Queenie Hallegua, Kochi's last Jewish woman, passes away

KOCHI: Queenie Hallegua, the last woman in the lineage of Kochi’s Paradesi Jewish community, died on Sunday. She was 89. She died at her home in Mattancherry. Queenie's nephew, Keith Hallegua, will thus remain as the last remaining Jew in Kochi.

Queenie was born in Fort Kochi as the daughter of S. Koder, a wealthy industrialist who also showed his mettle in operating Kochi's boat service. She later married Samuel Hallegua, a landlord within the Koder family. The family lived in Chertala Vettackal for a long time. Till 2018, she was the managing trustee and warden of the Mattancherry Jewish Synagogue.

The funeral was held on Sunday evening at the cemetery near the Mattanchery Jewish Synagogue. Children: Dr. David Hallegua (Los Angeles) and Fiona Hallegua (New York).