The Lone Jew of Chennai in Tamil Nadu Struggles to Secure a Spot in India's Historical Landscape

David Levi, the self-proclaimed last Jew in Chennai, India, is determined to preserve the culture and history of his community. Levi, who left India for Germany in 2020 due to security reasons, comes from a long line of the Levi family, which has Portuguese roots and has been living in Chennai for over 10 generations. His great-grandparents were tragically killed during the Holocaust, but his grandfather later returned to India. Levi has taken it upon himself to document the history of his family and other Jews who once lived in Chennai on his Facebook page. Now, he is requesting that the archaeology department of Tamil Nadu take over his family's artifacts, which include sacred Jewish texts, utensils used in religious rituals, and items from a demolished synagogue. Tamil Nadu officials are currently considering Levi's request, and the verification process could take up to a year. The artifacts could offer valuable insights into the lesser-known side of Jewish immigration and India's Jewish community, which mainly settled in Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately, much of their history is disappearing, with only a few remaining synagogues in Kerala and none in Tamil Nadu. Levi hopes that by preserving these artifacts, India can honor and remember the history of its Jewish community.