Thiruvananthapuram: A Last Wish of Remembrance

Queenie Hallegua, the oldest Jewish woman in Fort Kochi, passed away at the age of 89, leaving behind a poignant final wish. She requested that her ashes be scattered at Treblinka, the notorious Nazi extermination camp from which she escaped at the tender age of nine. Treblinka, located in occupied Poland, was a site of immense suffering during World War II, and Queenie's desire reflects her deep connection to the tragic history of her family, who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Her funeral took place at a Jewish cemetery in Kochi, attended by family and two Jewish tourists visiting Fort Kochi. Queenie was the widow of Samuel H. Hallegua and the daughter of S. Koder, a notable figure credited with introducing electricity and the first boat service in Kochi, as well as establishing Kerala's first department store. She is survived by her children, Fiona and David Hallegua, who reside in the United States. With Queenie's passing, only one Paradesi Jew remains in Kochi, her 65-year-old nephew Keith I. Hellegua. After fleeing to Israel and raising her family, Queenie returned to Fort Kochi, where she became an active member of the local Jewish community, serving in the oldest synagogue. Her enduring pain over the loss of her relatives during the Holocaust drove her wish to be reunited with them in death, underscoring the lasting impact of her traumatic past.