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a:E-Mail: Work Phone: Fax: Home Phone: Address: Name: I wish to become a member of the Sino-Judaic Institute and receive Our annual dues structure is as follows: Membership in the Institute is open and we cordially invite you to join supporting our endeavor. To cooperate with other groups whose interests lie in Sinitic and Judaic matters. 6) The study of Sino-Israeli relations. 5) diasporas, etc. The study of cultural intersections between Chinese and Jews, for example adoptions, literature, 4) 3) The support of Jewish studies programs in China. 2) The study of Jewish life in Shanghai, Harbin, Tianjin and elsewhere the 19th 20th centuries. 1) The study of the ancient Jewish community Kaifeng and assisting its descendents as appropriate. Its objectives are: to encourage and develop their cooperation in matters of mutual historical cultural interest. persons, to promote friendship and understanding between the Chinese Jewish peoples founded on June 27, 1985, in Palo Alto, California, by an international group of scholars and lay The Sino-Judaic Institute is a non-denominational, non-profit, and non-political organization, is my check for $ .

Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College, Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College, Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College, Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College, Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College,

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250 to 499 250 to 499 Points East three times a year. Enclosed Points East Points East Points East Points East Points East o.3 N.1A Publication of the Sino-Judaic Institute his book, ences to the Kaifeng Jews, which resulted in publication of been tirelessly and thoroughly tracking down leads refer- For a number of years in the late 1970s, Michael Pollak had March 2015 Vol. 30 No. 1 got to the lane, and saw street sign, Tiaojinjiao around the quarreling pair, and I was able to slip off. When I who objected to his moving a bicycle, and the crowed gathered and parked bicycles. He soon got into a quarrel with someone turbed person decided to clear a path for me through the crowd gotten permission to make this walk. Luckily, a mentally dis- I of course wanted to be unobtrusive, especially since had not it had been years since a foreigner walked down that street. On the way a crowd gathered around me, synagogue had been. headed down Caoshi or Straw Market Street, toward where the So I followed the map and dows and birds flying around inside. served as a church, but was storage facility, with broken win- hot, I set out for the church. It of course had long since not So after lunch, when everyone was taking siesta, it terribly map, near to which was the Plucking Sinew Religion Lane. steeple which I took to be the Catholic church that was on White’s Pavilion, a temple on hill that overlooked the city, I spotted But when we were taken to the Longting, or Dragon White’s map. that time, so I had no way of locating where our hostel was on As he remembered: is in the front of Bishop White’s book, which was from 1910. He recalls that he had brought a copy of the map Kaifeng in 1980 and was there twice 1981. Institute’s founders were among them. Prof. Al Dien went first 1950s. A number of people who became the Sino-Judaic ists began to visit Kaifeng again for the first time since mid- ing of the so-called “Gang Four”, foreign visitors and journal- Simultaneously, as China began to open up following the purg- Jewish community past or present. ery living authority and activist on the subject of Kaifeng his correspondence, Pollak became connected with almost ev- 130, 16A, of an old man, his son and a grandson. When some had some pictures from White’s book, especially the one on p. lady came out with her daughter-in-law. This was Mrs. Zhao. I They pointed to a house, I knocked on the door, and an old standing there if were any Jews (Youtairen) on the lane. I walked a bit down the lane, then asked some women stood up. hair on the back of my neck literally, in only time life, How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began

There were no maps for sale, especially to foreigners at Mandarins, Jews and Missionaries,

by Anson Laytner (continued on page 3)

in 1980. Through hutong , the II. II. Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies I. I. four books have been turned in for publication 2015. Three books and seven articles were published. Manuscripts of were offered and taught for both undergraduates graduates. II. and Beverly Friend family. tute, The Florence and Laurence Spungen Family Foundation, which is available for the 2015 budget of Institute. from Nanjing University, revenue of 518,839.73 yuan in 2014, Los Angeles. The Endowment generated, with matching funds and final payment from the Jewish Community Foundation of have achieved a positive result in their study of Jews China. Prize for two outstanding scholars or graduate students who lished Xu Xin Prize at Nanjing University. It aims to give the Province and Israel. economic, scientific and cultural collaborations between Jiangsu 2014-2015 academic year. take leave to go Harvard University do research for the from the Ministry of Education China, which enabled him to rector of the Center for Israel Studies, was awarded a State grant Religious Studies in 2014. who received promotion in the Department of Philosophy and to full professor at the beginning of 2014. He was only one to take the position for six years. ated. Prof. Xu Xin, Director of the Institute, has been appointed Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies was cre- Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, I. II. II. Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies I. I. Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Faculty Activities Faculty Activities F. F. E. E. D. D. C. C. B. B. A. A. Major Events Major Events Academically, the Institute has done very well. Ten courses Faculty Activities The Institute also received funds from the Sino-Judaic Insti- The Diane and Guilford Glazer Endowment received the third F. The Alberta and Henry Strage Foundation from Britain estab- E. The Institute has completed its survey and analysis on the D. Dr. Zhenhua Meng (Jeremiah), associate professor and Di- Dr. C. Lihong Song, Deputy Director of the Institute, was promoted B. According to the agreement between Nanjing University and A. Major Events Faculty Activities Faculty Activities F. F. E. E. D. D. C. C. B. B. A. A. Major Events Major Events Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Revenue Generated Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed Project Completed State Grant State Grant Faculty Promotion Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Glazer Chair Professor Position Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed State Grant Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Revenue Generated Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed Project Completed State Grant State Grant Faculty Promotion Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Glazer Chair Professor Position

Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University

(continued on page 6) (continued on page 6) The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and 2 Points East Points East 13

Points East ings and mistaken vocalizations, a good history is virtually insatiable. Anson Laytner, Publisher number of them resulting from phonetic The Haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews of TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR transcription, that is, where the copyist China is one of a spate of books about The contemporary fascination in America  wrote words on the basis of what he knew the Jews of China, some of them schol- with the Chinese Jews is different. Obvi- th Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic 2015 marks the 30 anniversary of the from hearing the word pronounced rather arly, others more popular, which have ously, it has something to do with the Featured Article: Sino-Judaic Institute’s founding and that, Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. The opinions and views expressed by the than from having seen it in a written form. appeared in the last several decades, unique exoticism of the community. But How the Sino-Judaic Institute for those of us involved—and hopefully for contributors and editor are their own and do This feature was complicated, in turn, by mainly in the English-speaking world, es- there may be more to it. The extent of the you too—is something to celebrate. To the fact (attested by the inscriptions as well pecially in America. This Western pub- success of Kaifeng Jews in assimilating to Began ...... 1 record for posterity how SJI began, I have not necessarily express the viewpoints and positions of the Sino-Judaic Institute. as by the Jesuits’ accounts) that the Kaifeng lishing phenomenon has been remarked Chinese society without resistance and Excerpts from 2014 Annual attempted to reconstruct the events of Jews spoke Hebrew with heavy Chinese upon less than the widespread interest in achieving cultural acceptance along with Report ...... 1 those early years. Sadly, a number of key Letters to the Editor and articles for Points East accents (so that a word like le-‘olam be- contemporary China regarding Jews and great wealth, power, and status is almost individuals are gone—Leo Gabow, Louis may be sent to: came re’oram, for example). According to Judaism. Amid the massive globaliza- unparalleled in Jewish history. The great Schwartz and Michael Pollak, to name but one account, their Hebrew sounded more tion—for all practical purposes, this means exception is, of course, American Jewry, Preferred Form: From the Editor ...... 2 three—whose recollections would have Preferred Form: like Chinese than the Hebrew the Jesuits Westernization—that China is currently which has also prospered in, and been e-mail:[email protected] been invaluable for this purpose. I did knew from their European educations. All experiencing, the Jewish people—largely embraced by, its host culture with a suc- share drafts of this article with many of the or to: Rabbi Anson Laytner these various features—the errors, the thanks to Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, cess that has been said by some to be In the Field ...... 3 founding board members and so what you 1823 East Prospect St. omissions, the peculiarities in order and Karl Marx, and Alan Greenspan (whose unparalleled. And no other diaspora com- will read in my front-page article represents Seattle, WA 98112-3307 in transcription, along with what they name I have heard repeatedly invoked in munities in Jewish history have experi- our best collective effort at remembering Points East is published three times a year, in were able to cull from the marginal notes my several trips to China as a paragon of enced equivalent rates of assimilation or Articles: those days of long ago. March, July and November. Deadlines for in the haggadahs, some of them in Chi- the American Jew)—have come to be suffered from the same degree of Hebraic Chinese-Israeli Relations submitting material to be included in these nese—indicate to Wong and Yasharpour viewed in China as central to Western and Judaic illiteracy. American Jewry is that, by the 17th and 18th centuries, the culture to a degree that no Jew in America in no danger of vanishing as precipitously Examined ...... 7 When I look back at all SJI has accom- issues are January 15th, May 15th and plished over the years, I am amazed at September 15th. time that the two manuscripts were writ- would ever imagine him or herself to be. as did the Kaifeng Jews, but as we sit down ten, the Kaifeng Jews may have still un- And while the reports of a Talmud or to our Seders and raise our glasses to drink China Looks West at the what a small band of dedicated volunteers derstood enough of the haggadah’s He- books about Jews on a shelf in every book- the four cups, it may be worth remember- Middle East ...... 9 can do. To mention but a few things: FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE brew to be able to use the books at their store are exaggerated, I can testify from ing the haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews along N.E.B. EZRA and Israel’s  Installed a exhibit in the Kaifeng Mu- SJI members interested in receiving a Seders, but whatever literacy they pos- my own experience—having taught Tal- with the Exodus from Egypt. nicipal Museum to highlight its Jewish ar- copy of the annual financial report should Messenger...... 10 sessed was already seriously impaired and mud in the Jewish studies program at tifacts (primarily the synagogue stelae) send a self-addressed envelope to: Steve presaged the complete disappearance that Nanjing University to some fifteen under- David Stern is Moritz and Josephine Berg  Created and installed an exhibit on the Hochstadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic the community would experience not graduate and graduate Chinese students Professor of Classical Hebrew Literature Institute, Illinois College, 1101 W Col- Kaifeng Jews in the Song Dynasty theme long after. (probably the most talented group of stu- at the University of Pennsylvania, and the lege Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650. park in Kaifeng dents I have ever taught)—that the appe- author, most recently, of The Washington Book Nook ...... 11  Published monographs, scholarly books There is more than a little irony in the fact tite in contemporary China for real knowl- Haggadah (Harvard University Press). and an academic journal (Sino-Judaica), that this indication should come in the edge about Judaism and its culture and not to mention Points East Sino-Judaic Institute form of a haggadah. Of all the classical c/o Rabbi Arnie Belzer  Provided scholarships to emerging and 34 Washington Avenue texts of Judaism, the Passover haggadah established Chinese academics working in Savannah, GA 31405 U.S.A. is the Jewish book of redemption par ex- the fields of Jewish studies or Israel; sup- cellence. It remembers the story of the Sino-Judaica Returns with SJI Officers Exodus from Egypt in order to re-experi- New Volume SJI MEMBERSHIP ported Jewish studies programs in China; Arnie Belzer, President assisted in supporting conferences and Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President ence the salvatory power of redemption Thanks to the extraordinary efforts colloquia; offered stipends to creative en- Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer in the present, and so as to anticipate the of SJI Board member Dana Country Total deavors in the arts relating to our interests Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary final redemption of the messianic age. Leventhal, SJI’s academic publica- · Sent individuals to Kaifeng to assist with Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President Exactly how the haggadah imagines re- tion, Sino-Judaica, has been re- United States 156 the renewal of the Jewish community Managing Board demption has varied from one commu- vived. Sino-Judaica Volume 5 is Canada 35 there. Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev Friend, nity to another, and from one period to devoted to a single academic the next, but invariably, every Jewish com-  Set up the most comprehensive and Mary-Anne Graham, Ron Kaye, Dana Leventhal, monograph, “Jewish Religious China 18 munity has imagined redemption in the accurate website on Jewish life in China. David Marshall, Jim Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Observance by the Jews of Kaifeng Israel 16 Rothberg, Marvin Tokayer, Tibi Weisz, Cynthia haggadah—sometimes with the addition China” by Rabbi Dr. Chaim  Worked with the Hebrew Union Col- Zeiden of new passages or through the insertion Australia 5 lege to send facsimiles of its Kaifeng manu- Simons of Israel. This work con- International Advisory Board of illustrations and pictures—in the image England 5 script holdings to the Jewish community nects the actual observance of the Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, Irene of its own diasporic experience. Kaifeng Jewish community in its Japan 2 in Kaifeng. Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Jonathan Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy Green, Len Hew, Tess heyday with their sources in Germany 1 The Kaifeng Haggadah does not have a More details regarding our many accom- Johnston, Donald Leslie, Den Leventhal, Michael distinctive vision of redemption. What is halacha (Jewish law). Cyprus 1 plishments may be found on this website: Li, Maisie Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja distinctive about this book—visible in the It is available immediately at the Indonesia 1 www.sino-judaic.org. Muehlberger, Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Sinified form of its script, in the error-filled Pan Guang, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse following stores: and otherwise defective pages of the text— South Africa 1 Silverberg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, Xiao Over the lifespan of an organization, pri- is not redemption but its opposite. What Switzerland 1 Xian, Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, Albert Yee, David orities change. SJI started out cautiously Zweig this book’s pages capture is the specific Taiwan 1 reaching out to the Kaifeng Jewish descen- historical moment in which this commu- Past Presidents dants but came to focus initially on the Al Dien, Leo Gabow nity was academic side of things. We were pio- irretrievably on the way to its demise. The TOTAL: 243 In Memoriam, z”l Kaifeng Haggadah is not a haggadah that neers in supporting the emerging Jewish Marshall Denenberg, Leo Gabow, Phyllis Horal, looks forward to redemption. It is a Interested readers can do a Google Book Search (continued on page 3) Teddy Kaufman, Rena Krasno, Michael Pollak, Louis Schwartz haggadah of oblivion. in order to preview the book on Google Books. 12 Points East Points East 3 · The Culture Bound Mindset, or the Den Leventhal, a retired board mem- us about the Hebraic literacy of the From the Editor How the Sino-Judaic on the gathering, monitoring questions Ability to Use Chopsticks Doesn’t Make ber of the Sino Judaic Institute and found- Kaifeng Jews. These chapters will appeal (continued from page 2) Institute Began and responses. During their very first You a Business Expert ing chairperson of its Grants Review Com- mainly to scholars. But the larger story the meeting, her group took some photos and, (continued from page 1) · The Middleman Mentality or the Occa- mittee, is also the author of “The Chess of haggadah tells about the Chinese Jews is studies field in China; now these pro- after she gave one to Shi Zhongyu, he grams have connections with counter- sional Stinker is not Necessarily on the China” (1980); “The Jewish Community of far wider interest, and the sight alone of the women saw it, they murmured quietly handed it back to her. She no- parts in Israel and America, so our sup- Other Side of the Table. of Hong Kong: An Introduction” and of the haggadah—one of the manuscripts “Lao die,” or Old Grandpa. The little ticed he had written his name and his · The Liberation Standard, from Blue Ant “Sino-Judaic Studies: Whence and is reproduced in full in the book, along port is much less necessary. But, as grandson in the picture is now the head home address on the back of it rather than to Pink Bunny Whither” (both1985); and, with Mary with a transcription of the Hebrew text and China has opened up, the Kaifeng com- of the household, in his 50’s. His his danwei, or work unit. She took this · The Dale Carnegie Factor, or The Bot- Leventhal, is co-editor of “Faces of the an annotated English translation—is worth munity has been able to benefit from the mother, the elderly Mrs. Zhao, was rather as the signal that he would like to com- tom-up and Top-down Approach Jewish Experience in China” (1990). He more than a fleeting look… support of organizations such as ours and apprehensive—this was still close to the municate and that’s how her long corre- · Stopping Crime Can Be a Marketing currently lives in Maryland with his wife Shavei Israel. May there come a time end of the Cultural Revolution and con- spondence and connection with the Shi Tool Mary, and teaches boating safety in addi- The two surviving haggadah manuscripts when that community is self-sufficient tact with foreigners was still considered family began. · Chinese Law, or a Wedge or a Sledge tion to his involvements with writing, that are the subjects of Wong and enough and Jewishly knowledgeable suspicious. Mr. Zhao was at work, so I music, archery and his work as a Volun- Yasharpour’s study are owned today by enough to stand on its own two feet. Rabbi Joshua Stampfer also went to In Chapter II, “The Serendipity Factor, teer Reserve Officer with the Maryland the Klau Library of Hebrew Union Col- said I would come back later in the day. Then our real work will have been done Kaifeng in 1983. His group met with or A Chinese Poem is Worth a Cool Natural Resources Police. He can be lege (which purchased them in 1851 from The daughter-in-law led me back to the and we can rest easily on our laurels. I’ll members of the Shi, Zhao and Ai fami- Coupla’ Million,” Leventhal details how reached at [email protected]. the London Society for Promoting Chris- main street by a series of alleys that was be long-gone by then. his recall of a specific poem, well known tianity Amongst the Jews). Both are mod- a short-cut. On the way she complained lies. Rabbi Stampfer recalled that they to educated Chinese, clinched a deal. As Beverly Friend, Ph.D. is Executive Di- est books, one written in Jewish-Persian that everyone said she was Jewish though showed his group pictures of their recent Best wishes for the Chinese New Year! he recalls the story: rector of the China Judaic Studies Asso- hand, the other in Chinese Hebrew square she was Chinese. ancestors wearing “Jewish” caps but that “The deputy general manager pro- ciation and a board member of the Sino script (like that of the Torah scrolls). While they knew nothing of their history or of Anson Laytner ceeded to recite from memory what was Judaic Institute. In 2012, Nanjing Univer- the two haggadahs were written by differ- I felt that I could not keep this from the their connection with Jews elsewhere. obviously a favorite poem. He gave it lilt- sity honored her by naming her an Hon- ent scribes about a century apart, both others in the group, so late that afternoon, ing sound vaguely reminiscent of the Pe- orary Director of the Diane and Guilfordpreserve essentially the same text. That IN THE FIELD I told them about the meeting and said Shortly after Dr. Abraham returned to the king operatic style and seemed delighted Glazer Institute of Israeli and Judaic Stud-text primarily follows the Persian Jewish anyone who wished to could go back with States in September of 1983, she thought to have the opportunity of making a pub- ies in celebration of the Institute’s 20thrite but from one of that rite’s early stages, about creating an organization to help the  E-Newsletter Launched me. Of course this time, with a whole lic performance. Here’s where luck kicked Anniversary. She has visited China sevenbefore the haggadah had undergone many descendants. Dr. Abraham spoke about Dr. Wendy Abraham, long involved troupe/troop of foreigners coming, there in i.e. the serendipity factor.” times since 1986, each time promotingof the expansions with which contempo- this with Prof. Donald Leslie, in Austra- with SJI and now on its Advisory was much more excitement in the neigh- Leventhal then relates how he had stud- the study of Judaism in China under therary users of the text are familiar. As a re- lia, with whom she had been communi- Board, has launched China Orienta- borhood. But for the Zhao’s it had been ied that particular poem (with some diffi- aegis of Professor Xu Xin. She maintainssult, the Kaifeng Haggadah doesn’t have cating about her dissertation on the Chi- tions (www.chinaorientations.com), a enough. When we knocked, no one an- culty) during his graduate studies, and a web site at www.chinajudaic.org (whichDayyenu, Shefokh Chamatekha (“Pour nese Jews. He told her that an organiza- multi-purpose website featuring tours, swered, the people around said they had now recognized it. He responded, and is currently being updated) and has writ-Out Your Wrath,” which probably did not tion with a similar aim of reconnecting talks, tips and trivia. She also offers a gone out. We walked further down the nailed the contract. ten many articles and lectures onappear the in the Ashkenazic haggadah until with the descendants was already being The mysterious “blue ant” and “pink after the Crusader massacres), or folk songs terrific e-newsletter with links to her lane to see the site of the synagogue, but China/Judaic Connection. of course it was occupied by some sort of seriously discussed and he put her in bunny” in Chapter VII turn out to be a such as Chad Gadya (which did not be- Twitter and Facebook feeds. Her ini- touch with other interested parties. metaphor for the transformation from a come a regular feature until the printed tial e-newsletter highlighted her talks, factory, I no longer remember what it was. “worker’s paradise” to a “market Italian editions of the 17th century). How- Later, I believe it became a hospital. Thus but future Newsletters will highlight Prof. Donald Leslie was one of the field’s economy” as evidenced in the shifting The Haggadah of the Kaifeng ever, the most startling omission is the ended my first encounter with the Kaifeng Sino-Judaic history, little blurbs about foremost scholars and his faraway pres- garb of one female interpreter. Jews of China absence of the blessing over the matzah Jews. It had been an emotional experience current Sino-Judaic research being ence was crucial to SJI’s beginnings. Leslie Repeatedly, throughout the book, he (that follows the standard ha-motzi). The for me, but I am afraid there was not much by Fook-Kong Wong and Dalia done by U.S., Israeli and Chinese had studied directly under Joseph proves, “effective communication is de- Yasharpour editors suggest that the blessing may have learned. The next year, 1981, I returned scholars, Sino-Judaic travel tips, Chi- Needham (in fact he was his protégé) and, pendent upon intercultural understand- Brill, 216 pp., $132 been so well-known that the copyists did to Kaifeng twice, but neither time was as nese Jewish trivia quizzes, info about along with Prof. Al Dien, provided SJI with ings,” and then illustrates via example. reviewed by David Stern not feel the need to record it, but it seems dramatic as that first time. Books Sino-Judaic organizations around the the academic expertise it needed, just as Leventhal’s varied and exciting adventures excerpted from The Jewish Review of to me even more likely that the copyist world, etc. Just enough tidbits to either forgot to write the blessing or that Art Rosen, then President of the National move between the cerebral and the physi- , Spring 2013 whet people’s appetite for more in- Dr. Ron Kaye and his wife visited Kaifeng it was already missing from their tradition Committee on U.S. - China Relations, pro- cal and even include a vivid description http://www.jewishreviewofbooks.com/ formation so that they will click on in 1981. Because of the medical aid he of enduring travel as cargo on an ancient publications/detail/why-is-this-haggadah- by the 17th century. Bread, leavened or provided there, the local people, who had vided it with political savoir faire. Rosen the links to other websites for further had served with the U.S. Consulate in Russian propeller airplane. different>: unleavened, must have been a very un- said that the steles no longer existed, re- usual sight in China. info. Check out her website and sign Shanghai shortly after WWII and he Leventhal states that his book is de- up for her e-newsletter. It’s worth versed their position and took the Kayes signed for a combined audience—the The Haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews of to the basement of the Kaifeng Museum headed the National Committee for de- In general, however, the Passover taking note of. cades, overseeing it during the most ex- business community, foreign affairs China is the first scholarly monograph where Dr. Kaye saw the steles and took devoted to this haggadah. The study’s haggadah has been one of the most uni- citing time in U.S.- China relations, be- people, people in comparative studies,  rubbings of them. While there, he also authors—Fook-Kong Wong, a Harvard- versally stable texts in all the Jewish lit- Website Re-Launched and those in Chinese studies. Actually, led a seder with some of the Jewish fami- ginning with his organization’s arranging educated scholar of the Old Testament in urgy—the core text is basically similar if Dr. Beverly Friends informs us that, for the first American ping pong team trav- you needed not be in business, or be a lies. Hong Kong, and Dalia Yasharpour, a pre- not identical nearly everywhere—and for thanks to Richard Smith, a new web eling to China while Nixon was in office. Sinophile to enjoy his sprightly tales of ceptor in Persian language and literature all its Judeo-Persian peculiarities and miss- site is being constructed for the China triumph. Reading Leventhal’s words, I am Leo Gabow visited Kaifeng for the first at Harvard—have mined the text for all ing passages, readers of the Kaifeng Judaic Studies Association. The origi- Leo Gabow is considered by everyone to reminded of my late father. Dad was not Haggadah will have no more difficulty in time in 1982, while Dr. Wendy Abraham the information it contains about the Jews nal site—linked to Oakton Commu- have been the primary moving spirit in a businessman and he never travelled navigating this haggadah than they would nity College—was closed because of led the first official group tour from of Kaifeng in the 17th and 18th centuries, the founding of SJI. Gabow was not an outside of North America. The resem- the time that the two surviving manu- finding their way through the Maxwell confusion between the Association America to Kaifeng in August of 1983. academic but someone who was deeply blance lies in their enthusiasm. Dad scripts of the haggadah were written. Most House version. The Kaifeng Haggadah’s and the College’s new Judaic Studies They both met Shi Zhongyu and Zhao would return home each day from his of the book is devoted to a detailed study most revealing features, as its editors dem- department. The new site will be up- Pingyu—the only two descendants that committed to scholarly research on the practice as a physician with tales of diffi- of the haggadah’s Hebrew text and its ac- onstrate, are its many errors. Some pages dated and improved. You can see the local authorities would allow to be Jews of China. He had developed this cult diagnoses made and lives saved. companying Judeo-Persian instructions, are misplaced and out of sequence; oth- work-in-progress at “shown” to visitors. On Dr. Abraham’s interest while pursuing a business career Both men are slayers of dragons! and what the language of the text can tell ers are missing. There are many misspell- www.chinajudaic.org. trip, security guards kept a close watch in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Leo 4 Points East Points East 11 had great energy and enthusiasm for our nia and that its initial president also come These events put a damper on SJI’s early namedsenger in Hebrew Mevasser Yisrael, refugees during World War II even as the The three-story wooden and brick struc- subject and began to gather other inter- from the Bay Area. activism in support of the Kaifeng Jews which in English became the Israel’s Mes- city plans to have it inscribed as UNESCO ture that combined Western and Eastern ested parties together for discussions in and led to its focus on academic research, . Its first issue appeared in 1904 but Memory of the World Register. architecture served as a popular shelter the Palo Alto area, where he, Prof. Al Leo Gabow was elected president; educational efforts and the study of other grew rapidly larger until December 1941 for Jewish residents living nearby. The Dien, Dr. Ron Kaye and others lived. Michael Pollak, vice-president; Rabbi Jewish communities in China. Only in (the start of the Pacific War with the Japa- Shanghai was home to about 20,000 Jew- owner sold the cafe to a local after the Michael Pollak and Rabbi Joshua Stampfer Anson Laytner was elected secretary and more recent years, with the further open- nese attack on Pearl Harbor) with an in- ish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. war. It was demolished in 2009 to make would fly in from Dallas and Portland re- editor of Points East; and Prof. Al Dien, ing up of China, has SJI returned to the terval during World War I from February Many of them lived in the Tilanqiao area room for a subway. spectively for meetings. treasurer. Prof. Louis Schwartz was activism of its earliest days. 1916 to October 1918. Ezra edited the of Hongkou District. elected honorary chairman. The found- journal for 32 years until his death in “We have kept the building’s blue prints In December of 1984, Leo received a let- ing board consisted of Dr. Wendy During Leo’s tenure as president, SJI con- 1936, and the final issues were edited by The city has completed collation of the and key components such as beams and ter from Prof. Louis Schwartz who was Abraham, Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer, solidated itself as an organization, David Elias under the ownership of Mrs. refugee list, data bank, literary, video and some wooden carving on walls for the rebuilding,” Chen said. spending an academic year teaching in David Buxbaum (Shanghai), Mark launched its journal, Points East, edited K. Ezra. He was survived by his widow, audio material, said Chen Jian, curator of Beijing. Schwartz had already been in Ejlenburg (Hong Kong), Helaine Fortgang, by Rabbi Anson Laytner, and its scholarly two daughters in Shanghai and another the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum After the reopening, the first floor will be correspondence with Rabbi Stampfer on Seymour Fromer, Dr. Ron Kaye, Lawrence journal Sino-Judaica, edited by Prof. Al daughter in New York. He left two sisters, that is working with the Hongkou District a cafe while the upper floors will hold the subject of the Kaifeng Jews. Kramer, Prof. Donald Leslie (Australia), Dien, and published various articles by Mrs. I.E. Sargon and Mrs. Flora Ezra. government on the UNESCO application. exhibitions, he said. Construction will Arthur Rosen, Rabbi Joshua Stampfer and Michael Pollak, including the reprinting th begin soon and is expected to be com- With Gabow’s encouragement, Schwartz counsel Robert Grodsky. of The Sino-Judaic Bibliographies of In the last article he wrote before his This year is the 70 anniversary of the end pleted by August. and David C. Buxbaum, a bilingual Shang- Rudolf Lowenthal, Michael Pollak, ed., death, Ezra wrote: “My principles are my of the World Anti-Fascist War and China’s hai-based lawyer, travelled to Kaifeng and The primary point of contention in its early with the Hebrew Union College Press in belief in God to eternity…it is the duty of victory against the Japanese aggression. The district government will also renovate made contact with the Jewish descen- meetings concerned SJI’s mission. Even 1988. every man to live in hope.” Apart from the world memory application, dants, establishing close relations with prior to SJI’s founding, the initial question the office of the Jewish Distribution Cen- Shanghai has also announced plans to ter, which helped Jews living in the city. Jewish families there, visiting their homes was “Are there really Jews—or just descen- The early years were notable for many Shanghai’s Historic WWII Jew- rebuild a cafe where Jewish refugees so- on frequent occasions, and conducting dants—in Kaifeng?” Only after a number presentations on the Jews of Kaifeng. In cialized during their sojourn in the city. The former residence of Michael many interviews. of positive visitor reports was a majority 1986, SJI played a major role at a confer- ish Café to be Rebuilt The Wiener Cafe Restaurant, which first Blumenthal, a Jewish refugee who later on the Board convinced that the descen- ence hosted by the University of San from Shanghai Daily, February 4, 2015 opened in 1 939, will be rebuilt in a new served as curator of the Jewish Museum Not only did Schwartz visit with the Chi- dants still actually identified as Jews. Sub- Francisco’s Institute for Chinese-Western location on Changyang Road opposite the in Berlin and a former US Secretary of the nese Jews, but he made friendly contact sequently, long hours were spent discuss- Cultural History entitled “Culture, China Hongkou District government will rebuild Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. It will Treasury, will also be renovated with in- with Kaifeng’s mayor, the curator of the ing whether SJI was primarily interested and the Jews” by providing many speak- a cafe and renovate several historic build- be recreated with its original look, Chen troductions on the house, Chen said. Kaifeng Museum, the manager of Kaifeng’s in doing research about the Jews in ers, most notably Prof. Donald Leslie. ings that served as iconic spots for Jewish said. C.I.T.S., and university administrators and Kaifeng and other parts of China or in These speaking engagements led to the scholars. After many discussions with the helping to re-develop Jewish life in creation of a traveling exhibit on the Chinese Jews as well as with the authori- Kaifeng. Eventually SJI adopted both goals, Kaifeng Jews consisting of slides and a BOOK NOOK ties, the concept of a Jewish Museum or with an emphasis on the former. taped narrative in 1988, which enabled at least a Judaica exhibit in the Kaifeng SJI to go where its speakers didn’t. Museum was born. After SJI’s founding, Rabbi Belzer visited mative and entertaining work on the reap- article_b1dc84b0-7b61-5ca7-8481- Kaifeng in 1985. He toured the sites, con- How to Leap a Great Wall in Meanwhile, across the Pacific, The Jew- ing the benefits of cultural immersion: b44e1c372c8d.html ) After Louis Schwartz returned from China, ducted a havdallah service with the ish Historical Society (JHS) of Hong Kong China, The China Adventures How to Leap a Great Wall in China – The he lived and taught on the West Coast of Kaifeng Jewish descendants without inci- was established in 1984. When SJI was of a Cross-Cultural Trouble- China Adventures of a Cross-Cultural Over time, he also worked in China for the U.S.A., and corresponded widely with dent, and interviewed a number of them. founded, the JHS chairman, Mark Trouble Shooter (which was just nomi- American firms including American Cy- other activists and Leo Gabow in particu- Shortly thereafter, however, Dr. Abraham Ejlenburg, was elected to the SJI Board. Shooter nated for the 2015 Hagley Prize in Busi- anamid, Liberty Mutual, and a major in- lar. traveled to Kaifeng to gather oral histo- That same year, Ejlenburg asked Den by Den Leventhal ness History). spection and testing company, and was ries from six of the heads of Kaifeng Jew- Leventhal to take over the JHS chairman- Merwin, Asia, Distributed by University part of a team that acted as a “kind of a Al Dien doesn’t recall there being much ish clans (two heads of the Shi clan, two ship. In 1986, SJI invited Leventhal to of Hawaii Press, 2014 His fascination with East Asia began after mid-wife” in their dealings with the Chi- activity in Palo Alto until Louis Schwartz of the Ai clan, one Zhao and one Li), be- become its Hong Kong representative, paperback $28.80, available from Ama- he graduated from the United States Mer- nese. He explained, “We were dealing zon and Leo Gabow established contact. Then fore being arrested and expelled. (The replacing Ejlenburg. chant Marine Academy and became an with a supply side mentality—they had no reviewed by Beverly Friend it was Leo’s indefatigable efforts that original tapes of these oral histories were officer on ocean-going commercial ves- idea of the demand side.” brought together such a large and inter- sels. This led him to graduate work at the donated to the Hoover Archives at Leventhal spearheaded SJI’s move to get ested group utilizing the network that Many years ago, I read an amazing, in- University of Pennsylvania in Chinese Drawn from the 12-volume hand-written Stanford University in 2010, and will be Michael Pollak had established through support from the American Jewish sightful book, The Hidden Dimension, by studies, followed by a year attending the log of his business travel from 1980-1998, open to the public in 2015.) his own correspondence as well as Louis Committee’s Pacific Rim Institute so that Edward T. Hall, which introduced me to Taiwan National University before begin- the goal of his memoir—wonderfully Schwartz’s more recent correspondence. books on the Holocaust could to be sent the science of “proxemics,” which ex- ning a job with a Chinese communica- achieved—is to share lessons he learned plores non-verbal cultural differences — When Rabbi Marvin Tokayer led a Jewish to Prof. Xu Xin, who wanted to develop a tions, public relations, and advertising as a “shirtsleeve sinologist.” A China mar- especially in the use of space — and its tour group to China, they were in Xian Nanjing University course on that topic. corporation. ket entry strategist, his work as negotia- impact on such varied disciplines as per- On June 27th, 1985, an international group and had chartered an aircraft to take them Leventhal also worked with both JHS and tor, educator and trouble-shooter took him sonal business relations, cross-cultural “I was the only westerner in this company, to 62 Chinese cities where he interacted of scholars and activists gathered in Palo to Zhengzhou, the airport closest to SJI to get funding for Prof. Xu Xin’s Chi- Kaifeng. They checked in, the plane was exchanges, architecture, city planning, the reason being that the boss wanted to with a wide range of Chinese people from Alto, California to establish the Sino-Ju- nese language Encyclopedia Judaica and even urban renewal. there, as were the pilot and crew, but they get the accounts of foreign subsidiaries, ministers of state to factory workers. daic Institute. project. Lastly, at the request of SJI, sat in the airport waiting for two days to and they were all westerners, mostly Leventhal visited Kaifeng in June 1990 to I have no idea whether Den Leventhal American, and they figured I’d be ideal Each chapter of his book, provocatively In the beginning, Rabbi Stampfer was pro- board. Finally, the authorities called in confirm the rumor that the Kaifeng Syna- ever read this book, but his entire life is a because I could work with his teams, help titled, teaches at least one such lesson. posed as the head of the organization but Rabbi Tokayer and said that the group marvelous example of its application in gogue steles were lying unprotected on them come to understand and make pre- Especially tantalizing are the following since most of the interested parties lived would be arrested if they went to Kaifeng the world of business. Steeped in China— the property of the Kaifeng Museum. The sentations in English,” Leventhal said in a headings: in the Bay Area, it was decided that the and instead flew the group to Canton for language, history and culture—he has now recent interview. (www.myeasternshore · The Serendipity Factor, A Chinese Poem detailed report (sent to the SJI president) organization be incorporated in Califor- free. written a splendid, highly personal, infor- md.com/news/queen_annes_county/ is Worth a Cool Coupla’ Million 10 Points East Points East 5 China’s role in Egypt exemplifies how it the Israel’s Messenger. What made it Unfortunately, of the succeeding genera- on his meeting with Kaifeng governmen- eign guests and then only upon request.) f) Sidney Shapiro (member, Chinese Beijing may use its economic muscle to unique is a fact that has been virtually for- tions a century later, some members of tal officials and the museum director in- · Contributed toward the funding of the People’s Political Consultative Council) contribute to regional stability. Egyptian gotten in the course of the past century. the Sephardi community, then in cluded pictures that confirmed the ru- international scholarly conference “Jewish g) Co-sponsored “Home Afar: The Life President Fatah al-Sisi signed a “compre- It so happened that this journal was the childhood and now all over the world in mors. The first and second steles (Ming Diasporas in China: Comparative and of Jewish Communities in Shanghai dur- hensive strategic partnership” with China first English-language [Zionist] publication their seventies and eighties, may have period) were on the ground inside a stor- Historical Perspectives,” Jonathan ing WWII”, a public lecture by Dr. Peter during his late-December state visit to to appear anywhere in the world. Zionist scant or no knowledge or remembrance age building, and the fourth (Qian Long Goldstein, organizer, Harvard University, Vamos, Lecturer in Chi- Beijing. China envisions a second Suez publications have appeared mostly in of the man who founded the Jewish jour- period) was lying on its side, leaning 1992. This was the first such conference nese Language and History at Karoli Canal flanked by a high-speed rail line, Russian, German and Yiddish. Jewish jour- nal that had made such an impact on Jews against another storage building, both on ever convened. Gaspar University, Hungary at University as well as “cooperation in infrastructure, nals in English were not Zionist. in the Far East. However, it is well to note the museum’s property. This report was · Distributed materials by the following of San Francisco that when he died, the Harbin Jewish pub- the catalyst for SJI’s working with the individuals: nuclear power, new energy, aviation, fi- Jews nance and other sectors,” Chinese Presi- It is well to note that the Messenger ap- lication, Yevreiskaya Jizn (The Jewish Museum to create a proper exhibit fea- a) Wang Yisha, Annals of the Chinese · Set up the SJI Archives at the Hoover dent Xi Jinping said in December. Israel peared just three months before the death Life), had inter alia this to say: “As an in- turing the steles and SJI-donated materi- (in Chinese) Institution, Stanford University in 1993 may have a role in Sino-Egyptian coop- of Theodor Herzl, the father of modern fluential figure, a prominent journalist and als on the top floor of the Kaifeng Mu- b) Xu Xin, Chinese Encyclopedia Judaica and updated them in 1998. Rena Krasno eration. As aforementioned, Israel can Zionism, and eight years after the First a man of impeccable integrity, Nissim Ezra nicipal Museum. Although safe now from (in Chinese) was the principle person responsible for Zionist Congress in Basel. There is no was welcome in the drawing rooms of the the elements and nicely displayed, the elerc) Alin ChinaDien, Guide for the Jewish Trav- building the collection. provide advanced agricultural technolo- of Individuals interested in the Jews and doubt that this Congress and the Zionist first rank statesmen and policy makers at exhibit is open only to foreign guests and (in English) gies to support the industrialization of the Jewish Communities of East, Southeast Middle Eastern countries in the context policy preached by Herzl had a profound that time, and later, when the dark clouds then only upon request. d) Frank J. Shulman, compiler Directory Rabbi Anson Laytner took over from Prof. and South Asia of One Belt, One Road. effect on the young Ezra and this was to began to appear over the European Jewry, Dien in 2007. The following are some of affect the life of the Jewish residents of he used all the weight of his influence to Prof. Al Dien succeeded Leo as president the things accomplished during his ten- China’s policy-making is careful, conser- China and other Jewish congregations in relieve the plight of the persecuted….His in 1990. During his 17-year tenure, SJI , ure: vative and consensus-driven. Its overrid- the Far East. Ezra was born in India of readers remember well his visit to Japan greatly expanded its work and also be- · SJI established a website (www.sino- ing concern is its own economy. The pace Baghdadi parents; he was an Anglophile and his meetings with Japanese Foreign gan funding fledgling Jewish Studies pro- · Grants were provided to numerous in- judaic.org) that serves as an informational of transformation of the Middle East has and an ardent believer of British influence Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and a num- grams at various Chinese universities. dividuals, including: hub for all aspects of Jewish life and Jew- surprised it, and it is trying to decide what for the establishment of a sovereign Jew- ber of statesmen in Tokyo and in Nanking a) Wu Guifu, Director of the Institute of ish studies in China. to do next. What China will do in the fu- ish homeland. and his interviews with the ambassadors Among its projects during this period: Strategic Studies, China’s National D e - ture cannot be predicted. But it seems in- of Britain and Iran. These took place three · Support for Chinese edition of Encyclo- fense University · Points East was digitized and made evitable that China’s basic interests will When the Balfour Declaration was an- weeks before his death.” pedia Judaica; Prof. Xu Xin, project di- b) Xu Xin, Nanjing University Institute available on the SJI website. lead it to far greater involvement in the nounced in 1916 in the midst of World rector, 1991. of Jewish Studies, to Israel region, all the more so as the US with- War I, Ezra made unceasing and success- Nissim Ezra Benjamin (N.E.B.) Ezra was c) Zhao Xiangru, Institute of Minority · SJI resumed direct activity in Kaifeng, draws. Israel will remain an American ally, ful efforts for its recognition by both China born in Lahore (then in British India and · Books for Chinese scholars, funding Studies, to participate in the Harvard funding a Jewish school there, helping to and this alliance strictly delimits the scope and Japan. He was a prolific writer and now in Pakistan) and in his youth went to included $1000 from the Pacific Rim In- conference send Western Jews to teach at there and of Sino-Israeli collaboration. Within these following the influx of Russian refugees, Bombay where he attended the Jacob stitute of the American Jewish Commit- d) Summer workshops on Jewish history sending annual delegations to visit both limits, though, Israel has great room to among them a considerable number of Sassoon School and furthered his educa- tee, Neil C. Sandberg, director, 1991. and culture for teachers of world history Kaifeng and other places. maneuver, and the opportunity to help Jews, he made great efforts to promote tion through private study and acquired a a) Shanghai Judaic Studies Association in Chinese universities, organized by Xu shape Chinese thinking and strategy in the relations between the Russian Ashkenazis wide knowledge in world affairs and Jew- b) Yao Yi’en, specialist on Sholem Xin, Center for Jewish Studies, Nanjing · A logo was commissioned and a new region for decades to come. and the Baghdadi Jews in Shanghai, and ish scholarship. He was later employed Aleichem University, 1997, 1999 & 2001 Chinese name applied to the Institute. his journal always had news about the life by the E.D. Sassoon firm and subsequently c) Ohel Moshe Synagogue Museum, e) Jonathan Goldstein, in support of his David P. Goldman is a Managing Direc- of the Russian Jews in Shanghai. sent to Hong Kong and in 1899 to Shang- Shanghai research on Jan Zwartendijk, · The SJI Board was greatly expanded tor at Reorient Group, a Hong-Kong based hai. In his twenties he left the firm to be- d) Center for Judaic Studies, Harbin Dutch consul in Vilna and, in 2008, was divided between a investment bank, and a member of the Ezra also made contact with the leaders come the manager of the China Palestine f) Dvir Bar-Gal, in support of his project managing board, comprised of North Board of Advisors of Sino-Israel Govern- of the Jewish communities in Harbin and Trading Company, although he kept his · Printed: to preserve tombstones of Jews bur- American members, and an international publishedment Network by Regency and Academic Press in Leadership Septem- Tientsin and had a close relationship es- connection with E.D. Sassoon until the a) The Jews of Dynastic China: A Criti- ied in Shanghai advisory board with members from North cal Bibliography g) Pu Rongjian, University of Science America, Europe, Israel, China, Australia ber(SIGNAL). 2011. A volumeHis book, ofHow his essaysCivilizations on cul- pecially with Dr. A. Kaufman, the leader great rubber boom in 1910 when he be- , by Michael Pollak, and Technology, Hefei, Anhui and elsewhere. Dieture, (And religion Why andIslam econ is Dying, Too), was of the Russian Jewish community in came a broker on a fulltime basis. in association with the Hebrew Union Harbin. College Press, 1993 h) She Lei, a Kaifeng Jew, to study in With his gifted abilities in public affairs b) Facsimiles of Kaifeng materials in the Israel · Den Leventhal formalized SJI’s grant- omics, It’s Not the Ezra edited his journal with an assiduity he became highly popular, and with the manuscript collection of the Hebrew i) Fan Yuchun, to assist in the transla- making and developed an on-line appli- End of the World – It’s Just the End of You, worthy of his purpose and many of cooperation of friends, among them S.J. Union College, Cincinnati tionJews, of A Chaim People Herzog’s of Mystery Heroes of Israel cation. Beginning in 2007 and continu- ing through 2014, the Grants Review also appeared that fall. Shanghai’s local community had nothing Solomon and D.E.J. Abraham, he finally c) The scholarly journal Sino-Judaica, into Chinese but praise for his work, which was appre- came to the conclusion his aims could be Prof. Al Dien, editor, vol. 1 (1991), vol. 2 j) Xiao Xian for publication of his The Committee awarded grants to numerous individuals and institutions, including: ciated by many of the English-language best achieved by an English-language jour- (1995), vol. 3 (2000), vol. 4 (2003) (Chinese) N.E.B. EZRA and Israel’s a) Dr. Cao Jian, for a post-doctoral press in the city. He was noted in his writ- nal which could provide readers with project at Hebrew University on the topic Messenger · Upgraded the traveling exhibit of pho- · Hosted visiting lectures concerning Jews ings for his impeccable Victorian English. news about events in the Jewish world and “Men & Ideas of the Tanakh in Modern in China by: by Sasson Jacoby Sadly, his work was tragically cut short promote the spiritual and traditional val- tographs to include rubbings of the Chinese Thought.” a) Dr. Pan Guang (Center for Jewish reprinted from http://www. when he passed away from a sudden, ues of the Jewish heritage so its past glo- Kaifeng stelae, maps, and explanatory b) Prof. Fu Xiao-wei, to help establish jewsofchina.org/ massive heart attack in December 1936 ries would not be forgotten. materials, 1997. A copy of the material Studies, Shanghai) the Center for Judaic & Chinese Studies, at the age of 53. His funeral in the Baikal was sent to the Kaifeng Municipal Mu- b) Dr. Shirley Wood (Henan University, Sichuan International Studies University [Over] one hundred years ago, on April Road cemetery was attended not only by Many of his wealthy and socially promi- seum. Kaifeng) (Chongqing). The program involved con- · Funded the creation of a Kaifeng Jew- c) Ben Levaco (former resident of Tianjin 22, 1904, a Jewish journal devoted to the the Jewish members but many of the for- nently friends supported him, such as E. Refuge ferences, research & publication projects, interest of Jews in the Far East, was born eign community, while the daily newspa- Jonah, I.A. Lewis, S. Moussa, and by his ish exhibit and provided copies of the SJI and Shanghai) curriculum development, etc. She lever- in Shanghai, where its founder and edi- pers were full of eulogies and descriptions twin brother, J.A.B. Ezra. At the sugges- photo exhibit in the Riverside Scene Park, d) Ernest Heppner (author of Shanghai aged SJI’s grants into matching and ex- tor, N.E.B. Ezra, and his associates named of his activities. tion of Miriam Solomon, the journal was Kaifeng, part of the Song Dynasty theme ) panded grants from the Chinese govern- park. (This too remains open only to for- e) Dr. Wang Qingyu (Yale University) ment to grow the Center. 6 Points East Points East 9 tions, as well as economic support for that although China’s weapons deliver- c) Prof. Jonathan Goldstein, for the China Looks West at the July, 2007: New Officers Excerpts from the Arab countries. Israel can provide ad- ies to Iran are larger in absolute terms translation & publication of a Hebrew lan- 1948-1998. President: Anson Laytner 2014 Annual Report Middle East vanced technologies, such as in agricul- than its sales to Saudi Arabia, it has given guage version of his China and Israel, 1st Vice-president: Arnold M. Belzer (continued from page 1) by David P. Goldman ture, to support the industrialization of the Saudis its best medium-range mis- 2nd Vice-president: Wendy Abraham excerptedtives, from BESA Center Perspec- the Middle East in the context of “One siles, which constitute a “formidable de- e) Mr. Richard Peritz, for the produc- Secretary: Linda Frank Prof. Xu XinXin, Director of the Insti- 1 February 2015 Belt and One Road.” The Chinese have terrent” against Iran. tion of one or more videos on “Jews and Treasurer: Steve Hochstadt tute, visited Australia from Dec. 1-18. even pointed out to Israel that their navy Jewish Studies in China.” Editor: Anson Laytner During his visit, he gave seven public A May 2014 map released by China’s is conducting anti-pirate missions in the As China sees the matter, its overall de- Archivist: Rena Krasno lectures and met with a number of schol- state-owned Xinhua News Agency shows Indian Ocean and The Gulf of Aden that pendency on imported oil is rising, and · Stipends for the Jewish school in Counsel: Mark Cohen ars and the leaders of the Zionist Federa- Beijing’s bold visions for a “New Silk Israel can participate in. the proportion of that oil coming from Iran Kaifeng, the Institute of Jewish Studies at Board of Directors Chairman: Art Rosen tion of Australia. Road” and “New Maritime Silk Road.” and its perceived allies is rising as well. Henan University, the Institute of Jewish He was invited to lecture at 4 universi- The project implies a radical shift in Saudi Arabia may be China’s biggest pro- Studies at Nanjing University, the Center Later Board Members: ties in China. He has been taped for a China’s “New Silk Road” might become China’s perceptions of regional security in vider, but Iraq and Oman account for the for Jewish Studies Shanghai (Shanghai 1986: Frederic Kaplan; Den Leventhal; MOOC course on “Jewish Diaspora in history’s most ambitious investment in the Middle East. China’s net oil imports lion’s share of the increase in oil imports. Academy of Social Sciences), and the Andrew Plaks; Marvin Tokayer Modern China” in English. The course is infrastructure. Some Chinese strategists have nearly tripled in the past decade, from China doesn’t want to rock the boat with Center for Judaic & Chinese Studies at 1988: Phyllis Horal; Rena Krasno expected to be available worldwide on the predict an Israeli role in the project on 100 million tons per month in 2005 to either prospective adversary. That policy Sichuan International Studies University 1991: Nigel Thomas; Wu Yuan-li; Harriet platform of Coursera in 2015. par with, or possibly even more impor- nearly 300 million tons today, and most worked well when the US stood for surety became annual allocations in the SJI bud- Rosenson; Vera Schwarz; Kenneth He published three essays and com- tant than, that of Turkey. China calls the of the increase has come from the Persian for peace in the Persian Gulf, but it has get. Overview of Western Culture Lubowich pleted two books entitled respectively: project “One Belt and One Road,” refer- Gulf. China’s dependence on Middle East- reached its best-used-by date and Beijing · Shi Lei, a Kaifeng Jew who had studied 1993: René Goldman (Vancouver) Anti-Semitism: Past and Present and An ring to a belt of railroads, highways, pipe- ern oil will continue to rise. Until recently, is still considering what to do next… in Israel, was brought to the USA for a 1997: Mark Chen; Steve Hochstadt; Elyse . Both are lines and broadband communications China was content to follow America’s speaking tour. Silverberg (Beijing) expected to get officially published in stretching through China to the West, and lead on Gulf security. After the collapse Because China’s Middle East stance is in In 2012, Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer suc- 1999: Judy Green (Hong Kong) 2015. a “maritime Silk Road” combining sea of Syria and Iraq, however, China’s com- the midst of a grand reconsideration, Is- ceeded Rabbi Laytner as president. 2004: Linda Frank; Prof. Albert Yee To serve the fast growing cooperation routes with port infrastructure from the placency has turned to concern, and China rael has an important window of oppor- Among early accomplishments during his 2007: Mary Cha; Joshua Singer and collaboration in economy and culture Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. is seeking ways to enhance its regional tunity to influence Chinese thinking. In tenure, SJI was able to convince the He- 2008: Joel Epstein; Bev Friend; Seth Garz; between China and Israel, he led a del- security presence without attempting to the absence of a dominant American pres- brew Union College Klau Library to digi- Mary-Anne Graham; Len Hew egation of the Heyuanxiang Group in Israel’s location makes it possible for the play a superpower role in the region. ence in the Persian Gulf, the risks of re- tize its Kaifeng Jewish manuscript collec- (Winnipeg); Dana Leventhal; Ondi Shanghai to visit Israel in February. Jewish state to “play the role of bridge- gional war and an interruption of China’s tion and make it available both to SJI Lingenfelter; Lily Yuan Ninburg; Tibi He spoke at a number of conferences head for ‘One Belt and One Road’ with There is a new consensus in China that oil supplies will rise above the threshold scholars and the Kaifeng Jewish descen- Weisz including the conference on “Kaifeng and the completion of the ‘Red-Med’ rail the world’s second superpower will have of acceptability to Beijing. dants. Work with the Kaifeng Jewish com- 2010: David Marshall (Toronto) Beyond: Jewish Life in China, Past and project,” said Dr. Liu Zongyi at a Novem- to play a more central role in the Middle munity has intensified while, at the same 2011: Eric Rothberg; Marvin Tokayer, Present” organized by the University of ber seminar at Remnin University. Dr. East…China has joined the P5+1 negotia- How India will interact with the “New Silk time, the various Jewish Studies programs 2012: Denise Yeh Bresler, Jim San Francisco via skype on May 2. Liu, based at the Shanghai Institute of In- tions with Iran and offered to become a Road” is not yet clear, but it seems increas- and scholars have grown less dependent Michaelson, Cynthia Zeiden ternational Studies, spoke of a $2 billion, fifth member of the Quartet (UN, US, Eu- ingly likely that India and China will col- on SJI’s support as their relationships with Prof. Lihong Song, Deputy Director of 300 km rail line linking Ashkelon with rope, Russia), but these are pro forma pro- laborate rather than quarrel. After Presi- academic institutions abroad have devel- 2012 New Officers 2012 New Officers the Institute, was promoted to full profes- the Red Sea. The “Red-Med” project is posals to assert China’s interest in the re- dent Xi Jinping’s September 2014 state oped. Arnold Mark Belzer, President sor at the beginning of 2014. He has fin- usually presented in more modest terms, gion rather than a policy per se. In the past, visit to India, the new government of Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President ished two books. Rome and Jerusalem as a way of absorbing excess traffic from China has voted with the Palestinians at Narendra Modi may draw on Chinese List of Officers and Board Members Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer the Suez Canal, or as an alternative route Founding Officers: Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary mainly addresses the Jewish interaction the United Nations, and it will not alter its expertise and financing to alleviate criti- in the event of political disruption. President: Leo Gabow Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President with the Roman Empire. The other book diplomatic position in the foreseeable fu- cal infrastructure bottlenecks. The two Vice-president: Michael Pollak isCapitalism a Chinese translation of Werner ture. countries are negotiating a $33 billion Secretary: Anson Laytner Managing Board Sombart’s classic, The Jews and Modern What China calls “One Belt and One high-speed rail scheme, for example, the Treasurer: Albert Dien Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev . Both books are expected to Road” proposes that China, with the There is an overarching theme to Chinese first major improvement in a rail system Honorary Chairman: Louis Schwartz Friend, Seth Garz, Mary-Anne Graham, come out in 2015. Mediterranean on the East-West axis, will policy, though, and it stems from China’s built by the British in the 19th century. Founding Board: Ron Kaye, Dana Leventhal, Den Meanwhile, Prof. Song, teamed with have the opportunity to create high-speed economic strengths. The transformation of Economics trumps petty concerns over Wendy Abraham; Arnold M. Belzer; Leventhal, David Marshall, Jim Prof. James Ross of Northeastern Univer- rail lines in Southeast Asia, India, and the Eurasian landmass by high-speed trans- borders in the mountainous wasteland that David C. Buxbaum; Mark Ejlenburg; Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Rothberg, sity, to edit a volume on the image of Jews Africa. China aims to double its 12,000 port and communications will lift large separates the world’s two most populous Helaine V. Fortgang; Seymour Fromer; Marvin Tokayer, Tibi Weisz, Albert Yee, in contemporary China, which is sched- kilometers of railway track by 2020, with parts of the continent out of backwardness, nations. Ronald L. Kaye; Lawrence Kramer; Donald Cynthia Zeiden uled to be published in English and is high-speed lines comprising most of the China believes, and make long-term po- D. Leslie; Art Rosen; Joshua Stampfer under contract with a publisher in Bos- expansion. It is building a rail network litical stability possible. Building the New There also is a strategic dimension to the Counsel: Robert Grodsky International Advisory Board: ton. He also published a paper on Jews south through Thailand, Laos and Cam- Silk Road, though, demands the suppres- growing sense of agreement between Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, and China. bodia to Singapore, and west to Istanbul. sion of security threats that could disrupt China and India. From India’s vantage March, 1990: New Officers March, 1990: New Officers Irene Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Prof. Song gave several talks on Jewish trade flows. In both respects Beijing is siz- point, China’s support for Pakistan’s army President: Albert Dien Jonathan Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy topics for conferences in Beijing, Shang- China is seeking ways to enhance its re- ing up Israel as a strategic partner. is a concern, but it cuts both ways. Paki- 1st Vice-president: Joshua Stampfer Green, Pan Guang, Len Hew, Tess hai, Jinan, Chengdu, Hangzhou and gional security presence without attempt- stan remains at perpetual risk of tipping 2nd Vice-president: Michael Pollak Johnston, Teddy Kaufman, Rena Krasno, Zhengzhou. He was also invited to lec- ing to play a superpower role in the Not until 2014 did China come to the con- over towards militant Islam, and the main Treasurer: Leo Gabow Donald Leslie, Michael Li, Maisie Meyer, ture for the summer workshop on the Middle East. clusion that the United States would fail guarantor of its stability is the army. China Public Affairs: Rena Krasno Mark Michaelson, Sonja Muehlberger, Holocaust Education at Henan University to stop Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons. wants to strengthen the army as a bulwark Honored Founder: Louis Schwartz Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Art of Kaifeng that was organized by the Lon- Some Chinese strategists see “Red-Med” Under the assumption that it was working against the Islamic radicals, who threaten Board of Directors Chairman: Art Rosen Rosen, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse don Jewish Cultural Center. He served as as emblematic of a more ambitious de- under an American security umbrella, China’s Xinjiang province as much as they Editor: Anson Laytner Silverberg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, external examiner to attend a PhD disser- sign for the region. For example, Sino- Beijing attempted to maintain a delicate do India, and that probably serves India’s Treasurer: Norman Fishman, 1993-1996 Xiao Xian, Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, tation defense held by the Judaic Studies Israeli collaboration aims to include balance in its relations with Saudi Arabia interests as well as any Chinese policy Shelton Erhlich, 1996-2007 David Zweig. Program of the University of Shandong. counterterrorism and anti-piracy opera- and Iran. One Chinese analyst observes might. Points East 7

Dr. Zhenhua Meng (Jeremiah)(Jeremiah), as- Consul General in Shanghai and Mr. ality is that Israel is less worried about sociate professor and Director of the Cen- Oren RozenblatRozenblat, Deputy Consul Gen- the Arabs challenging its relationship with ter for Israel Studies at Nanjing Univer- eral, visited the Institute; a delegation China than it is about the United States. sity, currently serves as a visiting scholar from the Heyuanxiang Group came Israeli officials at a recent meeting on at Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard to visit for a meeting about a musical China were concerned about how Jerusa- University from July 2014 to May 2015. opera “Jews in Shanghai”; Dr. Shi lem can strike a balance between Beijing Dr. Meng attended a number of inter- XingguoXingguo, Director and Representative and Washington. These officials remem- national conferences including Nishan Office China, De Gruyter, a German ber that the previous era of close Sino- Forum on World Civilizations in Jinan, publisher; Dr. Shaye CohenCohen, the Israeli relations was brought to a sudden China May 21-23; Meeting of the Society Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and halt by American pressure. of Asian Biblical Studies in Chiang Mai, Philosophy in the Department of Near Thailand, June 22-26; Symposium for Eastern Languages and Civilizations of Indeed, Israel has found itself forced to New Approaches to Religious Studies, The Harvard University; Dr. Shlomo choose between China and the United Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong NeumanNeuman, Regents Professor in the De- States at several critical junctures in the Kong June 27; Colloquium of Hebrew partment of Hydrology & Water Resources recent history of both nations. Although Bible Scholars in Boston Area, Newton, at the University of Arizona, USA and a Israel was the first Middle Eastern state to MA Society of Biblical Literature 2014 Member of the U.S. National Academy recognize China, the two newly indepen- Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA Novem- of Engineering; Prof. Sergio WaismanWaisman, dent states failed to establish official ties ber 22-26. Chair of International Affairs Department due to U.S. opposition at the outbreak of He taught two courses at Nanjing Uni- and Dr. Xiaofei Kang, Associate Pro- the Korean War. Israel and China had to versity in the spring semester. He also fessors from the George Washington wait until Nixon went to China in 1972 served as guest professor at Shantou Uni- University; a delegation from the to begin a bilateral relationship. versity and taught a BA intensive course Helongjiang TV visited the Institute with 60 students on “Judaism and World to consult Prof. Xu Xin about its TV pro- The two sides quickly found common Civilizations”. gram on Jews in Modern China; Dr. ground in the sale of Israeli weapons to Zaki ShalomShalom, professor of Ben-Gurion China; for the next two decades—secretly III. Visitors Research Institute at Ben-Gurion Univer- during the 1980s but with increasing The Institute invited Dr. Steven sity and Institute for National Security openness after the establishment of offi- WindmuellerWindmueller, to serve its visiting profes- Studies; Dr. Michael KaganKagan, scientist, cial ties in 1992—arms sales defined Sino- sor at Nanjing University at the recom- inventor, serial entrepreneur and author Israeli relations. mendation of John Fishel. Dr. of the Holistic Haggadah. Windmueller lectured on topics that re- Chinese-Israeli Relations Even as Israeli leaders anticipated a prof- flect his area of expertise, such as Ameri- itable future partnership with China, they can Jewish organizations and Communi- Examined failed to address growing U.S. unease with ties. The faculty and students had won- by Sam Chester Sino-Israeli weapons sales. With China the derful meetings and discussions with him. excerpted from http://www. key rival for U.S. strategists in the post- The Glazer Institute also arranged for him tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/ Cold War era, Jerusalem’s sale of ad- to visit and lecture at the Institute of Jew- 136348/china-israel-united-states, 28 June vanced weapons to Beijing came under ish Studies at Henan University and the 2013 heavy scrutiny in Washington. During the Center for Judaic and Inter-religious Stud- 1990s, U.S. officials accused Israel of il- ies of Shandong University during his visit “Like it or not, when President Peres cel- legally providing China with weapons to China. ebrates his 100th birthday in 10 years’ such as the Patriot missile, Lavi jetfighter, His visit and lectures not only deepened time, this [conference] will be half Asian,” and Phalcon airborne radar system. Chinese academia’s understanding of the Chinese real-estate tycoon Ronnie American Jewry, their life, and their roles Chan boldly declared at last week’s Presi- American pressure on Israel to cancel the in American society and politics, but also dents Conference in Jerusalem, as he sat Phalcon reached a fever pitch during the the dynamics of Jewish participation in the alongside outgoing Bank of Israel Gover- final years of the decade. During a his- societal and political development of the nor Stanley Fischer and former U.S. Trea- toric visit to Israel in 2000 by Chinese USA and the evolving relationship to Is- sury Secretary Larry Summers. “I guaran- President Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister rael. His lectures are to be translated into tee you.” Ehud Barak assured his guest the Phalcon Chinese and will be published in Chinese deal would go through. But two months journals. With Chinese-Israeli relations enjoying a later the Israeli leader gave in and can- Jason Lustig, a Ph.D. candidate at new honeymoon capped by Prime Minis- celed the billion dollar deal. Having per- UCLA, selected by the Center for Jewish ter Netanyahu’s recent state visit to sonally insulted the Chinese president just Studies’ Faculty Advisory Committee Beijing, Chan is one of many observers as China was prepared to usher in a new UCLA as one of two recipients of the now speculating that Israel’s future lies in era of strategic ties, Jerusalem’s eastern Stephen O. Lesser Chinese Travel Grant the east. At the same time, China’s de- aspirations imploded. Whatever was left in Jewish Studies for the 2014-15 aca- pendence on Arab and Iranian oil and the of Sino-Israeli strategic ties collapsed five demic year. growing rhetoric from Beijing about the years later when the United States pre- A number of other visitors came or lec- Israeli-Palestinian peace process are often vented Israel from upgrading Harpy tured at the Institute. They were: Mr. depicted as the obstacles that could over- drones previously purchased by the Chi- Arnon PerlmanPerlman, Newly-appointed Israeli shadow Sino-Israeli relations...But the re- nese. Forced to again choose between 8 Points East

Washington and Beijing, Jerusalem com- If Israel and China have secretly returned nomic development—rather than a reli- mitted to no longer selling weapons to to the arms business, it is far more likely gious conflict-zone. Although Beijing has China… to be taking place with covert U.S. per- opened a Confucius Institute in Tel Aviv mission than without. It is hard to imag- and is planning a second such language Since Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s visit ine that within a decade of the Phalcon and cultural center in Jerusalem, Israeli to Beijing in January 2007, and especially and Harpy scandals, Israeli leaders would interest and understanding of China have since 2010, Sino-Israeli relations have re- so blithely disregard America’s hypersen- largely developed independently. The al- bounded to encompass new forms of com- sitivity to the transfer of advanced weap- mercial, military, political, and cultural lure of China’s economic growth makes ons to China. If the military meetings are Chinese languages the most popular (be- exchange. about sharing intelligence and port access, sides English) in Israeli universities, with American officials who keep a careful eye In the absence of arms sales, the trade and on China’s naval ambitions have greater over 800 college students studying them investment at the core of contemporary reason to be concerned. Were Chinese every year. Sino-Israeli ties may seem fairly harmless flotillas to make a regular practice of pa- to U.S. interests. However…cyber-security trolling the Eastern Mediterranean, the Although academic and cultural ties be- is just one cutting-edge field, along with U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet would likely step tween China and Israel are far less likely drones, in which Israel excels and China up its own activity off of Israel’s shores, to unnerve American officials than mili- wants to improve—and where civilian bringing the threat of conflict between the tary and political initiatives, the former are applications blur the line over whether great powers to Israel’s doorstep. these dual-use technologies can be sold uniquely capable of truly transforming ties to China under Israel’s 2005 agreement between the three countries. The most Whatever impact the Arab Spring has had fundamental obstacle to Sino-Israeli rela- with the United States. in stimulating China’s military collabora- tions remains the fact that China and the tion with Israel, the upheaval has certainly Although China and Israel are no longer caused Beijing and Jerusalem to adopt East remain foreign concepts for Israelis in the weapons business, both sides are similar positions on regional crises—a whose personal and professional connec- still driven by similar motives that guided development that takes on greater signifi- tions are often embedded in Europe and their trade in arms. Israel remains addicted cance with China’s intent to ramp up its the Americas. With a vibrant American to the export potential of the vast Chinese political involvement in the Middle East. Jewish community and a shared demo- market. China is still interested in acquir- In Egypt and Syria, Israeli preferences are cratic and Judeo-Christian heritage, Israel ing Israeli technology. A key difference not too different from China’s desire for and the United States appear unlikely to from the past is that China’s interest in stability and a return to the status quo. Israel is no longer only about moderniz- back away from six decades of incredibly Neither country is enamored with close bilateral ties. ing the Chinese military. With Beijing try- America’s inchoate policy of hesitating to ing to build an economy that relies on support opposition groups before rushing Nevertheless, the Phalcon crisis that de- innovation rather than imitation, Israeli to abandon traditional allies like Hosni stroyed Sino-Israeli ties in 2000 did not technologies are desired across a range of Mubarak. China and Israel both remain come out of nowhere. American pressure industries… largely disinterested in actively embrac- ing the peace process, despite Beijing’s on Israel stemmed from the deterioration Shipping gas to China and having the past and present rhetorical embrace of the of U.S. ties with China. Today, the two Chinese run an Israeli railroad that com- Palestinian cause. When it comes to Iran, great powers are again divided by naval petes with Egypt’s Suez Canal are politi- Beijing and Jerusalem clearly disagree face-offs in the East and South China Seas, cal projects masquerading as commercial what if any level of outside pressure ever-growing trade disputes, and are one ventures. In this sense, they are similar to should be applied to Tehran. However, mistyped cyber-attack away from causing a restoration in Sino-Israeli military ties China’s leaders have responded to Israeli an amount of damage far greater than the that began in 2011 but whose true im- lobbying by becoming increasingly criti- 1999 embassy attack in Belgrade. If U.S. portance is difficult to measure. In 2012, cal of Iran’s nuclear program. and China ties came undone, Israel can Israel augmented the recent chorus of vis- take solace in knowing that the complex its by generals, admirals, and spy While China is generally the lead actor in reality of its modern ties with Beijing will chiefs from both countries by appointing other avenues of Sino-Israeli relations, Is- ensure that any American pressure will not a senior military figure to the position of raeli government and especially non-gov- cripple ties as occurred in 2000. At the ambassador in Beijing. Some observers ernment programs have taken the lead in same time, the changing Sino-U.S. dynam- assume the renewed prominence of se- developing academic and cultural ties. ics in the Middle East present valuable curity officials signals the emergence of a These Israeli programs are responsible for opportunities for Israel to leverage its ties new clandestine arms trade between the a vast range of activities that include aca- with both countries. two countries. With Syria enmeshed in demic centers, cultural exhibits, translated violence, Chinese military strategists are literature, language courses, tourist initia- Sam Chester is an expert on China-Middle East affairs and a graduate of the Johns in need of accurate intelligence and tives, and expanded and informed media Hopkins School of Advanced International friendly ports of call as Chinese influence coverage. Together these activities have had great success in rebranding Israel in Studies. His regular commentary on Sino- expands in the Eastern Mediterranean. Is- China as the Start-up Nation—a center of Middle East issues can be found on Twit- rael is uniquely positioned to supply both dynamic commercial innovation and eco- ter @Shaihuludata. needs. 6 Points East Points East 9 tions, as well as economic support for that although China’s weapons deliver- c) Prof. Jonathan Goldstein, for the China Looks West at the July, 2007: New Officers Excerpts from the Arab countries. Israel can provide ad- ies to Iran are larger in absolute terms translation & publication of a Hebrew lan- 1948-1998. President: Anson Laytner 2014 Annual Report Middle East vanced technologies, such as in agricul- than its sales to Saudi Arabia, it has given guage version of his China and Israel, 1st Vice-president: Arnold M. Belzer (continued from page 1) by David P. Goldman ture, to support the industrialization of the Saudis its best medium-range mis- 2nd Vice-president: Wendy Abraham excerptedtives, from BESA Center Perspec- the Middle East in the context of “One siles, which constitute a “formidable de- e) Mr. Richard Peritz, for the produc- Secretary: Linda Frank Prof. Xu XinXin, Director of the Insti- 1 February 2015 Belt and One Road.” The Chinese have terrent” against Iran. tion of one or more videos on “Jews and Treasurer: Steve Hochstadt tute, visited Australia from Dec. 1-18. even pointed out to Israel that their navy Jewish Studies in China.” Editor: Anson Laytner During his visit, he gave seven public A May 2014 map released by China’s is conducting anti-pirate missions in the As China sees the matter, its overall de- Archivist: Rena Krasno lectures and met with a number of schol- state-owned Xinhua News Agency shows Indian Ocean and The Gulf of Aden that pendency on imported oil is rising, and · Stipends for the Jewish school in Counsel: Mark Cohen ars and the leaders of the Zionist Federa- Beijing’s bold visions for a “New Silk Israel can participate in. the proportion of that oil coming from Iran Kaifeng, the Institute of Jewish Studies at Board of Directors Chairman: Art Rosen tion of Australia. Road” and “New Maritime Silk Road.” and its perceived allies is rising as well. Henan University, the Institute of Jewish He was invited to lecture at 4 universi- The project implies a radical shift in Saudi Arabia may be China’s biggest pro- Studies at Nanjing University, the Center Later Board Members: ties in China. He has been taped for a China’s “New Silk Road” might become China’s perceptions of regional security in vider, but Iraq and Oman account for the for Jewish Studies Shanghai (Shanghai 1986: Frederic Kaplan; Den Leventhal; MOOC course on “Jewish Diaspora in history’s most ambitious investment in the Middle East. China’s net oil imports lion’s share of the increase in oil imports. Academy of Social Sciences), and the Andrew Plaks; Marvin Tokayer Modern China” in English. The course is infrastructure. Some Chinese strategists have nearly tripled in the past decade, from China doesn’t want to rock the boat with Center for Judaic & Chinese Studies at 1988: Phyllis Horal; Rena Krasno expected to be available worldwide on the predict an Israeli role in the project on 100 million tons per month in 2005 to either prospective adversary. That policy Sichuan International Studies University 1991: Nigel Thomas; Wu Yuan-li; Harriet platform of Coursera in 2015. par with, or possibly even more impor- nearly 300 million tons today, and most worked well when the US stood for surety became annual allocations in the SJI bud- Rosenson; Vera Schwarz; Kenneth He published three essays and com- tant than, that of Turkey. China calls the of the increase has come from the Persian for peace in the Persian Gulf, but it has get. Overview of Western Culture Lubowich pleted two books entitled respectively: project “One Belt and One Road,” refer- Gulf. China’s dependence on Middle East- reached its best-used-by date and Beijing · Shi Lei, a Kaifeng Jew who had studied 1993: René Goldman (Vancouver) Anti-Semitism: Past and Present and An ring to a belt of railroads, highways, pipe- ern oil will continue to rise. Until recently, is still considering what to do next… in Israel, was brought to the USA for a 1997: Mark Chen; Steve Hochstadt; Elyse . Both are lines and broadband communications China was content to follow America’s speaking tour. Silverberg (Beijing) expected to get officially published in stretching through China to the West, and lead on Gulf security. After the collapse Because China’s Middle East stance is in In 2012, Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer suc- 1999: Judy Green (Hong Kong) 2015. a “maritime Silk Road” combining sea of Syria and Iraq, however, China’s com- the midst of a grand reconsideration, Is- ceeded Rabbi Laytner as president. 2004: Linda Frank; Prof. Albert Yee To serve the fast growing cooperation routes with port infrastructure from the placency has turned to concern, and China rael has an important window of oppor- Among early accomplishments during his 2007: Mary Cha; Joshua Singer and collaboration in economy and culture Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. is seeking ways to enhance its regional tunity to influence Chinese thinking. In tenure, SJI was able to convince the He- 2008: Joel Epstein; Bev Friend; Seth Garz; between China and Israel, he led a del- security presence without attempting to the absence of a dominant American pres- brew Union College Klau Library to digi- Mary-Anne Graham; Len Hew egation of the Heyuanxiang Group in Israel’s location makes it possible for the play a superpower role in the region. ence in the Persian Gulf, the risks of re- tize its Kaifeng Jewish manuscript collec- (Winnipeg); Dana Leventhal; Ondi Shanghai to visit Israel in February. Jewish state to “play the role of bridge- gional war and an interruption of China’s tion and make it available both to SJI Lingenfelter; Lily Yuan Ninburg; Tibi He spoke at a number of conferences head for ‘One Belt and One Road’ with There is a new consensus in China that oil supplies will rise above the threshold scholars and the Kaifeng Jewish descen- Weisz including the conference on “Kaifeng and the completion of the ‘Red-Med’ rail the world’s second superpower will have of acceptability to Beijing. dants. Work with the Kaifeng Jewish com- 2010: David Marshall (Toronto) Beyond: Jewish Life in China, Past and project,” said Dr. Liu Zongyi at a Novem- to play a more central role in the Middle munity has intensified while, at the same 2011: Eric Rothberg; Marvin Tokayer, Present” organized by the University of ber seminar at Remnin University. Dr. East…China has joined the P5+1 negotia- How India will interact with the “New Silk time, the various Jewish Studies programs 2012: Denise Yeh Bresler, Jim San Francisco via skype on May 2. Liu, based at the Shanghai Institute of In- tions with Iran and offered to become a Road” is not yet clear, but it seems increas- and scholars have grown less dependent Michaelson, Cynthia Zeiden ternational Studies, spoke of a $2 billion, fifth member of the Quartet (UN, US, Eu- ingly likely that India and China will col- on SJI’s support as their relationships with Prof. Lihong Song, Deputy Director of 300 km rail line linking Ashkelon with rope, Russia), but these are pro forma pro- laborate rather than quarrel. After Presi- academic institutions abroad have devel- 2012 New Officers 2012 New Officers the Institute, was promoted to full profes- the Red Sea. The “Red-Med” project is posals to assert China’s interest in the re- dent Xi Jinping’s September 2014 state oped. Arnold Mark Belzer, President sor at the beginning of 2014. He has fin- usually presented in more modest terms, gion rather than a policy per se. In the past, visit to India, the new government of Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President ished two books. Rome and Jerusalem as a way of absorbing excess traffic from China has voted with the Palestinians at Narendra Modi may draw on Chinese List of Officers and Board Members Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer the Suez Canal, or as an alternative route Founding Officers: Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary mainly addresses the Jewish interaction the United Nations, and it will not alter its expertise and financing to alleviate criti- in the event of political disruption. President: Leo Gabow Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President with the Roman Empire. The other book diplomatic position in the foreseeable fu- cal infrastructure bottlenecks. The two Vice-president: Michael Pollak isCapitalism a Chinese translation of Werner ture. countries are negotiating a $33 billion Secretary: Anson Laytner Managing Board Sombart’s classic, The Jews and Modern What China calls “One Belt and One high-speed rail scheme, for example, the Treasurer: Albert Dien Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev . Both books are expected to Road” proposes that China, with the There is an overarching theme to Chinese first major improvement in a rail system Honorary Chairman: Louis Schwartz Friend, Seth Garz, Mary-Anne Graham, come out in 2015. Mediterranean on the East-West axis, will policy, though, and it stems from China’s built by the British in the 19th century. Founding Board: Ron Kaye, Dana Leventhal, Den Meanwhile, Prof. Song, teamed with have the opportunity to create high-speed economic strengths. The transformation of Economics trumps petty concerns over Wendy Abraham; Arnold M. Belzer; Leventhal, David Marshall, Jim Prof. James Ross of Northeastern Univer- rail lines in Southeast Asia, India, and the Eurasian landmass by high-speed trans- borders in the mountainous wasteland that David C. Buxbaum; Mark Ejlenburg; Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Rothberg, sity, to edit a volume on the image of Jews Africa. China aims to double its 12,000 port and communications will lift large separates the world’s two most populous Helaine V. Fortgang; Seymour Fromer; Marvin Tokayer, Tibi Weisz, Albert Yee, in contemporary China, which is sched- kilometers of railway track by 2020, with parts of the continent out of backwardness, nations. Ronald L. Kaye; Lawrence Kramer; Donald Cynthia Zeiden uled to be published in English and is high-speed lines comprising most of the China believes, and make long-term po- D. Leslie; Art Rosen; Joshua Stampfer under contract with a publisher in Bos- expansion. It is building a rail network litical stability possible. Building the New There also is a strategic dimension to the Counsel: Robert Grodsky International Advisory Board: ton. He also published a paper on Jews south through Thailand, Laos and Cam- Silk Road, though, demands the suppres- growing sense of agreement between Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, and China. bodia to Singapore, and west to Istanbul. sion of security threats that could disrupt China and India. From India’s vantage March, 1990: New Officers March, 1990: New Officers Irene Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Prof. Song gave several talks on Jewish trade flows. In both respects Beijing is siz- point, China’s support for Pakistan’s army President: Albert Dien Jonathan Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy topics for conferences in Beijing, Shang- China is seeking ways to enhance its re- ing up Israel as a strategic partner. is a concern, but it cuts both ways. Paki- 1st Vice-president: Joshua Stampfer Green, Pan Guang, Len Hew, Tess hai, Jinan, Chengdu, Hangzhou and gional security presence without attempt- stan remains at perpetual risk of tipping 2nd Vice-president: Michael Pollak Johnston, Teddy Kaufman, Rena Krasno, Zhengzhou. He was also invited to lec- ing to play a superpower role in the Not until 2014 did China come to the con- over towards militant Islam, and the main Treasurer: Leo Gabow Donald Leslie, Michael Li, Maisie Meyer, ture for the summer workshop on the Middle East. clusion that the United States would fail guarantor of its stability is the army. China Public Affairs: Rena Krasno Mark Michaelson, Sonja Muehlberger, Holocaust Education at Henan University to stop Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons. wants to strengthen the army as a bulwark Honored Founder: Louis Schwartz Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Art of Kaifeng that was organized by the Lon- Some Chinese strategists see “Red-Med” Under the assumption that it was working against the Islamic radicals, who threaten Board of Directors Chairman: Art Rosen Rosen, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse don Jewish Cultural Center. He served as as emblematic of a more ambitious de- under an American security umbrella, China’s Xinjiang province as much as they Editor: Anson Laytner Silverberg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, external examiner to attend a PhD disser- sign for the region. For example, Sino- Beijing attempted to maintain a delicate do India, and that probably serves India’s Treasurer: Norman Fishman, 1993-1996 Xiao Xian, Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, tation defense held by the Judaic Studies Israeli collaboration aims to include balance in its relations with Saudi Arabia interests as well as any Chinese policy Shelton Erhlich, 1996-2007 David Zweig. Program of the University of Shandong. counterterrorism and anti-piracy opera- and Iran. One Chinese analyst observes might. 10 Points East Points East 5 China’s role in Egypt exemplifies how it the Israel’s Messenger. What made it Unfortunately, of the succeeding genera- on his meeting with Kaifeng governmen- eign guests and then only upon request.) f) Sidney Shapiro (member, Chinese Beijing may use its economic muscle to unique is a fact that has been virtually for- tions a century later, some members of tal officials and the museum director in- · Contributed toward the funding of the People’s Political Consultative Council) contribute to regional stability. Egyptian gotten in the course of the past century. the Sephardi community, then in cluded pictures that confirmed the ru- international scholarly conference “Jewish g) Co-sponsored “Home Afar: The Life President Fatah al-Sisi signed a “compre- It so happened that this journal was the childhood and now all over the world in mors. The first and second steles (Ming Diasporas in China: Comparative and of Jewish Communities in Shanghai dur- hensive strategic partnership” with China first English-language [Zionist] publication their seventies and eighties, may have period) were on the ground inside a stor- Historical Perspectives,” Jonathan ing WWII”, a public lecture by Dr. Peter during his late-December state visit to to appear anywhere in the world. Zionist scant or no knowledge or remembrance age building, and the fourth (Qian Long Goldstein, organizer, Harvard University, Vamos, Lecturer in Chi- Beijing. China envisions a second Suez publications have appeared mostly in of the man who founded the Jewish jour- period) was lying on its side, leaning 1992. This was the first such conference nese Language and History at Karoli Canal flanked by a high-speed rail line, Russian, German and Yiddish. Jewish jour- nal that had made such an impact on Jews against another storage building, both on ever convened. Gaspar University, Hungary at University as well as “cooperation in infrastructure, nals in English were not Zionist. in the Far East. However, it is well to note the museum’s property. This report was · Distributed materials by the following of San Francisco that when he died, the Harbin Jewish pub- the catalyst for SJI’s working with the individuals: nuclear power, new energy, aviation, fi- Jews nance and other sectors,” Chinese Presi- It is well to note that the Messenger ap- lication, Yevreiskaya Jizn (The Jewish Museum to create a proper exhibit fea- a) Wang Yisha, Annals of the Chinese · Set up the SJI Archives at the Hoover dent Xi Jinping said in December. Israel peared just three months before the death Life), had inter alia this to say: “As an in- turing the steles and SJI-donated materi- (in Chinese) Institution, Stanford University in 1993 may have a role in Sino-Egyptian coop- of Theodor Herzl, the father of modern fluential figure, a prominent journalist and als on the top floor of the Kaifeng Mu- b) Xu Xin, Chinese Encyclopedia Judaica and updated them in 1998. Rena Krasno eration. As aforementioned, Israel can Zionism, and eight years after the First a man of impeccable integrity, Nissim Ezra nicipal Museum. Although safe now from (in Chinese) was the principle person responsible for Zionist Congress in Basel. There is no was welcome in the drawing rooms of the the elements and nicely displayed, the elerc) Alin ChinaDien, Guide for the Jewish Trav- building the collection. provide advanced agricultural technolo- of Individuals interested in the Jews and doubt that this Congress and the Zionist first rank statesmen and policy makers at exhibit is open only to foreign guests and (in English) gies to support the industrialization of the Jewish Communities of East, Southeast Middle Eastern countries in the context policy preached by Herzl had a profound that time, and later, when the dark clouds then only upon request. d) Frank J. Shulman, compiler Directory Rabbi Anson Laytner took over from Prof. and South Asia of One Belt, One Road. effect on the young Ezra and this was to began to appear over the European Jewry, Dien in 2007. The following are some of affect the life of the Jewish residents of he used all the weight of his influence to Prof. Al Dien succeeded Leo as president the things accomplished during his ten- China’s policy-making is careful, conser- China and other Jewish congregations in relieve the plight of the persecuted….His in 1990. During his 17-year tenure, SJI , ure: vative and consensus-driven. Its overrid- the Far East. Ezra was born in India of readers remember well his visit to Japan greatly expanded its work and also be- · SJI established a website (www.sino- ing concern is its own economy. The pace Baghdadi parents; he was an Anglophile and his meetings with Japanese Foreign gan funding fledgling Jewish Studies pro- · Grants were provided to numerous in- judaic.org) that serves as an informational of transformation of the Middle East has and an ardent believer of British influence Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and a num- grams at various Chinese universities. dividuals, including: hub for all aspects of Jewish life and Jew- surprised it, and it is trying to decide what for the establishment of a sovereign Jew- ber of statesmen in Tokyo and in Nanking a) Wu Guifu, Director of the Institute of ish studies in China. to do next. What China will do in the fu- ish homeland. and his interviews with the ambassadors Among its projects during this period: Strategic Studies, China’s National D e - ture cannot be predicted. But it seems in- of Britain and Iran. These took place three · Support for Chinese edition of Encyclo- fense University · Points East was digitized and made evitable that China’s basic interests will When the Balfour Declaration was an- weeks before his death.” pedia Judaica; Prof. Xu Xin, project di- b) Xu Xin, Nanjing University Institute available on the SJI website. lead it to far greater involvement in the nounced in 1916 in the midst of World rector, 1991. of Jewish Studies, to Israel region, all the more so as the US with- War I, Ezra made unceasing and success- Nissim Ezra Benjamin (N.E.B.) Ezra was c) Zhao Xiangru, Institute of Minority · SJI resumed direct activity in Kaifeng, draws. Israel will remain an American ally, ful efforts for its recognition by both China born in Lahore (then in British India and · Books for Chinese scholars, funding Studies, to participate in the Harvard funding a Jewish school there, helping to and this alliance strictly delimits the scope and Japan. He was a prolific writer and now in Pakistan) and in his youth went to included $1000 from the Pacific Rim In- conference send Western Jews to teach at there and of Sino-Israeli collaboration. Within these following the influx of Russian refugees, Bombay where he attended the Jacob stitute of the American Jewish Commit- d) Summer workshops on Jewish history sending annual delegations to visit both limits, though, Israel has great room to among them a considerable number of Sassoon School and furthered his educa- tee, Neil C. Sandberg, director, 1991. and culture for teachers of world history Kaifeng and other places. maneuver, and the opportunity to help Jews, he made great efforts to promote tion through private study and acquired a a) Shanghai Judaic Studies Association in Chinese universities, organized by Xu shape Chinese thinking and strategy in the relations between the Russian Ashkenazis wide knowledge in world affairs and Jew- b) Yao Yi’en, specialist on Sholem Xin, Center for Jewish Studies, Nanjing · A logo was commissioned and a new region for decades to come. and the Baghdadi Jews in Shanghai, and ish scholarship. He was later employed Aleichem University, 1997, 1999 & 2001 Chinese name applied to the Institute. his journal always had news about the life by the E.D. Sassoon firm and subsequently c) Ohel Moshe Synagogue Museum, e) Jonathan Goldstein, in support of his David P. Goldman is a Managing Direc- of the Russian Jews in Shanghai. sent to Hong Kong and in 1899 to Shang- Shanghai research on Jan Zwartendijk, · The SJI Board was greatly expanded tor at Reorient Group, a Hong-Kong based hai. In his twenties he left the firm to be- d) Center for Judaic Studies, Harbin Dutch consul in Vilna and, in 2008, was divided between a investment bank, and a member of the Ezra also made contact with the leaders come the manager of the China Palestine f) Dvir Bar-Gal, in support of his project managing board, comprised of North Board of Advisors of Sino-Israel Govern- of the Jewish communities in Harbin and Trading Company, although he kept his · Printed: to preserve tombstones of Jews bur- American members, and an international publishedment Network by Regency and Academic Press in Leadership Septem- Tientsin and had a close relationship es- connection with E.D. Sassoon until the a) The Jews of Dynastic China: A Criti- ied in Shanghai advisory board with members from North cal Bibliography g) Pu Rongjian, University of Science America, Europe, Israel, China, Australia ber(SIGNAL). 2011. A volumeHis book, ofHow his essaysCivilizations on cul- pecially with Dr. A. Kaufman, the leader great rubber boom in 1910 when he be- , by Michael Pollak, and Technology, Hefei, Anhui and elsewhere. Dieture, (And religion Why andIslam econ is Dying, Too), was of the Russian Jewish community in came a broker on a fulltime basis. in association with the Hebrew Union Harbin. College Press, 1993 h) She Lei, a Kaifeng Jew, to study in With his gifted abilities in public affairs b) Facsimiles of Kaifeng materials in the Israel · Den Leventhal formalized SJI’s grant- omics, It’s Not the Ezra edited his journal with an assiduity he became highly popular, and with the manuscript collection of the Hebrew i) Fan Yuchun, to assist in the transla- making and developed an on-line appli- End of the World – It’s Just the End of You, worthy of his purpose and many of cooperation of friends, among them S.J. Union College, Cincinnati tionJews, of A Chaim People Herzog’s of Mystery Heroes of Israel cation. Beginning in 2007 and continu- ing through 2014, the Grants Review also appeared that fall. Shanghai’s local community had nothing Solomon and D.E.J. Abraham, he finally c) The scholarly journal Sino-Judaica, into Chinese but praise for his work, which was appre- came to the conclusion his aims could be Prof. Al Dien, editor, vol. 1 (1991), vol. 2 j) Xiao Xian for publication of his The Committee awarded grants to numerous individuals and institutions, including: ciated by many of the English-language best achieved by an English-language jour- (1995), vol. 3 (2000), vol. 4 (2003) (Chinese) N.E.B. EZRA and Israel’s a) Dr. Cao Jian, for a post-doctoral press in the city. He was noted in his writ- nal which could provide readers with project at Hebrew University on the topic Messenger · Upgraded the traveling exhibit of pho- · Hosted visiting lectures concerning Jews ings for his impeccable Victorian English. news about events in the Jewish world and “Men & Ideas of the Tanakh in Modern in China by: by Sasson Jacoby Sadly, his work was tragically cut short promote the spiritual and traditional val- tographs to include rubbings of the Chinese Thought.” a) Dr. Pan Guang (Center for Jewish reprinted from http://www. when he passed away from a sudden, ues of the Jewish heritage so its past glo- Kaifeng stelae, maps, and explanatory b) Prof. Fu Xiao-wei, to help establish jewsofchina.org/ massive heart attack in December 1936 ries would not be forgotten. materials, 1997. A copy of the material Studies, Shanghai) the Center for Judaic & Chinese Studies, at the age of 53. His funeral in the Baikal was sent to the Kaifeng Municipal Mu- b) Dr. Shirley Wood (Henan University, Sichuan International Studies University [Over] one hundred years ago, on April Road cemetery was attended not only by Many of his wealthy and socially promi- seum. Kaifeng) (Chongqing). The program involved con- · Funded the creation of a Kaifeng Jew- c) Ben Levaco (former resident of Tianjin 22, 1904, a Jewish journal devoted to the the Jewish members but many of the for- nently friends supported him, such as E. Refuge ferences, research & publication projects, interest of Jews in the Far East, was born eign community, while the daily newspa- Jonah, I.A. Lewis, S. Moussa, and by his ish exhibit and provided copies of the SJI and Shanghai) curriculum development, etc. She lever- in Shanghai, where its founder and edi- pers were full of eulogies and descriptions twin brother, J.A.B. Ezra. At the sugges- photo exhibit in the Riverside Scene Park, d) Ernest Heppner (author of Shanghai aged SJI’s grants into matching and ex- tor, N.E.B. Ezra, and his associates named of his activities. tion of Miriam Solomon, the journal was Kaifeng, part of the Song Dynasty theme ) panded grants from the Chinese govern- park. (This too remains open only to for- e) Dr. Wang Qingyu (Yale University) ment to grow the Center. 4 Points East Points East 11 had great energy and enthusiasm for our nia and that its initial president also come These events put a damper on SJI’s early namedsenger in Hebrew Mevasser Yisrael, refugees during World War II even as the The three-story wooden and brick struc- subject and began to gather other inter- from the Bay Area. activism in support of the Kaifeng Jews which in English became the Israel’s Mes- city plans to have it inscribed as UNESCO ture that combined Western and Eastern ested parties together for discussions in and led to its focus on academic research, . Its first issue appeared in 1904 but Memory of the World Register. architecture served as a popular shelter the Palo Alto area, where he, Prof. Al Leo Gabow was elected president; educational efforts and the study of other grew rapidly larger until December 1941 for Jewish residents living nearby. The Dien, Dr. Ron Kaye and others lived. Michael Pollak, vice-president; Rabbi Jewish communities in China. Only in (the start of the Pacific War with the Japa- Shanghai was home to about 20,000 Jew- owner sold the cafe to a local after the Michael Pollak and Rabbi Joshua Stampfer Anson Laytner was elected secretary and more recent years, with the further open- nese attack on Pearl Harbor) with an in- ish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution. war. It was demolished in 2009 to make would fly in from Dallas and Portland re- editor of Points East; and Prof. Al Dien, ing up of China, has SJI returned to the terval during World War I from February Many of them lived in the Tilanqiao area room for a subway. spectively for meetings. treasurer. Prof. Louis Schwartz was activism of its earliest days. 1916 to October 1918. Ezra edited the of Hongkou District. elected honorary chairman. The found- journal for 32 years until his death in “We have kept the building’s blue prints In December of 1984, Leo received a let- ing board consisted of Dr. Wendy During Leo’s tenure as president, SJI con- 1936, and the final issues were edited by The city has completed collation of the and key components such as beams and ter from Prof. Louis Schwartz who was Abraham, Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer, solidated itself as an organization, David Elias under the ownership of Mrs. refugee list, data bank, literary, video and some wooden carving on walls for the rebuilding,” Chen said. spending an academic year teaching in David Buxbaum (Shanghai), Mark launched its journal, Points East, edited K. Ezra. He was survived by his widow, audio material, said Chen Jian, curator of Beijing. Schwartz had already been in Ejlenburg (Hong Kong), Helaine Fortgang, by Rabbi Anson Laytner, and its scholarly two daughters in Shanghai and another the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum After the reopening, the first floor will be correspondence with Rabbi Stampfer on Seymour Fromer, Dr. Ron Kaye, Lawrence journal Sino-Judaica, edited by Prof. Al daughter in New York. He left two sisters, that is working with the Hongkou District a cafe while the upper floors will hold the subject of the Kaifeng Jews. Kramer, Prof. Donald Leslie (Australia), Dien, and published various articles by Mrs. I.E. Sargon and Mrs. Flora Ezra. government on the UNESCO application. exhibitions, he said. Construction will Arthur Rosen, Rabbi Joshua Stampfer and Michael Pollak, including the reprinting th begin soon and is expected to be com- With Gabow’s encouragement, Schwartz counsel Robert Grodsky. of The Sino-Judaic Bibliographies of In the last article he wrote before his This year is the 70 anniversary of the end pleted by August. and David C. Buxbaum, a bilingual Shang- Rudolf Lowenthal, Michael Pollak, ed., death, Ezra wrote: “My principles are my of the World Anti-Fascist War and China’s hai-based lawyer, travelled to Kaifeng and The primary point of contention in its early with the Hebrew Union College Press in belief in God to eternity…it is the duty of victory against the Japanese aggression. The district government will also renovate made contact with the Jewish descen- meetings concerned SJI’s mission. Even 1988. every man to live in hope.” Apart from the world memory application, dants, establishing close relations with prior to SJI’s founding, the initial question the office of the Jewish Distribution Cen- Shanghai has also announced plans to ter, which helped Jews living in the city. Jewish families there, visiting their homes was “Are there really Jews—or just descen- The early years were notable for many Shanghai’s Historic WWII Jew- rebuild a cafe where Jewish refugees so- on frequent occasions, and conducting dants—in Kaifeng?” Only after a number presentations on the Jews of Kaifeng. In cialized during their sojourn in the city. The former residence of Michael many interviews. of positive visitor reports was a majority 1986, SJI played a major role at a confer- ish Café to be Rebuilt The Wiener Cafe Restaurant, which first Blumenthal, a Jewish refugee who later on the Board convinced that the descen- ence hosted by the University of San from Shanghai Daily, February 4, 2015 opened in 1 939, will be rebuilt in a new served as curator of the Jewish Museum Not only did Schwartz visit with the Chi- dants still actually identified as Jews. Sub- Francisco’s Institute for Chinese-Western location on Changyang Road opposite the in Berlin and a former US Secretary of the nese Jews, but he made friendly contact sequently, long hours were spent discuss- Cultural History entitled “Culture, China Hongkou District government will rebuild Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. It will Treasury, will also be renovated with in- with Kaifeng’s mayor, the curator of the ing whether SJI was primarily interested and the Jews” by providing many speak- a cafe and renovate several historic build- be recreated with its original look, Chen troductions on the house, Chen said. Kaifeng Museum, the manager of Kaifeng’s in doing research about the Jews in ers, most notably Prof. Donald Leslie. ings that served as iconic spots for Jewish said. C.I.T.S., and university administrators and Kaifeng and other parts of China or in These speaking engagements led to the scholars. After many discussions with the helping to re-develop Jewish life in creation of a traveling exhibit on the Chinese Jews as well as with the authori- Kaifeng. Eventually SJI adopted both goals, Kaifeng Jews consisting of slides and a BOOK NOOK ties, the concept of a Jewish Museum or with an emphasis on the former. taped narrative in 1988, which enabled at least a Judaica exhibit in the Kaifeng SJI to go where its speakers didn’t. Museum was born. After SJI’s founding, Rabbi Belzer visited mative and entertaining work on the reap- article_b1dc84b0-7b61-5ca7-8481- Kaifeng in 1985. He toured the sites, con- How to Leap a Great Wall in Meanwhile, across the Pacific, The Jew- ing the benefits of cultural immersion: b44e1c372c8d.html ) After Louis Schwartz returned from China, ducted a havdallah service with the ish Historical Society (JHS) of Hong Kong China, The China Adventures How to Leap a Great Wall in China – The he lived and taught on the West Coast of Kaifeng Jewish descendants without inci- was established in 1984. When SJI was of a Cross-Cultural Trouble- China Adventures of a Cross-Cultural Over time, he also worked in China for the U.S.A., and corresponded widely with dent, and interviewed a number of them. founded, the JHS chairman, Mark Trouble Shooter (which was just nomi- American firms including American Cy- other activists and Leo Gabow in particu- Shortly thereafter, however, Dr. Abraham Ejlenburg, was elected to the SJI Board. Shooter nated for the 2015 Hagley Prize in Busi- anamid, Liberty Mutual, and a major in- lar. traveled to Kaifeng to gather oral histo- That same year, Ejlenburg asked Den by Den Leventhal ness History). spection and testing company, and was ries from six of the heads of Kaifeng Jew- Leventhal to take over the JHS chairman- Merwin, Asia, Distributed by University part of a team that acted as a “kind of a Al Dien doesn’t recall there being much ish clans (two heads of the Shi clan, two ship. In 1986, SJI invited Leventhal to of Hawaii Press, 2014 His fascination with East Asia began after mid-wife” in their dealings with the Chi- activity in Palo Alto until Louis Schwartz of the Ai clan, one Zhao and one Li), be- become its Hong Kong representative, paperback $28.80, available from Ama- he graduated from the United States Mer- nese. He explained, “We were dealing zon and Leo Gabow established contact. Then fore being arrested and expelled. (The replacing Ejlenburg. chant Marine Academy and became an with a supply side mentality—they had no reviewed by Beverly Friend it was Leo’s indefatigable efforts that original tapes of these oral histories were officer on ocean-going commercial ves- idea of the demand side.” brought together such a large and inter- sels. This led him to graduate work at the donated to the Hoover Archives at Leventhal spearheaded SJI’s move to get ested group utilizing the network that Many years ago, I read an amazing, in- University of Pennsylvania in Chinese Drawn from the 12-volume hand-written Stanford University in 2010, and will be Michael Pollak had established through support from the American Jewish sightful book, The Hidden Dimension, by studies, followed by a year attending the log of his business travel from 1980-1998, open to the public in 2015.) his own correspondence as well as Louis Committee’s Pacific Rim Institute so that Edward T. Hall, which introduced me to Taiwan National University before begin- the goal of his memoir—wonderfully Schwartz’s more recent correspondence. books on the Holocaust could to be sent the science of “proxemics,” which ex- ning a job with a Chinese communica- achieved—is to share lessons he learned plores non-verbal cultural differences — When Rabbi Marvin Tokayer led a Jewish to Prof. Xu Xin, who wanted to develop a tions, public relations, and advertising as a “shirtsleeve sinologist.” A China mar- especially in the use of space — and its tour group to China, they were in Xian Nanjing University course on that topic. corporation. ket entry strategist, his work as negotia- impact on such varied disciplines as per- On June 27th, 1985, an international group and had chartered an aircraft to take them Leventhal also worked with both JHS and tor, educator and trouble-shooter took him sonal business relations, cross-cultural “I was the only westerner in this company, to 62 Chinese cities where he interacted of scholars and activists gathered in Palo to Zhengzhou, the airport closest to SJI to get funding for Prof. Xu Xin’s Chi- Kaifeng. They checked in, the plane was exchanges, architecture, city planning, the reason being that the boss wanted to with a wide range of Chinese people from Alto, California to establish the Sino-Ju- nese language Encyclopedia Judaica and even urban renewal. there, as were the pilot and crew, but they get the accounts of foreign subsidiaries, ministers of state to factory workers. daic Institute. project. Lastly, at the request of SJI, sat in the airport waiting for two days to and they were all westerners, mostly Leventhal visited Kaifeng in June 1990 to I have no idea whether Den Leventhal American, and they figured I’d be ideal Each chapter of his book, provocatively In the beginning, Rabbi Stampfer was pro- board. Finally, the authorities called in confirm the rumor that the Kaifeng Syna- ever read this book, but his entire life is a because I could work with his teams, help titled, teaches at least one such lesson. posed as the head of the organization but Rabbi Tokayer and said that the group marvelous example of its application in gogue steles were lying unprotected on them come to understand and make pre- Especially tantalizing are the following since most of the interested parties lived would be arrested if they went to Kaifeng the world of business. Steeped in China— the property of the Kaifeng Museum. The sentations in English,” Leventhal said in a headings: in the Bay Area, it was decided that the and instead flew the group to Canton for language, history and culture—he has now recent interview. (www.myeasternshore · The Serendipity Factor, A Chinese Poem detailed report (sent to the SJI president) organization be incorporated in Califor- free. written a splendid, highly personal, infor- md.com/news/queen_annes_county/ is Worth a Cool Coupla’ Million 12 Points East Points East 3 · The Culture Bound Mindset, or the Den Leventhal, a retired board mem- us about the Hebraic literacy of the From the Editor How the Sino-Judaic on the gathering, monitoring questions Ability to Use Chopsticks Doesn’t Make ber of the Sino Judaic Institute and found- Kaifeng Jews. These chapters will appeal (continued from page 2) Institute Began and responses. During their very first You a Business Expert ing chairperson of its Grants Review Com- mainly to scholars. But the larger story the meeting, her group took some photos and, (continued from page 1) · The Middleman Mentality or the Occa- mittee, is also the author of “The Chess of haggadah tells about the Chinese Jews is studies field in China; now these pro- after she gave one to Shi Zhongyu, he grams have connections with counter- sional Stinker is not Necessarily on the China” (1980); “The Jewish Community of far wider interest, and the sight alone of the women saw it, they murmured quietly handed it back to her. She no- parts in Israel and America, so our sup- Other Side of the Table. of Hong Kong: An Introduction” and of the haggadah—one of the manuscripts “Lao die,” or Old Grandpa. The little ticed he had written his name and his · The Liberation Standard, from Blue Ant “Sino-Judaic Studies: Whence and is reproduced in full in the book, along port is much less necessary. But, as grandson in the picture is now the head home address on the back of it rather than to Pink Bunny Whither” (both1985); and, with Mary with a transcription of the Hebrew text and China has opened up, the Kaifeng com- of the household, in his 50’s. His his danwei, or work unit. She took this · The Dale Carnegie Factor, or The Bot- Leventhal, is co-editor of “Faces of the an annotated English translation—is worth munity has been able to benefit from the mother, the elderly Mrs. Zhao, was rather as the signal that he would like to com- tom-up and Top-down Approach Jewish Experience in China” (1990). He more than a fleeting look… support of organizations such as ours and apprehensive—this was still close to the municate and that’s how her long corre- · Stopping Crime Can Be a Marketing currently lives in Maryland with his wife Shavei Israel. May there come a time end of the Cultural Revolution and con- spondence and connection with the Shi Tool Mary, and teaches boating safety in addi- The two surviving haggadah manuscripts when that community is self-sufficient tact with foreigners was still considered family began. · Chinese Law, or a Wedge or a Sledge tion to his involvements with writing, that are the subjects of Wong and enough and Jewishly knowledgeable suspicious. Mr. Zhao was at work, so I music, archery and his work as a Volun- Yasharpour’s study are owned today by enough to stand on its own two feet. Rabbi Joshua Stampfer also went to In Chapter II, “The Serendipity Factor, teer Reserve Officer with the Maryland the Klau Library of Hebrew Union Col- said I would come back later in the day. Then our real work will have been done Kaifeng in 1983. His group met with or A Chinese Poem is Worth a Cool Natural Resources Police. He can be lege (which purchased them in 1851 from The daughter-in-law led me back to the and we can rest easily on our laurels. I’ll members of the Shi, Zhao and Ai fami- Coupla’ Million,” Leventhal details how reached at [email protected]. the London Society for Promoting Chris- main street by a series of alleys that was be long-gone by then. his recall of a specific poem, well known tianity Amongst the Jews). Both are mod- a short-cut. On the way she complained lies. Rabbi Stampfer recalled that they to educated Chinese, clinched a deal. As Beverly Friend, Ph.D. is Executive Di- est books, one written in Jewish-Persian that everyone said she was Jewish though showed his group pictures of their recent Best wishes for the Chinese New Year! he recalls the story: rector of the China Judaic Studies Asso- hand, the other in Chinese Hebrew square she was Chinese. ancestors wearing “Jewish” caps but that “The deputy general manager pro- ciation and a board member of the Sino script (like that of the Torah scrolls). While they knew nothing of their history or of Anson Laytner ceeded to recite from memory what was Judaic Institute. In 2012, Nanjing Univer- the two haggadahs were written by differ- I felt that I could not keep this from the their connection with Jews elsewhere. obviously a favorite poem. He gave it lilt- sity honored her by naming her an Hon- ent scribes about a century apart, both others in the group, so late that afternoon, ing sound vaguely reminiscent of the Pe- orary Director of the Diane and Guilfordpreserve essentially the same text. That IN THE FIELD I told them about the meeting and said Shortly after Dr. Abraham returned to the king operatic style and seemed delighted Glazer Institute of Israeli and Judaic Stud-text primarily follows the Persian Jewish anyone who wished to could go back with States in September of 1983, she thought to have the opportunity of making a pub- ies in celebration of the Institute’s 20thrite but from one of that rite’s early stages, about creating an organization to help the  E-Newsletter Launched me. Of course this time, with a whole lic performance. Here’s where luck kicked Anniversary. She has visited China sevenbefore the haggadah had undergone many descendants. Dr. Abraham spoke about Dr. Wendy Abraham, long involved troupe/troop of foreigners coming, there in i.e. the serendipity factor.” times since 1986, each time promotingof the expansions with which contempo- this with Prof. Donald Leslie, in Austra- with SJI and now on its Advisory was much more excitement in the neigh- Leventhal then relates how he had stud- the study of Judaism in China under therary users of the text are familiar. As a re- lia, with whom she had been communi- Board, has launched China Orienta- borhood. But for the Zhao’s it had been ied that particular poem (with some diffi- aegis of Professor Xu Xin. She maintainssult, the Kaifeng Haggadah doesn’t have cating about her dissertation on the Chi- tions (www.chinaorientations.com), a enough. When we knocked, no one an- culty) during his graduate studies, and a web site at www.chinajudaic.org (whichDayyenu, Shefokh Chamatekha (“Pour nese Jews. He told her that an organiza- multi-purpose website featuring tours, swered, the people around said they had now recognized it. He responded, and is currently being updated) and has writ-Out Your Wrath,” which probably did not tion with a similar aim of reconnecting talks, tips and trivia. She also offers a gone out. We walked further down the nailed the contract. ten many articles and lectures onappear the in the Ashkenazic haggadah until with the descendants was already being The mysterious “blue ant” and “pink after the Crusader massacres), or folk songs terrific e-newsletter with links to her lane to see the site of the synagogue, but China/Judaic Connection. of course it was occupied by some sort of seriously discussed and he put her in bunny” in Chapter VII turn out to be a such as Chad Gadya (which did not be- Twitter and Facebook feeds. Her ini- touch with other interested parties. metaphor for the transformation from a come a regular feature until the printed tial e-newsletter highlighted her talks, factory, I no longer remember what it was. “worker’s paradise” to a “market Italian editions of the 17th century). How- Later, I believe it became a hospital. Thus but future Newsletters will highlight Prof. Donald Leslie was one of the field’s economy” as evidenced in the shifting The Haggadah of the Kaifeng ever, the most startling omission is the ended my first encounter with the Kaifeng Sino-Judaic history, little blurbs about foremost scholars and his faraway pres- garb of one female interpreter. Jews of China absence of the blessing over the matzah Jews. It had been an emotional experience current Sino-Judaic research being ence was crucial to SJI’s beginnings. Leslie Repeatedly, throughout the book, he (that follows the standard ha-motzi). The for me, but I am afraid there was not much by Fook-Kong Wong and Dalia done by U.S., Israeli and Chinese had studied directly under Joseph proves, “effective communication is de- Yasharpour editors suggest that the blessing may have learned. The next year, 1981, I returned scholars, Sino-Judaic travel tips, Chi- Needham (in fact he was his protégé) and, pendent upon intercultural understand- Brill, 216 pp., $132 been so well-known that the copyists did to Kaifeng twice, but neither time was as nese Jewish trivia quizzes, info about along with Prof. Al Dien, provided SJI with ings,” and then illustrates via example. reviewed by David Stern not feel the need to record it, but it seems dramatic as that first time. Books Sino-Judaic organizations around the the academic expertise it needed, just as Leventhal’s varied and exciting adventures excerpted from The Jewish Review of to me even more likely that the copyist world, etc. Just enough tidbits to either forgot to write the blessing or that Art Rosen, then President of the National move between the cerebral and the physi- , Spring 2013 whet people’s appetite for more in- Dr. Ron Kaye and his wife visited Kaifeng it was already missing from their tradition Committee on U.S. - China Relations, pro- cal and even include a vivid description http://www.jewishreviewofbooks.com/ formation so that they will click on in 1981. Because of the medical aid he of enduring travel as cargo on an ancient publications/detail/why-is-this-haggadah- by the 17th century. Bread, leavened or provided there, the local people, who had vided it with political savoir faire. Rosen the links to other websites for further had served with the U.S. Consulate in Russian propeller airplane. different>: unleavened, must have been a very un- said that the steles no longer existed, re- usual sight in China. info. Check out her website and sign Shanghai shortly after WWII and he Leventhal states that his book is de- up for her e-newsletter. It’s worth versed their position and took the Kayes signed for a combined audience—the The Haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews of to the basement of the Kaifeng Museum headed the National Committee for de- In general, however, the Passover taking note of. cades, overseeing it during the most ex- business community, foreign affairs China is the first scholarly monograph where Dr. Kaye saw the steles and took devoted to this haggadah. The study’s haggadah has been one of the most uni- citing time in U.S.- China relations, be- people, people in comparative studies,  rubbings of them. While there, he also authors—Fook-Kong Wong, a Harvard- versally stable texts in all the Jewish lit- Website Re-Launched and those in Chinese studies. Actually, led a seder with some of the Jewish fami- ginning with his organization’s arranging educated scholar of the Old Testament in urgy—the core text is basically similar if Dr. Beverly Friends informs us that, for the first American ping pong team trav- you needed not be in business, or be a lies. Hong Kong, and Dalia Yasharpour, a pre- not identical nearly everywhere—and for thanks to Richard Smith, a new web eling to China while Nixon was in office. Sinophile to enjoy his sprightly tales of ceptor in Persian language and literature all its Judeo-Persian peculiarities and miss- site is being constructed for the China triumph. Reading Leventhal’s words, I am Leo Gabow visited Kaifeng for the first at Harvard—have mined the text for all ing passages, readers of the Kaifeng Judaic Studies Association. The origi- Leo Gabow is considered by everyone to reminded of my late father. Dad was not Haggadah will have no more difficulty in time in 1982, while Dr. Wendy Abraham the information it contains about the Jews nal site—linked to Oakton Commu- have been the primary moving spirit in a businessman and he never travelled navigating this haggadah than they would nity College—was closed because of led the first official group tour from of Kaifeng in the 17th and 18th centuries, the founding of SJI. Gabow was not an outside of North America. The resem- the time that the two surviving manu- finding their way through the Maxwell confusion between the Association America to Kaifeng in August of 1983. academic but someone who was deeply blance lies in their enthusiasm. Dad scripts of the haggadah were written. Most House version. The Kaifeng Haggadah’s and the College’s new Judaic Studies They both met Shi Zhongyu and Zhao would return home each day from his of the book is devoted to a detailed study most revealing features, as its editors dem- department. The new site will be up- Pingyu—the only two descendants that committed to scholarly research on the practice as a physician with tales of diffi- of the haggadah’s Hebrew text and its ac- onstrate, are its many errors. Some pages dated and improved. You can see the local authorities would allow to be Jews of China. He had developed this cult diagnoses made and lives saved. companying Judeo-Persian instructions, are misplaced and out of sequence; oth- work-in-progress at “shown” to visitors. On Dr. Abraham’s interest while pursuing a business career Both men are slayers of dragons! and what the language of the text can tell ers are missing. There are many misspell- www.chinajudaic.org. trip, security guards kept a close watch in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Leo 2 Points East Points East 13

Points East ings and mistaken vocalizations, a good history is virtually insatiable. Anson Laytner, Publisher number of them resulting from phonetic The Haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews of TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR transcription, that is, where the copyist China is one of a spate of books about The contemporary fascination in America  wrote words on the basis of what he knew the Jews of China, some of them schol- with the Chinese Jews is different. Obvi- th Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic 2015 marks the 30 anniversary of the from hearing the word pronounced rather arly, others more popular, which have ously, it has something to do with the Featured Article: Sino-Judaic Institute’s founding and that, Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. The opinions and views expressed by the than from having seen it in a written form. appeared in the last several decades, unique exoticism of the community. But How the Sino-Judaic Institute for those of us involved—and hopefully for contributors and editor are their own and do This feature was complicated, in turn, by mainly in the English-speaking world, es- there may be more to it. The extent of the you too—is something to celebrate. To the fact (attested by the inscriptions as well pecially in America. This Western pub- success of Kaifeng Jews in assimilating to Began ...... 1 record for posterity how SJI began, I have not necessarily express the viewpoints and positions of the Sino-Judaic Institute. as by the Jesuits’ accounts) that the Kaifeng lishing phenomenon has been remarked Chinese society without resistance and Excerpts from 2014 Annual attempted to reconstruct the events of Jews spoke Hebrew with heavy Chinese upon less than the widespread interest in achieving cultural acceptance along with Report ...... 1 those early years. Sadly, a number of key Letters to the Editor and articles for Points East accents (so that a word like le-‘olam be- contemporary China regarding Jews and great wealth, power, and status is almost individuals are gone—Leo Gabow, Louis may be sent to: came re’oram, for example). According to Judaism. Amid the massive globaliza- unparalleled in Jewish history. The great Schwartz and Michael Pollak, to name but one account, their Hebrew sounded more tion—for all practical purposes, this means exception is, of course, American Jewry, Preferred Form: From the Editor ...... 2 three—whose recollections would have Preferred Form: like Chinese than the Hebrew the Jesuits Westernization—that China is currently which has also prospered in, and been e-mail:[email protected] been invaluable for this purpose. I did knew from their European educations. All experiencing, the Jewish people—largely embraced by, its host culture with a suc- share drafts of this article with many of the or to: Rabbi Anson Laytner these various features—the errors, the thanks to Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, cess that has been said by some to be In the Field ...... 3 founding board members and so what you 1823 East Prospect St. omissions, the peculiarities in order and Karl Marx, and Alan Greenspan (whose unparalleled. And no other diaspora com- will read in my front-page article represents Seattle, WA 98112-3307 in transcription, along with what they name I have heard repeatedly invoked in munities in Jewish history have experi- our best collective effort at remembering Points East is published three times a year, in were able to cull from the marginal notes my several trips to China as a paragon of enced equivalent rates of assimilation or Articles: those days of long ago. March, July and November. Deadlines for in the haggadahs, some of them in Chi- the American Jew)—have come to be suffered from the same degree of Hebraic Chinese-Israeli Relations submitting material to be included in these nese—indicate to Wong and Yasharpour viewed in China as central to Western and Judaic illiteracy. American Jewry is that, by the 17th and 18th centuries, the culture to a degree that no Jew in America in no danger of vanishing as precipitously Examined ...... 7 When I look back at all SJI has accom- issues are January 15th, May 15th and plished over the years, I am amazed at September 15th. time that the two manuscripts were writ- would ever imagine him or herself to be. as did the Kaifeng Jews, but as we sit down ten, the Kaifeng Jews may have still un- And while the reports of a Talmud or to our Seders and raise our glasses to drink China Looks West at the what a small band of dedicated volunteers derstood enough of the haggadah’s He- books about Jews on a shelf in every book- the four cups, it may be worth remember- Middle East ...... 9 can do. To mention but a few things: FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE brew to be able to use the books at their store are exaggerated, I can testify from ing the haggadah of the Kaifeng Jews along N.E.B. EZRA and Israel’s  Installed a exhibit in the Kaifeng Mu- SJI members interested in receiving a Seders, but whatever literacy they pos- my own experience—having taught Tal- with the Exodus from Egypt. nicipal Museum to highlight its Jewish ar- copy of the annual financial report should Messenger...... 10 sessed was already seriously impaired and mud in the Jewish studies program at tifacts (primarily the synagogue stelae) send a self-addressed envelope to: Steve presaged the complete disappearance that Nanjing University to some fifteen under- David Stern is Moritz and Josephine Berg  Created and installed an exhibit on the Hochstadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic the community would experience not graduate and graduate Chinese students Professor of Classical Hebrew Literature Institute, Illinois College, 1101 W Col- Kaifeng Jews in the Song Dynasty theme long after. (probably the most talented group of stu- at the University of Pennsylvania, and the lege Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650. park in Kaifeng dents I have ever taught)—that the appe- author, most recently, of The Washington Book Nook ...... 11  Published monographs, scholarly books There is more than a little irony in the fact tite in contemporary China for real knowl- Haggadah (Harvard University Press). and an academic journal (Sino-Judaica), that this indication should come in the edge about Judaism and its culture and not to mention Points East Sino-Judaic Institute form of a haggadah. Of all the classical c/o Rabbi Arnie Belzer  Provided scholarships to emerging and 34 Washington Avenue texts of Judaism, the Passover haggadah established Chinese academics working in Savannah, GA 31405 U.S.A. is the Jewish book of redemption par ex- the fields of Jewish studies or Israel; sup- cellence. It remembers the story of the Sino-Judaica Returns with SJI Officers Exodus from Egypt in order to re-experi- New Volume SJI MEMBERSHIP ported Jewish studies programs in China; Arnie Belzer, President assisted in supporting conferences and Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President ence the salvatory power of redemption Thanks to the extraordinary efforts colloquia; offered stipends to creative en- Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer in the present, and so as to anticipate the of SJI Board member Dana Country Total deavors in the arts relating to our interests Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary final redemption of the messianic age. Leventhal, SJI’s academic publica- · Sent individuals to Kaifeng to assist with Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President Exactly how the haggadah imagines re- tion, Sino-Judaica, has been re- United States 156 the renewal of the Jewish community Managing Board demption has varied from one commu- vived. Sino-Judaica Volume 5 is Canada 35 there. Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev Friend, nity to another, and from one period to devoted to a single academic the next, but invariably, every Jewish com-  Set up the most comprehensive and Mary-Anne Graham, Ron Kaye, Dana Leventhal, monograph, “Jewish Religious China 18 munity has imagined redemption in the accurate website on Jewish life in China. David Marshall, Jim Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Observance by the Jews of Kaifeng Israel 16 Rothberg, Marvin Tokayer, Tibi Weisz, Cynthia haggadah—sometimes with the addition China” by Rabbi Dr. Chaim  Worked with the Hebrew Union Col- Zeiden of new passages or through the insertion Australia 5 lege to send facsimiles of its Kaifeng manu- Simons of Israel. This work con- International Advisory Board of illustrations and pictures—in the image England 5 script holdings to the Jewish community nects the actual observance of the Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, Irene of its own diasporic experience. Kaifeng Jewish community in its Japan 2 in Kaifeng. Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Jonathan Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy Green, Len Hew, Tess heyday with their sources in Germany 1 The Kaifeng Haggadah does not have a More details regarding our many accom- Johnston, Donald Leslie, Den Leventhal, Michael distinctive vision of redemption. What is halacha (Jewish law). Cyprus 1 plishments may be found on this website: Li, Maisie Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja distinctive about this book—visible in the It is available immediately at the Indonesia 1 www.sino-judaic.org. Muehlberger, Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Sinified form of its script, in the error-filled Pan Guang, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse following stores: and otherwise defective pages of the text— South Africa 1 Silverberg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, Xiao Over the lifespan of an organization, pri- is not redemption but its opposite. What Switzerland 1 Xian, Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, Albert Yee, David orities change. SJI started out cautiously Zweig this book’s pages capture is the specific Taiwan 1 reaching out to the Kaifeng Jewish descen- historical moment in which this commu- Past Presidents dants but came to focus initially on the Al Dien, Leo Gabow nity was academic side of things. We were pio- irretrievably on the way to its demise. The TOTAL: 243 In Memoriam, z”l Kaifeng Haggadah is not a haggadah that neers in supporting the emerging Jewish Marshall Denenberg, Leo Gabow, Phyllis Horal, looks forward to redemption. It is a Interested readers can do a Google Book Search (continued on page 3) Teddy Kaufman, Rena Krasno, Michael Pollak, Louis Schwartz haggadah of oblivion. in order to preview the book on Google Books. 14 14 14 14 14

a:E-Mail: Work Phone: Fax: Home Phone: Address: Name: I wish to become a member of the Sino-Judaic Institute and receive Our annual dues structure is as follows: Membership in the Institute is open and we cordially invite you to join supporting our endeavor. To cooperate with other groups whose interests lie in Sinitic and Judaic matters. 6) The study of Sino-Israeli relations. 5) diasporas, etc. The study of cultural intersections between Chinese and Jews, for example adoptions, literature, 4) 3) The support of Jewish studies programs in China. 2) The study of Jewish life in Shanghai, Harbin, Tianjin and elsewhere the 19th 20th centuries. 1) The study of the ancient Jewish community Kaifeng and assisting its descendents as appropriate. Its objectives are: to encourage and develop their cooperation in matters of mutual historical cultural interest. persons, to promote friendship and understanding between the Chinese Jewish peoples founded on June 27, 1985, in Palo Alto, California, by an international group of scholars and lay The Sino-Judaic Institute is a non-denominational, non-profit, and non-political organization, is my check for $ .

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250 to 499 250 to 499 Points East three times a year. Enclosed Points East Points East Points East Points East Points East o.3 N.1A Publication of the Sino-Judaic Institute his book, ences to the Kaifeng Jews, which resulted in publication of been tirelessly and thoroughly tracking down leads refer- For a number of years in the late 1970s, Michael Pollak had March 2015 Vol. 30 No. 1 got to the lane, and saw street sign, Tiaojinjiao around the quarreling pair, and I was able to slip off. When I who objected to his moving a bicycle, and the crowed gathered and parked bicycles. He soon got into a quarrel with someone turbed person decided to clear a path for me through the crowd gotten permission to make this walk. Luckily, a mentally dis- I of course wanted to be unobtrusive, especially since had not it had been years since a foreigner walked down that street. On the way a crowd gathered around me, synagogue had been. headed down Caoshi or Straw Market Street, toward where the So I followed the map and dows and birds flying around inside. served as a church, but was storage facility, with broken win- hot, I set out for the church. It of course had long since not So after lunch, when everyone was taking siesta, it terribly map, near to which was the Plucking Sinew Religion Lane. steeple which I took to be the Catholic church that was on White’s Pavilion, a temple on hill that overlooked the city, I spotted But when we were taken to the Longting, or Dragon White’s map. that time, so I had no way of locating where our hostel was on As he remembered: is in the front of Bishop White’s book, which was from 1910. He recalls that he had brought a copy of the map Kaifeng in 1980 and was there twice 1981. Institute’s founders were among them. Prof. Al Dien went first 1950s. A number of people who became the Sino-Judaic ists began to visit Kaifeng again for the first time since mid- ing of the so-called “Gang Four”, foreign visitors and journal- Simultaneously, as China began to open up following the purg- Jewish community past or present. ery living authority and activist on the subject of Kaifeng his correspondence, Pollak became connected with almost ev- 130, 16A, of an old man, his son and a grandson. When some had some pictures from White’s book, especially the one on p. lady came out with her daughter-in-law. This was Mrs. Zhao. I They pointed to a house, I knocked on the door, and an old standing there if were any Jews (Youtairen) on the lane. I walked a bit down the lane, then asked some women stood up. hair on the back of my neck literally, in only time life, How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began How the Sino-Judaic Institute Began

There were no maps for sale, especially to foreigners at Mandarins, Jews and Missionaries,

by Anson Laytner (continued on page 3)

in 1980. Through hutong , the II. II. Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies I. I. four books have been turned in for publication 2015. Three books and seven articles were published. Manuscripts of were offered and taught for both undergraduates graduates. II. and Beverly Friend family. tute, The Florence and Laurence Spungen Family Foundation, which is available for the 2015 budget of Institute. from Nanjing University, revenue of 518,839.73 yuan in 2014, Los Angeles. The Endowment generated, with matching funds and final payment from the Jewish Community Foundation of have achieved a positive result in their study of Jews China. Prize for two outstanding scholars or graduate students who lished Xu Xin Prize at Nanjing University. It aims to give the Province and Israel. economic, scientific and cultural collaborations between Jiangsu 2014-2015 academic year. take leave to go Harvard University do research for the from the Ministry of Education China, which enabled him to rector of the Center for Israel Studies, was awarded a State grant Religious Studies in 2014. who received promotion in the Department of Philosophy and to full professor at the beginning of 2014. He was only one to take the position for six years. ated. Prof. Xu Xin, Director of the Institute, has been appointed Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies was cre- Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, I. II. II. Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies Guilford Glazer Chair of Jewish and Israel Studies I. I. Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Institute of Jewish and Israel Studies at Faculty Activities Faculty Activities F. F. E. E. D. D. C. C. B. B. A. A. Major Events Major Events Academically, the Institute has done very well. Ten courses Faculty Activities The Institute also received funds from the Sino-Judaic Insti- The Diane and Guilford Glazer Endowment received the third F. The Alberta and Henry Strage Foundation from Britain estab- E. The Institute has completed its survey and analysis on the D. Dr. Zhenhua Meng (Jeremiah), associate professor and Di- Dr. C. Lihong Song, Deputy Director of the Institute, was promoted B. According to the agreement between Nanjing University and A. Major Events Faculty Activities Faculty Activities F. F. E. E. D. D. C. C. B. B. A. A. Major Events Major Events Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report Excerpts from the 2014 Annual Report of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Revenue Generated Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed Project Completed State Grant State Grant Faculty Promotion Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Glazer Chair Professor Position Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed State Grant Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Revenue Generated Revenue Generated Xu Xin Prize Established Xu Xin Prize Established Project Completed Project Completed State Grant State Grant Faculty Promotion Faculty Promotion Glazer Chair Professor Position Glazer Chair Professor Position

Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University Nanjing University

(continued on page 6) (continued on page 6) The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and The Diane and