Jewish Sites in Karachi

In the 1920s and 30s, the Edward House was the place to be in Karachi. More specifically, the Café Grand, located on the ground floor of the immense building constructed by Iraqi Jewish architect Moses Somake. Run by confectioner Herbert Cumper, Café Grand was a ritzy, jazzy venue known for its delectable menu and frequented by Karachi’s most famous artists and writers.1 The café closed decades ago, and these days the building now houses offices, shops, and a few residential blocks. Until 2000, one of Café Grand’s signs remained on the building, a last reminder of former glories.2
Moses Somake Although Moses Somake’s buildings are among the most famous and recognizable in Karachi, little is known about the architect who designed them. Somake was born on June 6, 1875, possibly in Lahore. Sources describe him as an Iraqi Jew, but differ as to whether he was born in Iraq or was of Iraqi heritage but born in India. He spent most of his life in Karachi before emigrating to England in the mid 1940s, and died on April 6, 1947.3 During his years in Karachi he designed over a dozen buildings, including mansions, hotels, and a mosque that was never built.4 Many of the buildings still remain: some, including the Karachi Goan Association Hall and the BVS Parsi School, still fulfill their original purpose, while others are neglected or have fallen into disuse. Even the buildings that are virtually abandoned are still recognized as some of Karachi’s most beautiful and striking landmarks, emblematic of a style described as “hauntingly beautiful”.5 Somake’s buildings preserve the past through their uses as well as their designs, recalling the greater religious diversity that existed in Karachi in the early 20th century, when a Jewish architect could be commissioned to design a mosque, a building for a predominantly Christian club, and a school for Zoroastrian students.