“Teddy” Kaufman an Anti-Semitic

Vol. 27 No. 3 A Publication of the Sino-Judaic Institute November 2012 AN ANTI-SEMITIC PERSPECTIVE ON INTERNATIONAL JEWRY, THE IN MEMORIAM CHINESE JEWS AND THEODORE CHINESE COMMUNISM “TEDDY” by Itsvan Bakony KAUFMAN excerpted from www.bamboo-delight.com [Editor’s Note: I hesitated briefly before deciding to run ex- cerpts from this monograph because of its virulent anti-Jewish perspective but I found it so incredibly and wildly inaccurate September 2, 1924 – July 15, 2012 that I just had to share it with you, our readers. This excerpt is taken from selected chapters of Bakony’s larger work entitled: Compiled from material in Haaretz, Aug.15, 2012, the Igud Imperialism, Communism and Judaism, the Three Forces Bulletin and Jewish Times Asia, Oct. 15, 2012 Dominating the World. While no date is given for the original, the translation of the Hungarian original was done in 1969 Theodore—”Teddy”—Kaufman was born on September 2, 1924 and updated subsequently by the author, although no date is in Harbin, Manchuria, into the secular Russian Jewish family given. I can only hope you join me in shaking your head in of Dr. Abraham Kaufman. His father is remembered for his bewilderment and sadness at his manifest and multiple distor- role as head of the Far Eastern Jewish Council, under whose tions.] auspices he helped save approximately 20,000 European Jews from the Holocaust by assisting their temporary resettlement in The Israelite leader Israel Joseph Benjamin II, Chacham of Is- Kobe, Japan and the Shanghai ghetto. rael, after his visit to China at the middle of the last century, says in his report on Chinese clandestine Judaism, presented Throughout his long life, Teddy Kaufman emulated his father to the western Israelite leaders, that in one epoch the Chinese by playing a very active role in Jewish communal affairs. His Jews mixed themselves with the population of the Mongolic first such position was as personal secretary to Harbin’s Chief race through mixed marriages…After this, the laborious Rabbi A.M. Kiselev, where he served as a conduit between Chacham referring to what a German Jewish magazine said, Kiselev, a staunch Religious Zionist, and the secular Zionist talks about a group of Chinese Jews that: “Only one had a real segment of the local community led by his father. Jewish type, but except for the religion and circumcisions, they are completely converted into Chinese by their language, He emigrated to Israel in 1949 and, though employed as a Tel dressing, customs and habits, they also have Chinese Aviv municipal employee in a variety of positions for some 35 names…they first remained secretly in Ning-hia, Hantcheou years, Kaufman’s focus in life was the preservation of the heri- and Peking, and later became established in Kai-fung-foo.”1 A tage of China’s Jewish communities and fostering the develop- dangerous fifth column of secret Jews had entered China, who ment of warm ties between Israel and China. as a result of their total adaptation through the centuries, to the racial and social characteristics of the Chinese people are In 1951, Kaufman established, along with 16 other former Jew- now dangerously confounded and diluted in the population of ish residents, the organization known as the Association of that country. It should be noted that although the Israelites of Former Residents of China - Igud Yotzei Sin. The organization the former Celestial Empire are considered among the most is comprised of residents and descendants from Harbin, Tianjin, mixed with the indigenous race, since the last century they Shanghai and Dalian. have kept the rigid custom of marrying only among themselves and the above mentioned Hebrew leader says that they have Initially the Association aided with the resettlement of Jewish kept their faith “with the characteristic tenacity that distin- immigrants from China in the years immediately following guishes the Hebrew race.” Israel’s birth. Once resettlement efforts were completed, the Association shifted focus to providing scholarships to the de- The historian of the Chinese Jews, Alexandre Wyllie, in his scendants of former China residents pursuing post-secondary valuable book called Investigations on the Existence of Jews in (continued on page 3) (continued on page 3)6) 2 Points East Points East TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR Anson Laytner, Publisher We wrap up volume 27 wishing our Jew- Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. Featured Article: ish readers—and everyone else for that matter—best wishes for a healthy, happy The opinions and views expressed by the In Memoriam: Theodore Kaufman . 1 5773! contributors and editor are their own and do not necessarily express the viewpoints and positions of the Sino-Judaic Institute. We start this year with a new line-up on An Anti-Semitic Perspective ........... 1 the Sino-Judaic Institute’s Board of Di- Letters to the Editor and articles for Points East rectors. After controlling both the gover- may be sent to: From the Editor ..........................2 nance and the media of this fine organization for 4 years, I decided to relinquish Preferred Form: e-mail:[email protected] control of the former and, in yet another Articles: peaceful transfer of power, Rabbi Arnie or to: Rabbi Anson Laytner 1823 East Prospect St. A Professor’s Visit to Nanjing & Belzer is SJI’s new president. Dr. Vera Schwarcz is the new Vice-President and Seattle, WA 98112-3307 Kaifeng ...................................... 6 Drs. Steve Hochstadt and Ondi Points East is published three times a year, in Lingenfelter, remain as Treasurer and Sec- March, July and November. Deadlines for submitting material to be included in these Interest in Shanghai’s Jewish retary respectively. We welcome Denise Yeh Bresler, Jim Michaelson, Rabbi issues are January 15th, May 15th and Past Grows ................................. 8 Marvin Tokayer and Cynthia Zeiden as September 15th. incoming Board members and bid a gradual adieu to Dr. Wendy Abraham, Len My Two Diasporas .......................... 8 FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE Hew and Dr. Al Yee, who are transitioning SJI members interested in receiving a to the Advisory Board. A summary of the copy of the annual financial report should Are All Jews White? ........................ 7 SJI Board meeting will appear in a future send a self-addressed envelope to: Steve issue of Points East. Hochstadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic Institute, Illinois College, 1101 W Col- This issue features an obituary for the great lege Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650. Book Nook................................11 Teddy Kaufman, longtime head of the Igud Yotzei Sin (the Association of Former Residents of China) and the Israel-China Sino-Judaic Institute c/o Rabbi Arnie Belzer Friendship Association; a man whose in- 34 Washington Avenue fluence was felt far and wide. His death Savannah, GA 31405 U.S.A. represents the end of an era. SJI Officers Arnie Belzer, President SJI MEMBERSHIP Speaking about the end of an era, one era Vera Schwarcz, Vice-President I would dearly love to see end is that of Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer Country Total European anti-Semitism. The other fea- Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary tured article in this issue highlights the Anson Laytner, Immediate Past President United States 179 perverse and paranoid nature of one part Managing Board China 19 of the European anti-Semitic tradition as Denise Yeh Bresler, Joel Epstein, Bev Friend, it pertains to, of all things, Jews in China Israel 16 Seth Garz, Mary-Anne Graham, Ron Kaye, Dana and our alleged plot to take over that coun- Leventhal, Den Leventhal, David Marshall, Jim Canada 14 try and add it to our global empire. All Michaelson, Art Rosen, Eric Rothberg, Marvin England 4 this was news to me. I am a rabbi and Tokayer, Tibi Weisz, Albert Yee, Cynthia Zeiden reasonably well-connected in the Jewish Australia 2 International Advisory Board world and no one ever told me about our Germany 3 Wendy Abraham, Jan Berris, Mark Cohen, Irene plans for world domination. And some- Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, Fu Youde, Jonathan Japan 2 how all this alleged Jewish wealth and Goldstein, Jerry Gotel, Judy Green, Len Hew, South Africa 2 power has somehow passed me by. Such Tess Johnston, Donald Leslie, Michael Li, is my mazal… Maisie Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja Indonesia 1 Muehlberger, Gustavo Perednik, Andrew Plaks, Switzerland 1 Since its author is obsessed with “public Pan Guang, Shi Lei, Yitzhak Shichor, Elyse Silverberg, Josh Stampfer, Shalom Wald, Xiao Taiwan 1 and clandestine” Jews, he would surely Xian, Xu Xin, Zhang Qianhong, David Zweig have a fit (and I hope he does) over Diane Past Presidents Tobin’s article about Jewish racial diver- Al Dien, Leo Gabow sity. She makes a point that bears repeat- TOTAL: ing over and over again: that Jews come In Memoriam, z”l Marshall Denenberg, Leo Gabow, Phyllis Horal, 244 Teddy Kaufman, Rena Krasno, Michael Pollak, (continued on page 3) Louis Schwartz Points East 3 in all shades of beige from light to dark— In an official statement, the Chinese An Anti-Semitic Perspective just like the rest of humanity. Embassy in Israel lamented the death of on International Jewry Kaufman, lauding the instrumental role (continued from page 1) Add to these articles an account of a he played in promoting the development professor’s visit to China, a review of a of Sino-Israeli relations: new and important book by Jordan Pa- China, since the Most Ancient Times to These Days, notes that the existence of per, and several other pieces and you have “Mr. Kaufman, as president of the Israel- the Jews was hidden for the majority, but volume 27, number 3. Enjoy. China Friendship Society, had long been that, nevertheless, “some accidental ob- committed to promoting China-Israel servations in Marco Polo’s trips, show Anson Laytner exchanges in varied fields and maintained that Jews were sufficient enough to be friendly relations with the Embassy and able to exert political influence in China Chinese people,” said the statement.

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