Jews history in tanah abang jakarta

Not many people know, actually first Jew ever fertile in Jakarta. One is in the area of ​​Tanah Abang. Traces of Jewish heritage is still there today, in the form of five old tomb in the General Cemetery (TPU) Petamburan.

"If people here say, Block Jewish cemetery," said Herman, a man 35 years of daily work as cleaners TPU Petamburan, Jalan KS Tubun, Tanah Abang, Tuesday.

At first glance it is like a cemetery headstone gravestone people in general, and does not appear if it contains the body of a Jew. However, if approached, the headstone there Daud star symbol. Among the five tombs were also there which uses the Hebrew language, everyday language used by the Jews in Israel.

If in view of the cemetery in five graves were indeed quite long. There are two grave with the inscription 1940 written on a tombstone. There also died two days before Indonesia's independence. "Maybe he's a fighter," said Herman, pointing August 15, 1945 which stated on another tombstone.

According to Herman, has long been the tombs of the Jews was never beheld his family. Finally, he recalled in 2008 there was a family ever came to visit the tomb. "The family is almost never a pilgrimage baseball here. Ever 2008 here," said Herman.

Somewhat difficult indeed to find the Jews settled in Jakarta, but the historian Jakarta, Alwi Shahab, said if the presence of Jews in this country, especially in Jakarta is already long. According to him, they came was brought by the Dutch colonists.

Of most Jews were brought by the Dutch, some are becoming merchants, soldiers and others as workers or laborers. "In the past many shops Jews in Juanda," said Abah Alwi, greeting familiar mobile Alwi Shahab through Monday.

Jews in Jakarta, Alwi Shahab continue, once they mingle with people with different religions in Jakarta. They live in harmony and mutual tolerance. Moreover, the Jews saw the blood of the Muslims is a prophet.

Assimilation of the Jews with the people in Jakarta is not without cause. Most of them face as Arabs and able to master the Arabic language fluently. "When they first opened," said Abah Alwi.

According to historical records, the Jews had been in Indonesia since 1290. The Jews were the first to explore Indonesia is a merchant of Fustat, Egypt. The number of Jews continue to increase with the opening lines of spices from the archipelago in the early 16th century.

The Jews came to Indonesia with a Portuguese merchant ship boarded, then became part of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the Dutch West Indian Company (WIC), which began to open a branch in the Dutch East Indies.

It may be that the Jews are buried in the cemetery Petamburan has long been settled in Jakarta. In addition to visits from the death, TPU Petamburan is also one of the old cemetery in Jakarta. "This tomb since the Dutch colonial era," said Herman, insisting if the first is the original ancestor Tanah Abang.


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