Judith, a member of Brondesbury Park Synagogue in north-west London said: “Eight years ago we took Shem to India and we travelled around the South Indian state of Kerala.
“We knew we wanted to spend Simcha Torah in Kochi at the Paradesi Synagogue.
“Shem fell in love with India and the Paradesi shul and asked us to come back to celebrate his bar mitzvah.”
The Paradesi synagogue in Kochi, Kerala (Alamy)
The shul’s rabbi, Yonatan Goldschmit, flew in from Manila to perform the ceremony.
“We managed to get a minyan and had a group of about 25 guests, tourists and… local Indian Jews from the mainland [district] of Ernakulam and the one Jew left on Fort Kochi Island.
“It was such an amazing, emotional, magical and special day,” Judith said.
Shem, a former pupil at North West London Jewish Day School, was the first youngster to hold his bar mitzvah at the shul in 34 years.
His parents said the day was “even more incredible,” because their son shared the occasion with a local boy who could only have his own bar mitzvah because the Kerems were there.
Shem Kerem and Menahim Ryan Pallivathukkal, who both celebrated their bar mitzvahs in the synagogue (Judith Kerem)
Menahim Ryan Pallivathukkal, who celebrated his bar mitzvah alongside Shem, is one of only around 28 members of the Kochi Jewish community.
Speaking to The New India Express, community member Josephai Abraham said celebrations like this are few and far between in Kochi.
Shem reading during his barmitzvah
He said: “The next bar mitzvah in our community will take place [in] several years. There are not many boys in the community. The next candidate, Menahim’s younger brother, is just five. After that is my grandson who is just one-and-a-half years old.”
Judith added: “The historical and emotional significance and impact of the occasion was palpable throughout the Shabbat for both boys.
“The bonds that were created and connections that were forged between our two families will live on forever.”
