Roof of Jewish synagogue in Mala, Thrissur collapses

Thrissur: The roof of the Jewish synagogue in Mala collapsed on Wednesday night. Visitors were present at the site until late evening yesterday. It is alleged that the Mala panchayat ignored a report submitted by the assistant engineer of the panchayat, warning that the building was in a dangerous condition and should not be opened to the public. The building had undergone renovation last year.

The synagogue in Mala holds significant historical importance. It is believed to have been built in 1930 and had reportedly faced attacks by Tipu Sultan's army during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. When the Jewish community in Mala began migrating to Israel, the synagogue building was handed over to the Mala Grama Panchayat.

In 1954, the building came under the panchayat's administration. It was initially used as a panchayat hall and was later converted into a Jewish museum. Currently, the building is under the jurisdiction of the Tourism Department.