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Messianic Zionism, Settler-Colonialism, and the Lost

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Messianic Zionism, Settler-Colonialism, and the Lost Vol. 30 No. 3 A Publication of the Snio-Judaic Institute November 2015 Messianic Zionism, Settler-Colonialism, The Marshmallow Museum: and the Lost Jews of Kaifeng Holocaust Lite By Mohammad Turki Al-Sudairi By Dr. Lotte Lustig Marcus First published on www.Jadaliyya.com, 10 July 2015 The Kaifeng Jews of China–numbering at present some five I. Introduction hundred to one thousand in total–are one of the latest com- I really, really, had recovered from my refugee experience in munities to garner the interest of right-wing messianic orga- Shanghai from1939 -1947. After all, 70 years have rolled by. Ear- nizations connected to the settler-colonial movement in Isra- ly on, I had suffered –on and off– from intermittent trauma stem- el. Over the last decade, messianic groups have intensified ming from the turmoil of exiting Vienna, from the memory of efforts to encourage the community to immigrate (aliyah) to American air raids on Hongkou (where the Japanese military Israel. This endeavor is making some headway. Messianic or- were in charge of our Jewish community). Overall, over the years, ganizations, including Amichav (My People are Returning), I no longer gave Shanghai much thought. It surprised me there- its semi-successor Shavei Israel (Returners to Israel) and, in fore why the recent Chinese interest in our experience bothered more supportive/facilitating roles, a number of Christian me. I became aware of errors of omissions, distortions, and bias- Zionist groups, see the Kaifeng Jews as “Lost Jews” and as es in public pronouncements – very different from the Shanghai such important assets. “Lost Jews” represent new sources of I knew. More and more I sense a profound disconnect between potential immigration to Israel. This is critical given the per- my memory and its recreation by today’s Hongkou government ception among such organizations that traditional sources of officials, its designers and storytellers. This is what I propose to immigration–the United States, Europe and the former Soviet examine here. Union–are either exhausted, or spiritually or ideologically II. Background unsuitable. There is also a realization that a conclusive Jew- With the widespread euphoria caused by the victories of World ish demographic majority within historical Palestine remains War II, no one took any public notice of us refugee survivors in elusive. Encouraging the immigration of “Lost Jews,” a some- the 1940’s–1950’s once we left Shanghai and emigrated to the what unconventional solution, partially addresses some of West. Nor were we expecting any different. After all, what was a these issues. In addition, by virtue of their demographic utili- community of 18,000 in far off China compared to the millions of ty, “Lost Jews” help further the settlement project in the West the displaced in Europe, the half million American soldiers killed, Bank (as well as Arab high-density areas within Israel like the six million who were gassed. We survivors clamored, strate- the Galilee), and undermine recourses to the two-state solu- gized, dreamt to leave our interim Shanghai home as soon as we tion. Finally, messianic organizations espouse a cosmological could even as an unknown number of us learned -- via mail from view that associates the return of “Lost Jews,” including those the hunting grounds of Europe -- of the deaths of close relatives of Kaifeng, to Israel as part of the “Ingathering of the Exiles” left behind. Thirteen members of my father’s family were killed that will hasten the End of Days. on the Yugoslavian border, in the camps of Dachau and There- “Lost Jews” refers to that conceptual category of people sienstadt. There was grief in a time of euphoria. whose religious/cultural connections to Judaism have sup- Within a few years, the majority of Shanghailanders with no re- posedly frayed or dissipated altogether. This dissipation is grets resettled in America, Canada, Australia, Israel (then Pales- a result of assimilatory pressures from their host societies, tine). A remnant of refugees returned to Vienna and Berlin. persecution, as well as limited interaction with the wid- er Jewish world. Messianic organizations use this moniker In 1948, when the Chinese Communists wrestled Shanghai away to refer to the Abayudaya of Uganda, Hispanic Jews (Bnei from the Japanese, an American troop ship brought a few hun- Anousim), the Mizo of Northeastern India (Bnei Menashe), dred remaining Jews from Shanghai to San Francisco, and then and the Kaifeng Jews of China. Rabbinical and scholarly cir- sent them by sealed train across the American continent to New cles have contested the confessional and ethnic identities of York to provide asylum in (then) Palestine. these groups on both legal (halakhic) and historical grounds. However, this contestation has not deterred messianic orga- Shanghai, the city, didn’t blink an eye. After all, between our ar- nizations or their Christian Zionist allies from lobbying for rivals in 1939 to our departure in 1947, the city had doubled in recognition of their Jewishness and hence eligibility for emi- size from 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 with all the strains on resourc- gration to Israel. Recognition from the rabbinical authorities es such a growth caused. in Israel is usually attained following a several decades-long and complex process of re-Judaisation wherein a specifical- In 1976, David Kranzler, Ph.D., published “Japanese, Nazis & ly messianic, orthodox and Ashkenazi understanding of the Jews” (the Jewish Refugee Community of Shanghai, 1938-1945), (continued on page 4) (continued on page 6) 2 Points East FROM THE EDITOR TABLE OF CONTENTS Points East Readers will hopefully forgive me for the Anson Laytner, Publisher Featured Articles: late arrival of this issue of Points East. I Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic Messianic Zionism, ...................1 was busy getting married and enjoying Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. The Marshmallow Museum ........1 a honeymoon in Indonesia. I heartily The opinions and views expressed by the recommend a visit to Indonesia for its contributors and editor are their own and do sites, scenery and charming peoples. I not necessarily express the viewpoints and From the Editor .........................2 also was impressed by the Muslim-Hin- positions of the Sino-Judaic Institute. du tolerance I observed there. If there is Letters to the Editor and articles for Points East In the Field ................................3 a lesson to be learned from how Indo- may be sent to: nesians live together, it would seem that Preferred Form: Articles: moderation in religion, as in all things, e-mail:[email protected] Chinese-Jewish Solidarity ......... 10 is a virtue. or to: Rabbie Anson Laytner People of Israel ....................... 10 Now to our latest issue: Points East vol- 1823 East Prospect St. Seattle, WA 9811-23307 The Shanghai Collection: Help ume 30 leads off with two sure-to-be controversial articles, one by Dr. Lotte Needed to Identify Photos ...... 11 Points East is published three times a year, in Marcus taking the political culture be- March, July and November. Deadlines for Chinese National Institute for hind the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Muse- submitting material to be included in these Jewish Studies Established ........ 12 um to task for airbrushing out the com- issues are January 15th, May 15th and plexities of the World War II experience, September 15th. Survivors of Shanghai and the second by Mohammad Turki Ghetto Reunite ........................ 12 Al-Sudairi for an other-side-of-the-mir- FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE The Jewish Community ror critique of the Zionist component of SJI members interested in receiving a Shavei Israel’s (and to a lesser degree the of Singapore ............................ 13 copy of the annual financial report should Sino-Judaic Institute’s) work in Kaifeng. send a self-addressed envelope to: Steve Harbin Synagogue Complex A future issue will feature his analysis of Hochstadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic Renovation Update .................. 14 China’s Israel Studies programs. While Institute, Illinois College, 1101 W. College some readers may take exception to his Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650. perspective, I believe it is always worth- Book Nook ............................. 10 while hearing diverse points of view for Sino-Judaic Institute Shanghai’s Baghdadi Jews: A Collection what one might learn from them. c/o Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer of Biographical Reflections ..................10 34 Washington Avenue To give readers concrete examples of Savannah, GA 31405 U.S.A. The Lost Torah of Shanghai ..................11 what upsets Dr. Marcus, see the arti- SJI Officers cles “Chinese-Jewish Solidarity during The Shanghai Collection ......................11 Arnold Mark Belzer, President WWII” and “People of Israel Say Thank Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President You to Shanghai” on page 10 of this is- Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer sue. While I sympathize with Dr. Mar- Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary cus’ complaint, I fear this revisionist Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President SJI MEMBERSHIP history is here to stay because it serves Managing Board both China and Israel to promote it. Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev Friend, Country Total Seth Garz, Mary-Anne Graham, Ron Kaye, As always, we welcome your comments. Dana Leventhal, Den Leventhal, David Mar- United States 146 shall, Jim Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Roth- Canada 32 Anson Laytner berg, Marvin Tokayuer, Tibi Weisz, Cynthia Zeiden China 20 International Advisory Board Israel 15 Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, England 6 Irene Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Jonathan Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy Green, Len Hew, Australia 4 Tess Johnston, Donald Leslie, Michael Li, Germany 1 Readers: Visit our website: Maisie Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja Muehl- www.sino-judaic.org. berger, Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Pan Japan 2 Guang, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse Silver- South Africa 1 SJI Members: berg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, Xiao Xian, Email [email protected] Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, Albert Yee, David Cyprus 1 Sweig Indonesia 1 to receive the user name and password needed to access the Past Presidents Switzerland 1 “members only” section.
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