SIGNAL on Sino-Israeli Relations in Memoriam Sidney
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Vol. 34 No. 3 A Publication of the Sino-Judaic Institute November 2019 SIGNAL on Sino-Israeli Relations In Memoriam Sidney Rittenberg By Dale Aluf 14 August 1921 – 23 August 2019 Compiled from SIGNAL Perspectives http://en.sino-israel.org/publi- Compiled from articles by Jonathan Margolis, https://www.theguard- cations/signal-perspectives/19 September and 12 July 2019 ian.com/world/2019/aug/28/sidney-rittenberg-obituary, 28 Aug 2019; Robert D. Mcfadden, New York Times, 26 August 2019; and Israel and China are peculiar partners. In almost every way, they dis- other sources. play contrasts as opposed to commonalities – across cultures, histo- ry, size, political systems, economic structures, and ideology. In the Sidney Rittenberg, an American Jew who stayed in China for 35 face of their differences, they have succeeded in cultivating flourish- years after World War II as an adviser and political prisoner of the Communist Revolution, and later made mil- ing economic relations, and today, China lions as a counselor of Western capitalists is Israel’s second-largest trading partner Help Make History: Contribute exploiting booming Chinese markets, died country. China’s relations with Israel are on Saturday in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 98. emblematic of the impact of the PRC’s to the Denise Yeh Bressler One of the few non-Chinese people to be- vast international outreach over the past Kaifeng Scholarship Fund decade. come a senior member of the Chinese Com- As a memorial to board member Denise munist party, he was known in China, and With sustained rapid economic growth Bressler, who had long been active in helping still revered, as Li Dunbai (which sounds and a dramatic increase in international to educate the Kaifeng Jewish community, the like Rittenberg to Chinese ears). investment, China has become a key trad- Sino Judaic Institute has created a scholarship An intimate of Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, ing partner and significant foreign investor in her memory. Deng Xiaoping and almost every other for Israel. There has been growing con- This autumn, SJI has recruite a Kaifeng Jewish veteran revolutionary, Rittenberg gained cern in China for stability in the Middle descendant to study intensive Jewish studies prominence at the Broadcast Administration East, predominantly due to its investments and English as a second language abroad be- in Beijing, one of the most important agen- in the region and the success of its Belt fore returning home as an informal teacher at cies of government, and for a few months and Road Initiative. China has also taken family home gatherings. Money is needed for in 1967 was the director of Radio Peking... an active interest in collaboration on inno- travel, room and board, study materials, and tu- Rittenberg also translated Mao’s Complete vation and technology with Israel – which ition. We need to raise US $10,000. Works and the Little Red Book into English inspired the establishment of a Compre- Your contribution for this historic undertaking and became a leading rabble-rouser in the hensive Innovation Partnership between will have an impact, whether you donate $5, Cultural Revolution the two nations in March of 2017. $50, $500 or $5,000. Every little bit helps to- The convulsions of a China constantly rein- The China of today is a long way from the wards our initial goal of $10,000. We launch venting itself led to Rittenberg twice falling this program in the autumn of 2019, so the ‘Sick Man of East Asia,’ as it was called foul of the leadership. Of his 35 years in need is urgent. in the early 20th century when it first es- China, he served a total of 16 imprisoned tablished diplomatic relations with Israel. Please contribute by sending a check, made out in solitary confinement, accused of being an The modern world is now, for the first to the Sino-Judaic Institute with a note for its American spy. Disillusioned with commu- time, presented with a powerful China – a purpose, to Prof. Steve Hochstadt, 1252 West nism, he returned to the US in 1980 with College Avenue, Jacksonville, IL 62650. Dona- China that is also, for the first time, look- his wife, Wang Yulin, whom he married in tions can be made online via PayPal at www. 1956, and their four children. ing outward to the world from its position sino-judaic.org. of strength. In the United States after his release, he Thank you! Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initia- founded Rittenberg Associates, a consult- tive now encompasses roughly two-thirds ing company that helped businesses from Colgate Palmolive to Warner Music to Intel, Microsoft and Pricewa- of the global population, with over 60 partner countries having signed terhouseCoopers to establish themselves in China. He used his ex- onto the project. It aims to connect the world to China through a se- tensive knowledge and contacts in China to build his own capitalist ries of mega-infrastructure projects commanding multi-trillion-dollar empire, advising corporate leaders, including Bill Gates of Microsoft investment. Today’s China has massive influence over global mar- and the computer magnate Michael S. Dell, on how to cash in on kets, supply chains, global governance, and geopolitics. China’s vast growing economy. Still welcome in China, he took en- China’s increasing assertiveness on the world stage has become a trepreneurs on guided tours, introducing them to the country’s mov- fact of our time – but the best way to deal with it is less obvious. ers and shakers… While Beijing promotes its Belt and Road Initiative as a means to The son of Muriel (née Sluth) and Sidney Rittenberg, Sidney Rit- bring nations closer together through win-win cooperation, some tenberg was born in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 14, 1921 into a observers have come to view it as a form of economic colonialism. prominent Jewish family. His father, Sidney Sr, was president of These pundits argue that BRI investments create “debt traps” that the Charleston City Council and his grandfather had been a prom- (continued on page 4) (continued on page 6) 2 Points East TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR Points East In a midrash, when Avraham is ar- Anson Laytner, Editor Featured Articles: guing with God to spare S’dom and Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organi- SIGNAL on Amorah, he asks if God would hold both ends of a rope—that God would zation. The opinions and views expressed Sino-Israeli Relations .................1 by the contributors and editor are their own have strict justice and a world—but, and do not necessarily express the view- In Memoriam Avraham says, God can’t have both. points and positions of the Sino-Judaic In- Sidney Rittenberg ......................1 God has to choose. (Spoiler: God stitute. chooses to have a world and relin- quishes strict justice.) Letters to the Editor and articles for Points From the Editor .........................2 East may be sent to: In the Field .............................. 12 In a similar way, I want to champion Preferred Form: religious freedom in China and good e-mail: [email protected] relations with China but I am being or to: Rabbi Anson Laytner Articles: compelled by American politics to 1823 East Prospect St. choose between the two. Do I re- Seattle WA 98112-3307 Indonesian Jews Study in Israel ..3 main silent about the situation of the Points East is published three times a year, in March, July and November. Deadlines Safe Harbor: Shanghai—Surpris- Jews in China because I don’t sup- port President Trump’s anti-China for submitting material to be included in ing Stories of Jewish Refugees in policies or do I speak up for religious these issues are January 15th, May 15th and World War II ..............................3 freedom and appear to support Pres- September 15th. ident Trump on China? ..................................................5 FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE As the Children of Israel might have Israel and Korea .........................6 SJI members interested in receiving a copy declared when Moshe asked them of the annual financial report should send Observations on China’s Middle to choose between life and death, a self-addressed envelope to: Steve Hoch- the blessing and the curse: “This is stadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic Insti- East Policy ................................6 a choice?!” tute, 1252 W. College Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650 USA. Why Singapore’s Army Sang For those of us who support good Israeli Songs .............................7 relations with China and who advo- Sino-Judaic Institute Adventures in New Guinea ........... 11 cate for Jewish religious freedom in c/o Rabbi Anson Laytner China, it is very challenging to parse 1823 East Prospect St. Seattle WA 98112-3307 Sugihara’s Son Sets Record Straight ...12 this problem and it leaves one’s po- sition open to misinterpretation and SJI Officers misuse by others. Anson Laytner, President Book Nook ................................8 Vera Schwarcz, Vice President China and Israel: Chinese, Jews; Steve Hochstadt, Secretary/Treasurer This issue of Points East again features Beijing, Jerusalem Arnold Mark Belzer, Immediate Past Presi- several articles by Israelis analyzing dent Sino-Israeli relations in all their com- Managing Board plexity. It also highlights the passing Wendy Abraham, Joel Epstein, Bev Friend, of yet another giant in Sino-Jewish Loraine Heller, Dan Levitsky, Ondi Lingen- SJI MEMBERSHIP relations: Sidney Rittenberg. Twice felter, Jim Michaelson, Kevin Ostoyich, Eric he rode to fame: first when he rose Rothberg, Danny Spungen, Marvin Tokayer Country Total to a position of significance prior to ]International Advisory Board United States 142 and during the Cultural Revolution, Moshe Y. Bernstein, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, Canada 7 and then again after Deng Xiaoping’s Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Jonathan Gold- ascendancy when he became a lead- stein, Judy Green, Len Hew, Tess Johnston, China 15 ing trade broker and interpreter of Dan Krassenstein, Donald Leslie, Den Lev- Israel 11 enthal, Michael Li, Yonatan Menashe, Maisie the “New China.” I met Sidney and Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja Muehlberg- England 6 his wife several times because they er, Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Pan Australia 3 lived in the greater Seattle area.