Hebrew numerals for business communication which is a reminder of a strong Jewish influence.
It is said that the older generation of Malbari Jews in Kochi, apart from Hebrew, Aramaic the language which is said to have used by Jesus Christ. This claim might well have been true especially with the evident Aramaic influence in their traditional songs. Numerous Malabari Jewish Synagogues, the proud representatives of a bygone era, are now in a state of abandonment and subjected to encroachments and unscientific renovations