16 Points East

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The Sino-Judaic Institute is a non-denominational, non-profit, and non-political organization, founded on June 27, 1985, in Palo Alto, California, by an international group of scholars and lay persons, to promote friendship and understanding between the Chinese and Jewish peoples and to Vol. 24 No. 2 A Publication of the Sino-Judaic Institute encourage and develop their cooperation in matters of mutual historical and cultural interest. Its July 2009 objectives are: CHINA REVISITED SIR MATTHEW NATHAN: HONG 1) The study of the ancient Jewish community of Kaifeng and assisting its descendents as appropriate. by Anson Laytner KONG’S JEWISH GOVERNOR 2) The study of Jewish life in Shanghai, Harbin, Tianjin and elsewhere in the 19th and 20th centuries. Introduction by Alfred Luk I traveled to China this past spring as President of the Sino- Nathan Road in Kowloon, Hong Kong, 3) The support of Jewish studies programs in China. Judaic Institute primarily to assess firsthand the status of the is the major thoroughfare of Hong Kong Kaifeng Jewish descendants through an extended stay there and 4) The study of cultural intersections between Chinese and Jews, for example adoptions, literature, and locals sometimes refer it to as the also to witness the remarkable growth of Jewish Studies pro- diasporas, etc. Golden Mile for its bustling commercial grams at select Chinese universities. Thirty-five years ago, when activities flanking its two sides. Nathan 5) The study of Sino-Israeli relations. I was a student at the Beijing Yuyan Xueyuan on the first Road was originally named Robinson Canada-China Student Exchange Programme, I had tried to visit Road after its early Hong Kong governor. Kaifeng but was told it was a “closed city”. By contrast, today 6) To cooperate with other groups whose interests lie in Sinitic and Judaic matters. In recognition of the monumental the city is accessible and it is most easy to meet people. achievement of another Hong Kong gov- ernor, Sir Matthew Nathan, the British After an absence of thirty-five years, the first thing I noticed Membership in the Institute is open and we cordially invite you to join in supporting our endeavor. Colonial office made the switch from about China was the change in choice of transportation. Then, Robinson Road to Nathan Road. Our annual dues structure is as follows: bicycles were everywhere; today cars predominate. The Chi- nese drive both the same way, but it is a lot more frightening to In spite of the popularity of Nathan Road, few locals as well see the “take no prisoners” style applied to motor vehicles, be Benefactor ...... $1,000 as the former residents of Hong Kong know little about the they trucks, buses, cars or motor-bikes. Thankfully, the more protagonist of the Nathan Road, Sir Matthew Nathan. Re- Patron...... 500 cars there are, the more restrained the drivers are, so Shanghai ports of his governorship in Hong Kong are often trivial and Corporate Patron ...... 500 drivers operated their vehicles more sanely than did their coun- revealed very little of his immense achievement in Hong Kong terparts in Kaifeng. Corporate Sponsor ...... 250 to 499 and character. Corporate Member ...... 250 to 499 The second thing I noticed was the building boom. Thirty-five Unlike his predecessors as well as the Hong Kong governors years ago, Pudong in Shanghai was agricultural; today it is a Sponsor ...... 100 after him during the British administration, Sir Matthew Nathan forest of skyscrapers. Then the Bund’s towers, built early in the Regular Member ...... 50 did not rise steadily through the ranks of British colonial ad- last century, were its high points; today Shanghai goes on for- ministration, and had little experience as colonial governor ever and there are many clusters of competing high buildings. Libraries...... 50 before assuming the governorship of Hong Kong. He was Even inland, in Kaifeng, construction is happening everywhere. Academic ...... 30 trained as an engineer and held the position of major in the Royal Engineers. Among all the governors of Hong Kong, he Senior Citizens ...... 25 The third thing I noticed, sadly, was the smog. In over two was also the only Jew and the youngest governor. He was weeks in China, I never saw a clear day. The day I left, our Students...... 25 only thirty-nine years old when he took office in 1904. plane flew up the coast before turning over the Pacific. We saw the land engulfed in a thick grey cloud with a charcoal- In spite of his youth and perhaps inexperience as governor- colored leading edge. Progress has its price. I wish to become a member of the Sino-Judaic Institute and receive Points East three times a year. Enclosed is ship, his legacy in Hong Kong is long lasting and illustrious. He advocated the technical training in Hong Kong and his my check for $ . The fourth thing I noticed was the people. Thirty-five years effort contributed enormously to the foundation of the Tech- PLEASE PRINT ago, everyone wore a “Mao suit”, usually blue and preferably nical Institute of Hong Kong. patched to show one’s revolutionary frugality. Today clothing is as varied as people are individuals; colors and styles abound; Name: His technical training as an engineer also played a pivotal and women wear clothes that would make their Western coun- role in his contribution to the development of Hong Kong’s terparts either turn green with envy or flush red with embarrass- Address: transportation system and development, particularly Kowloon. ment. During his reign as governor of Hong Kong, he pressed for Home Phone: Work Phone: widening of existing roads and laying down more roads and More significantly, the increased sense of happiness and free- mileage in Hong Kong—and mainly in Kowloon—than most dom is palpable. This is not to say that the government isn’t Fax: E-Mail: Hong Kong governors before 1950. Kowloon at the time of watchful. I heard of people being called in for questioning and his reign was virtually undeveloped, settled by small commu- websites being closed down—but thirty-five years ago, the popu- Mail to: The Sino-Judaic Institute, Prof. Steve Hochstadt, Dept. of History, Illinois College, nity of Europeans, Portuguese-Asian Mestizos from Macao, a 1101 West College Ave, Jacksonville IL 62650 (continued on page 6) (continued(continued on on page page 12) 6) 2 Points East Points East 15 of the Kaifeng community from Chinese The Chinese picked up many modern One of the great ironies of colonial his- TABLE OF CONTENTS FROM THE EDITOR Points East sources, traces its success to ascendancy Western ideas from the Japanese. Per- tory is the way in which colonised people Anson Laytner, Publisher of the Zhao family in the Ming and early haps this is how Jewish conspiracy theo- adopted some of the same prejudices that  Qing periods and compares Jewish and ries were passed on as well. But South- justified colonial rule. Anti-Semitism ar- Featured Article: June was a blur. First I was visiting China Points East is published by the Sino-Judaic Muslim communities. It is marred only east Asians are not immune to this kind rived with a whole package of European for 2.5 weeks, then we had the annual SJI Institute, a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. by some inaccuracies, such as stating that of nonsense either. Former Malaysian race theories that have persisted in Asia Board meeting, then I’ve been inundated China Revisited ...... 1 The opinions and views expressed by the their Torah written in Persian letters. prime minister Mahathir Mohamed has well after they fell out of fashion in the with email correspondence from China, contributors and editor are their own and do said that “the Jews rule the world by West. and lastly I’ve been working to upgrade not necessarily express the viewpoints and Sir Matthew Nathan ...... 1 Zhou Xun provides fascinating account proxy. They get others to fight and die our website—oh yes—and preparing this positions of the Sino-Judaic Institute. of the May 4th Movement’s embrace of for them.” And a recent article in a lead- In some ways, Chinese minorities in issue of Points East ! the Yiddish literary renaissance and its Southeast Asia have shared some of the ing business magazine in The Philippines translation (via English, Russian etc) in hostility suffered by Jews in the West. Letters to the Editor and articles for Points East explained how Jews had always con- SJI is gearing up for some significant work to Chinese—but without any reference Excluded from many occupations, they may be sent to: trolled the countries they lived in, includ- From The Editor ...... 2 and we invite, nay we plead for, your sup- to Irene Eber’s groundbreaking work! too survived by clannishness and trade. ing the US today. port above and beyond the cost of dues. Preferred Form: They too have been persecuted for not e-mail:[email protected] Shalom Salomon Wald offers survey of being “sons of the soil”. And they too In the case of Mahathir, a twisted kind To the Editor...... 3 With your participation, we intend to: knowledge of Chinese Jews in the Euro- are thought to have superhuman powers or to: Rabbi Anson Laytner of Muslim solidarity is probably at work. ·Offer scholarships for students of Jew- pean consciousness with a sweep un- when it comes to making money. So 1823 East Prospect St. But, unlike European or Russian anti- ish Studies in China. matched since Pollak wrote his book when things go wrong, the Chinese are Seattle, WA 98112-3307 Semitism, the Asian variety has no reli- ·Offer scholarships for Kaifeng Jewish Mandarins, Missionaries and Jews. Still, blamed not just for being greedy capital- Articles: gious roots. No Chinese or Japanese has descendents to study in Israel. as with Meyer, his review seems to in- ists, but also, again like the Jews, for corporate much of prior, perhaps unre- blamed Jews for killing their holy men ·Offer financial support to the two Jew- Points East is published three being communists, as both capitalism lated research. or believed that their children’s blood and communism are associated with root- Research Proposal ...... 4 ish schools in Kaifeng. times a year, in March, July ended up in Passover matzos. In fact, few lessness and cosmopolitanism. ·Offer organizational and financial sup- and November. I do wish the editor/publisher had ar- Chinese, Japanese, Malaysians, or Fili- port for the creation of an umbrella as- Deadlines for submitting ranged for Zhang Qianhong’s article to pinos have ever seen a Jew, unless they As well as being feared, the Chinese are Asia’s Jewish Myths ...... 15 sociation of Jewish descendants in material to be included in these issues are January 15th, be translated for this volume, but her have spent time abroad. admired for being cleverer than every- Kaifeng. May 15th and September 15th. article’s subject matter and that of Rob- body else. The same mixture of fear and ·Send Jewish books to Jewish studies ert Elliot Allinson seem cut from a dif- So what explains the remarkable appeal awe is often evident in people’s views of programs in China. ferent cloth than the other, historically- of Jewish conspiracy theories in Asia? The the US and, indeed, of the Jews. Japa- ·Encourage the increased accessibility to FINANCIAL REPORT AVAILABLE oriented papers. answer must be partly political. Con- nese anti-Semitism is a particularly in- Jewish exhibits in Kaifeng and Shang- SJI members interested in receiving a spiracy theories thrive in relatively closed teresting case. Book Nook ...... 14 hai. copy of the annual financial report should Asia’s Jewish Myths societies, where free access to news is ·Transform our website into a major hub Japan was able to defeat Russia in 1905 send a self-addressed envelope to: Steve by Ian Buruma limited and freedom of inquiry curtailed. of information, a gateway, regarding Hochstadt, Treasurer of the Sino-Judaic only after a Jewish banker in New York, reprinted from Japan is no longer such a closed society, the historical and contemporary inter Institute, Illinois College, 1101 W Col- Jacob Schiff, helped Japan by floating www.theaustralian.news.com.au, section of things Jewish and Chinese. lege Ave., Jacksonville IL 62650. yet even people with a short history of bonds. So The Protocols of the Elders of February 11, 2009 democracy are prone to believe that they Zion confirmed what the Japanese already SJI MEMBERSHIP We hope you’ll join us in these endeav- The Sino-Judaic Institute are victims of unseen forces. Precisely suspected: Jews really did pull the strings A Chinese bestseller titled The Currency ors. Rabbi Anson Laytner because Jews are relatively unknown, of global finance. However, instead of 1823 East Prospect St. War describes how Jews are planning to therefore mysterious, and in some way wishing to attack them, the Japanese, Country Total Anson Laytner Seattle WA 98112-3307 rule the world by manipulating the in- associated with the West, they become being a practical people, decided they • ternational financial system. The book is an obvious fixture of anti-Western para- would be better off cultivating those United States 195 “The Jews of Kaifeng” North American Managing Board reportedly read in the highest government noia. clever, powerful Jews as friends. China 22 Could Visit Your Community Anson Laytner, President; Arnie Belzer, circles. If so, this does not bode well for Vice-president; Steve Hochstadt, Treasurer, the international financial system, which As a result, during World War II, even as Israel 13 Ondi Lingenfelter, Secretary. Wendy Such paranoia is widespread in Asia, The Sino-Judaic Institute’s exhibit relies on well-informed Chinese to help the Germans were asking their Japanese Canada 12 Abraham, Shelly Ehrlich, Joel Epstein, Bev where almost every country was at the allies to round up Jews and hand them is a hit wherever it goes! Friend, Seth Garz, Mary-Anne Graham, Len it recover from the present crisis. England 6 mercy of Western powers for several hun- over, dinners were held in Japanese-oc- Hew, Ron Kaye, Dana Leventhal, Den dred years. Japan was never formally Australia 4 Educational ~ A great community re- Leventhal, Lily Yuan Ninburg, Art Rosen, Such conspiracy theories are not rare in cupied Manchuria to celebrate Japanese- colonised, but it too felt the West’s Jewish friendship. Jewish refugees in Germany 2 lations bridge between Jews and Asians Vera Schwarz, Tibi Weisz, Albert Yee. Asia. Japanese readers have shown a International Board healthy appetite over the years for books dominance, at least since the 1850s, Shanghai, though never comfortable, at Japan 2 ~ Unique programming and public re- Mark Cohen, Irene Eber, Avrum Ehrlich, such as To Watch Jews is to See the when American ships laden with heavy least remained alive under Japanese pro- France 1 lations opportunities for all age groups Judy Green, Teddy Kaufman, Michael Li, World Clearly, The Next Ten Years: How guns forced the country to open its bor- tection. Indonesia 1 ~ Complementary materials and Maisie Meyer, Mark Michaelson, Sonja to Get an Inside View of the Jewish Pro- ders on Western terms. Muehlberger, Gustavo Perednik, Yitzhak This was good for the Jews of Shanghai. South Africa 1 speakers available ~ Affordable ~ Easy tocols and I’d Like to Apologise to the Shichor, Elyse Silverberg, David Zweig. Japanese - A Jewish Elder’s Confession The common conflation of the US with But the very ideas that helped them to to install ~ Advisory Board Switzerland 1 (written by a Japanese author, of course, Jews goes back to the late 19th century, survive continue to muddle the thinking Jan Berris, Fu Youde, Jonathan Goldstein, of people who really ought to know bet- Taiwan 1 For scheduling information, under the made-up name of Mordecai when European reactionaries loathed Jerry Gotel, Pan Guang, Tess Johnston, ter by now. please contact: Rena Krasno, Donald Leslie, Andrew Plaks, Mose). All these books are variations of America for being a rootless society based Rabbi Arnie Belzer Shi Lei, Josh Stampfer, Marvin Tokayer, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the only on financial greed. This perfectly TOTAL: [Ian Buruma is a Professor of human P.O. Box 816 Shalom Wald, Xiao Xian, Xu Xin, Russian forgery first published in 1903, matched the stereotype of the rootless 261 rights at Bard College in Annandale-on- Savannah, GA 31402 Zhang Qianhong. which the Japanese came across after cosmopolitan Jewish moneygrubber. Past Presidents Hudson, N.Y. His latest book is The 912 233 1547 defeating the tsar’s army in 1905. Hence the idea that Jews run America. [email protected] Al Dien, Leo Gabow China Lover.] 14 Points East Points East 3 policies which the Tibetans despised. The A. Tom Grunfeld BOOK NOOK TO THE EDITOR CIA came onboard after the revolt had SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor started to use it for its own Cold War [email protected] interests. The Jews in Asia: Comparative where, they also display unique charac- Israel, Zhang Qianhong, Pan Guang, To the Editor: Dear Rabbi Laytner, Perspectives teristics not found elsewhere. Zhang Ligang and others of China. I have only just been able to get to the Perspectives March issue of Points East and after read- There was no “second revolt.” The re- Firstly, I love the new logo, the Magen Jewish and Israeli Studies Series, Vol. 1, volt, which began in 1956, spread west- Daveed with the ding; great! Thirdly, at a time when the world is ex- With scholars from so many different ing “Chinese Policies Regarding Religion Center for Jewish Studies Shanghai. 2007 ward and climaxed in battles in Lhasa in periencing perhaps the greatest increase countries, the book shows the different and Chinese Judaism” I felt compelled Chinese and English, unnumbered. March 1959. It was all one revolt led by Secondly, I empathize with René in anti-Semitism since World War Two, cultural and academic styles of Western to respond. The article is so full of inac- Pan Guang, Editor. the same individuals. Goldman’s annoyance (Mar. 2009, vol. this work stands to counter that phenom- and Chinese scholars, with the latter typi- curacies that it would take as many words reviewed by Anthony A. Loh, Vanderbilt 24, #1) with the character “yo” in yo* enon by offering a positive and sympa- cally being more cautious and/or unwill- to correct them as the article itself. University The sentence “The most recent Western tai ren, the current Chinese expression thetic perspective of the Jewish experi- ing to break new ground and/or content complaint regarding religious freedom in for Jew. The character does not have a ence. Some contributors to the volume to review and recapitulate what is already Let me limit myself to one aspect - Ti- This book comes out of an international Tibet is that monks who burned alive Han good meaning, was not chosen by Jews offer, for example, some original insights known. Is the inclusion of these schol- bet, where almost every sentence is his- symposium by the same name held in Chinese in Lhasa were arrested for mur- or Chinese, but only exists because of on similarities between Jewish and Chi- ars in recognition of their work or is it a torical incorrect. Shanghai, but it is actually the result of der,” is problematic. The events of spring the anti-Semitism of the early Christian nese cultural traditions and historical form of tokenism that acknowledges the more than two decades of labor of love, 2008 had little to do with religious free- European missionaries in China. experiences. It should be noted that the importance of the Chinese scholars’ work Despite Professor Jordan’s claim to the a tour de force , on the part of Professor dom. Tibetans in Lhasa did initiate at- project is inspired by a noble ambition. even if it is not particularly new? contrary, there is almost no cultural con- Pan Guang, the chief editor of this vol- The idea, as Pan relates in the Introduc- nection between Han and Tibetans in tacks on Chinese stores, some of which My suggestion is to replace the current ume, who helped establish the Center tion, is that since half of the noted China There is a certain wistfulness to the ar- “traditional clothing, architecture, eating were burned. There were cases of a hand- “yo,” the one with the characters for ca- for Jewish Studies in Shanghai (CJSS) in experts in the U.S. are Jewish scholars, it ticles by editor Peter Kupfer and senior utensils, etc.” ful of store employees (Chinese and Ti- nine and alcohol, to “yo” the single char- 1988. With CJSS as the official host of is only fair for China to return a service scholar Donald Leslie regarding the un- betan) who were trapped inside these acter that means source or reason. This the symposium, Pan carried the level of by bringing to the world a better under- finished work they leave for others to “England” was never interested in burning structures and died. At the same character has 5 strokes and is also used scholarly activities and international ex- standing of the Jews in Asia. assume. Pan Guang offers a good, but “encompass[ing]” Tibet but rather using time there were many (about 125) peace- in the phrase for freedom, dz yo. An- changes on the subject to new heights. hardly new, survey of the history of Jews it as a buffer between China, Russia and ful demonstrations against Chinese rule other choice would be the “yo” that It may thus be said that this collected The substantive richness of the volume in China. India. across the Tibetan plateau leading to means friend, also, 5 strokes. Alas, I volume is as much the product of a cannot be overstated. The variegated es- numerous arrests of Tibetans, some of don’t think this is likely to happen. Per- unique combination of Pan’s scholarship, says are engaging, tantalizingly drawing Noam Urbach’s masterful and compre- Britain did not manufacture the notion whom were monks and nuns. Religious haps the board of the Sino-Judaic Insti- organizing skills and collegial relation- hensive chronology of recent events in the reader into some exotic and far-flung that “Tibetan culture was closely related freedom was one issue but there were tute could agree to change it on the logo, ships with scholars around the world. Kaifeng is essential for anyone consider- locales of Asia. Readers will find them- to India” since Tibetans got their religion, many others that have led to a heighten- then we could go from there. The volume is the first in the CJSS Jew- ing working in this field. His depiction selves given a fascinating kaleidoscope written language and much more from ing of ethnic tension. ish and Israeli Studies Series, an inter- of the situation is depressing but accu- India centuries before the arrival of the What I don’t understand is how “yo tai” of the Jewish communities in Asia, rate. Surprisingly, he doesn’t mention disciplinary publication which promises British. For more than a millennium Jordan claims “The present Chinese gov- came to stand for “yehuda.” There are which, until this volume, have remained Israel’s prioritizing relations with China more to come. trade, religious and diplomatic connec- ernment will not accept as the political some very good characters that can spell largely a mystery to most. By contrast, over its taking any position on the status the reader is now given a panoramic view tions with India, Nepal, Ladakh and leader...a person chosen by assumed that name. This book of essays is important in three of a few hundred non-halachic Jewish of these communities, all in a single vol- Bhutan all exceed those with China. transmigration from a dead person to an major ways. First, as mentioned, it is descendents in Kaifeng. Still, this article infant nor allow the socio-economic Long before this current “yo tai” term for ume. alone is worth purchasing the volume for. the result of a China-led initiative in structure to revert to serfdom.” The no- Jews, in the Song and Ming Dynasties, Zhang Ligang provides a Chinese coun- “England” did not “name the abbot of bringing together, for the first time and tion that the Dalai Lama, or anyone else, we were the “tiau jin jiau” people, i.e. I personally hope that this invaluable terpoint and a historical perspective to the monastery in Lhasa, the Dalai Lama, on such a large scale, an impressive ar- book will be translated into Hebrew. I the same subject. the ruler of Tibet.” The Mongols did that wants to revert Tibet to the old system is the people who “plucked the sinew” ray of international and Chinese schol- believe it will be embraced in Israel. It centuries earlier. Moreover, there were a fiction of Chinese propaganda. I have (from the practice of kosher butchers, ars on the Jews of Asia. China is provid- certainly should reach beyond the En- Maisie Meyer recounts in detail the multiple monasteries in Lhasa, not one, never seen or heard of a single Tibetan recalling the biblical story of Jacob who ing the kind of academic leadership that glish-speaking world. Baghdadi Jewish community of as Jordan implies. say this is what is hoped for or planned; wrestled and was touched in the thigh is needed to get this work done. With- Shanghai’s efforts to revive the Kaifeng indeed quite the opposite. The Dalai by an “angel.”) I lovingly recall those out it there would be no such collective Jewish community at the turn of the 20th The Chinese government never “recog- Lamah as repeatedly condemned many dated and now obscure terms. Also, I work. This is a sign that China is com- Youtai—Presence and Percep- century, an effort which defied and still nized the Panchen Lama as the superior aspects of the old society. As to what wonder, what did the Chinese Jews call ing to its own. tion of Jews and Judaism in defies complete explanation. It went lama” but rather used him for political Beijing would accept: the Chinese gov- themselves at this time? China against the Baghdadis’ attitude towards leverage. All Chinese governments have ernment (and the purportedly atheistic Secondly, this book, which is long over- Peter Kupfer, Editor another “indigenous “ Jewish group, the always recognized the Dalai Lama as the communist party) participated in the se- Sincerely, due, profoundly complements the schol- Peter Lang: Frankfort am Main, 2008. Bene Yisrael of India and also against major spiritual leader in Tibet. lection and approval of the reincarnation Diane H. Rabinowitz arship on Jewry in the West and in other 327 pages. their own interests vis-à-vis the British of the Kargypa Lama and even selected [email protected] parts of the world. Collective scholar- reviewed by Anson Laytner colonial power group and society of China did not “begin the end of invol- its own Panchen Lama through traditional P.S. I have used the transliteration “yo” ship on the Jews of Asia is relatively rare which it was a tolerated minority. The untary serfdom,” “in 1950” but in 1959. means. I suspect that when the Dalai instead of “you” because it sounds more rest of her article is a fascinating study to start with. This is the beginning of a This volume summarizes the results of a For 9 years the revolutionary, communist Lama dies Beijing will go through the like how the character is pronounced in that summarizes her other work on how dedicated effort to balance the scholar- 2002-03 research project and conference Chinese government allied itself with the same process and discover an infant Dalai the common Chinese language and may the Baghdadis interacted with the Chi- ship, which has hitherto favored West- organized at Mainz University in feudal landlords on Mao Zedong’s ex- Lama inside China. be more helpful to our non-Chinese ern Jewry. By going forward, this work Germersheim, Germany, which focused nese of Shanghai and tells the story of an press instructions. speaking readers. stands to contribute substantially to the on the Jewish community in Kaifeng. equally fascinating story within a story As to the claim that Falung Gong “is a general body of literature in the field of Authors include: Peter Kupfer of Ger- of Jewish life in China. The CIA did not “foment a revolt” in Ti- creation of the CIA,” unless Professor To the Editor, Jewish studies. For instance, it shows many, Maisie Meyer of Great Britain, bet. The armed opposition to Chinese rule Jordan has evidence I suspect this is as In a well-taken article in the last issue, that while the Jews of Asia share similar Donald Leslie of Australia, Noam Urbach Yin Gang’s article provides an interest- began in Eastern Tibet in 1956 as a di- accurate as his fantasies about Tibetan René Goldman pointed out the anti- characteristics as Diaspora Jews else- of Israel, Salomon Wald of France and ing Chinese perspective on the survival rect response to Chinese government history. Semitic aspect of one logograph of the 4 Points East Points East 13 Chinese binomial expression for Jew pro- of the European empires with the Chi- arly publications. land fill project to enlarge the area of the astating. Many of the commercial as well Given the short interval of his service and th vided by Christian missionaries in the 19 nese civilization and partly as a backfire southern tip of Kowloon Peninsula, where as residential areas lay in ruins; the death the hostile social atmosphere, Sir Mat- century. He suggests attempting to have against the idealized understanding of Problems to be Solved the railway terminal building would be toll and injuries tallied to more than thew Nathan was nonetheless able to lay the first logograph changed from a nega- China popular in the 18th century. In The present research project will seek to constructed. His plan was to make the 20,000. Nathan sensed the urgency of claim to a vast accomplishment: He laid tive to a positive one with the same pro- spite of these different backgrounds anti- analyze the various contexts in which southern tip of Kowloon Peninsula the establishing a signal station to warn down the concrete foundation for the nunciation. This, unfortunately, is not Semitism and sinophobia share many these parallels were invoked, examine grand hub, accommodating the ferry ter- Hong Kong residents of approaching future development of Hong Kong’s long likely to happen. In any case, the term common elements and insights and are their meaning and provide an explana- storms. During Nathan’s governorship, and successful development of its trans- “Youtai” carries with it considerable al- closely connected with Romanticism. tion of their prominence. It will also minal, the train terminal and the bus ter- a signal station was placed next to the beit subtle anti-Semitic baggage continu- focus on the development of this anal- minal, all in a small tract of land. All of portation and import/export industries. ously provided by Christian missionar- The proposed research will suggest that ogy in the later documents, particularly his proposals concerning the placement Hong Kong Observatory, which stands ies at least into the 1960s, which I then the similarity between the two phenom- in the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” of the Hong Kong side of Kowloon-Can- on the top of the small hill overlooking encountered as a visiting professor at a ena goes far beyond their common time and in the ideologies of the interwar pe- ton railway and the grand union of bus, Tsim Sha Tsui and the Victoria Harbour. Catholic college (now a university) in of origin. Since late 18th century one can riod in Europe. The “Protocols of the ferry and railway terminals were fulfilled. For nearly the whole of 20th century, the Taiwan. Moreover, Youtai primarily re- find in European intellectual history a Elders of Zion” will be shown to com- The success of transporting both people signal station proved absolutely vital in fers not to a religion but to a race from number of puzzling analogies and per- bine the insights and premonitions about and cargo through Kowloon, to and from providing advance warnings of approach- the Christian missionary perspective and sistent parallels that juxtapose the his- both the Jewish and Yellow Peril and will Hong Kong Island and the New Territo- ing storms to Hong Kong residents as well an ethnicity from the Chinese under- torical experience and ethnic psychology be examined in light of the apocalyptic ries for nearly a century, is owed largely as to the boats and ships that dotted the standing. An alternative solution would of the Jewish and Chinese people and tradition in Russian literature. to the brilliant location of the terminals Victoria Harbour. be to encourage the use of the Chinese cast them both in extremely negative in Tsim Sha Tsui. term for Chinese Judaism with a history light. These analogies are found not only The other important aspect of the research Also during Nathan’s governorship, Hong of many centuries until replaced by the in the accounts and observations of the will be the discussion of the Yellow Peril In Nathan’s era, it might have seemed to Kong’s tram service began operation. Its Christian missionaries with Youtai: explorers, political commentators and and Jewish Conspiracy theories in the be a huge gamble to undertake the huge first line ran from Kennedy Town to Shau “Qingchen jiao” (Pure and True Teach- diplomats, but also in the historical, context of anti-communist and anti-so- project of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Kei Wan in 1904. ing). But this solution too is problem- political, sociological and philosophical cialist movements in Europe. Karl Marx as well as the construction of the associ- atic, because the term also refers to Is- works of the leading intellectuals of the observed in the first sentence of the ated terminals and the enlargement of the lam, Chinese culture traditionally mak- century. My research will use these “Communist Manifesto” that the specter designated area in the tip of Tsim Sha During his tenure as governor of Hong This map illustrates the relative positions ing little distinction between the two. sources to study some common patterns, of communism is haunting Europe. It is Tsui. Kong, Nathan was honorary president of of the highlights of Sir Matthew Nathan’s arguments and ethnic stereotypes that remarkable that in many of anti-commu- Hong Kong Judaic Society and he helped vision of the grand hub, accommodating Jordan Paper have become common in anti-Semitic nist and anti-socialist ideologies Yellow By 1920, when another Jewish negotiate the lease that expanded the Jew- the Bus Terminal, Kowloon Ferry (now [email protected] and sinophobic literatures. and Jewish perils were closely associated ish cemetery in Hong Kong. Star Ferry) Terminal, Kowloon-Canton with communism representing dangers coreligionist, Kadoorie (a household Research Proposal: The State of the Research for the very foundations of the fragile name in Hong Kong), decided to build Railway Terminal. In the same map, the renowned Peninsula Hotel, one of Nathan did not complete his term as there are other points of interest: the Pen- Emergence of Anti- So far no systematic discussion and no European culture. The intellectual his- Emergence of Anti- explanation of this persistent and enig- tory of Europe shows some close paral- the most important Hong Kong landmarks, Governor of Hong Kong; he left after three insula Hotel, and the Signal Hill station, Semitism and Sinophobia: matic analogy has been advanced in lels between the perceptions of the two the importance and the development of years of service in 1907. He was criti- proposed by Nathan. The Parallel Developments prejudice scholarship. The only work “specters” – communism and Yellow the Kowloon Peninsula terminals were cized as being unsociable because he did in the field of Judeo-Sinica and anti-Chi- Peril (Decornoy, J., 1993). Similar confirmed and reassured. The Peninsula not attend many of the tea parties, char- in European Intellectual nese and anti-Semitic sentiments (Geller, alarmist observations have been made Hotel is located only a couple of blocks ity balls and the lavish dinner parties as History J., 1994) has some valuable insights, but about China and Israel. Napoleon fa- from the hub of ferry, bus and train ter- well as the church services so typical of by Dr. Vadim Rossman it draws primarily from the travelers’ mously proclaimed: “when China awak- minals in tip of the southern Kowloon the British elite in Hong Kong during the memoirs and deals with some anthropo- ens the world will tremble”. In a simi- Peninsula. colonial era. It is quite understandable [Dr. Vadim Rossman recently moved to logical issues quite marginal for the pur- lar vein, many European leaders and poli- that being Jewish, he should be excused the Bay area from Texas. He is currently poses of my research. The image of the ticians, e.g. Kaiser Wilhelm II, had spe- Nathan proved his amazing financial ge- for not attending the Church of England a Visiting Professor of Chinese History Jews in European culture was discussed cial misgivings and anxieties about the nius on yet another occasion. In 1904, Sunday services. The Sunday church ser- and Russian Studies at Srinakharinwirot by Rose, P. (1993), Yovel, Y. (1998), Yellow specter. In the second part of when Nathan took office, Hong Kong had vice was indeed an important social event th University in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr. Gilman, S. (1993). The image of China the 19 century Edouard Drumont made an oversupply of lower face value silver for the British high society members in Rossman is now working on a book in Europe was discussed by Dawson, R his dark prophesies about the coming coins. The amount of 5 cent and 10 cent Hong Kong to get acquainted and en- “Jewish Conspiracy and Yellow Peril: (1967), Lee, T. (1991), Makerras, (1989), danger of the Jews for France and the silver coins being circulated greatly ex- hance friendship in a rather informal Antisemitism and Sinophobia in the Etiemble, E. (1988), Jones, D. (2001), whole of Europe. ceeded the need of the Hong Kong popu- ambience. As a bachelor, he had the dis- Nineteenth Century” http:// Lukin, A. (2003). The work of Gregory lation. This phenomenon greatly de- advantage of not having a wife to accom- This map illustrates two major accom- sicsa.huji.ac.il/reslist.html. He may be Blue (1990, 1999) is especially notable The first part of the research will focus pressed the value of coinage. Nathan pany him in charming the ladies of Brit- plishments of Sir Matthew Nathan: the reached at [email protected]] in this area. Gollwitzer (1962) provided on the examination of the distinctions immediately ceased the further supply of ish ruling class in Hong Kong. Instead, Canton-Kowloon Railway and the Re- excellent historical account of the Yel- between the Indo-European cultures and these coins in order to allow restoration he would indulge himself in his leisure claimed land around Kowloon Penin- Background low Peril concept. The author of this ethnicities, on the one hand, and the Anti-Semitism and sinophobia emerged proposal has discussed elsewhere some Semitic/Chinese civilizations, on the of Hong Kong coinage to its proper value. to resolve the growing transportation and sula. The major dark line outlines the as systematic ideologies in the second differences and similarities between tra- other, commonly made in historical and He even demonetized small amounts of settlement problems confronting the boundaries of Kowloon Peninsula and part of the 19th century. In Europe mod- ditional Jewish and Chinese cultures sociological works of the 19th century. the lower value silver coins in order to young colony. It was rumored he was New Territories prior to Sir Matthew ern anti-Semitism developed as a re- (Rossman, V., 1993) and the contribu- Most of these distinctions have been stem the slide of the Hong Kong coin- being unfairly reported as being out of Nathan’s arrival. sponse to the emancipation of the Jews; tions of Chinese culture to modernity grounded in the opposition between age. touch with the upper class of the British The shaded area illustrates the Reclaimed the term was coined to acknowledge the (Rossman, V., 2004). To the best of my materialistic and idealistic values. The residents of Hong Kong and he was sub- and expanded land proposed by him and new secular character of the hatred. knowledge, the theme of Yellow Peril in antagonism of Indo-Europeans and the In 1906, a violent tropical storm attacked sequently victimized by vicious gossip acquired within five years of his depar- Sinophobia, on the other hand, developed the “Protocols” and in its Supplements Jew/Chinese is explained in terms of the Hong Kong and the destruction was dev- against him. ture. as a result of a direct physical encounter has never been discussed in any schol- opposition between spiritual/materialis- 12 Points East Points East 5 were interested in my topic: the chang- and our dreams—not only by those who The proposed railways line linking Hong tic, courageous/coward, creative/imita- “the Elders of Zion” mobilizing at the end Legge, Herbert Spencer, Houston Cham- ing status of Jewish identity in Europe choose to focus their studies in this field Kong to China was named the Kowloon- tive, aristocratic/plebian, masculine/ef- of times the Asiatic hordes against Eu- berlain; Alexis de Tocqueville, Joseph- from 1700ish to the present, with digres- but also by their students, friends and Canton Railway and it comprised of two feminate, heroic/commercial, honest/dis- rope after they manage to relocate the Jews Arthur de Gobineau, Gustave Le Bon, honest, historical/ahistorical, dynamic/ to Palestine (Nilus, S., 1917). Ernst Renan, Eduard Drumond; Feodor sions on America and Israel. A student families. A tiny people such as ours sections, the Chinese section that ran from stagnant, freedom/slavery, dignity/lack of 3. The Jews and the Chinese elements Dostoevsky, Alexander Herzen, translated as we went. could not do better than to count among Kwanchow to the border of China and dignity, moral/ritualistic, universal/xeno- supposedly represent the commercial and Konstantin Leontiev, Dmitrii its advocates one of the world’s largest. Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong section phobic. The research will show the re- modern aspects of civilization. The set Merezhkovsky, Vladimir Soloviov, Afterwards several of us went to lunch at that ran from the border of China and Sir Matthew Nathan lationship and dependency of these dis- of negative characteristics that are attrib- Vassily Rozanov, Sergii Nilus; Karl Marx, a nearby restaurant and then it was off to Hong Kong to the southern tip of the Jewish studies department for another (continued from page 1) tinctions on the agenda and political pro- uted to the Jews and the Chinese – mate- Eugene Duhring, Otto Weininger, Arthur Kowloon Peninsula. He offered his informal chat with the Jewish studies grams of the nationalist parties and ideo- rialism (expressed in language, morality Schopenhauer, Christian Ehrenfels, technical advice readily to the construc- majors. Best question from a new stu- logical groups and their politics of iden- and religion), effeminization, lack of cre- Werner Sombart along with others. The dent: “ I know Jews eat lamb at Passover tion and engineering teams whenever the tity. The real basis of these oppositions ativity and appreciation for art, legalism, research will also use the works of Rus- but is there a season for dogs or cats?” construction encountered a technical in the cultural attitudes of Jewish and deficiency of true spirituality, lack of cour- sian journalism in the period of the Rus- After that I sat in on Jerry’ Gotel’s his- problem. Inevitably, the construction Chinese cultures will also be examined age and virility, the advancement of tech- sian-Japanese war, the publications of tory class for a while. of the railway line needed tunnels to al- and compared to the anti-Semitic and nology at the expense of science, theory present-day Russian Orthodox writers and low its penetration into the mountain sinophobic ideological constructions. It and “spirit”, commercialization of life, some publications of contemporary anti- Several days later, I have one more ses- range separating Kowloon and the New will be shown that the purpose of this ritualism - are attributed to the modern globalists. sion with the graduate students. Dr. Territories, as well as the leveling of the distinction was to create an image of the world in general. The Jew becomes a Other, the construct against which the metaphor of a Chinese and a Chinese a The Structure of the Proposed Re- Zhang Qianhong, founder of the Jewish small hills posing as barriers for the concept of European own national and metaphor of a Jew. According to this search Studies program, is present now too, hav- small community of Native Chinese and progress of the railway line. Dynamite ing returned from a conference in Beijing. ethnic identities was defined. interpretation, the danger for Europe is INTRODUCTION: a large contingent of British Armed and the conductive wires were needed not so much the conspiracy itself or the THE THREE SPECTERS The students and teachers both ask all Forces, mostly Sikh soldiers stationed in for the explosion in order to remove the The research will also emphasize the role danger of physical invasion of the Yel- I. Judeo-Sinica before the 19th Century sorts of questions, some of which I can the Army Barracks in Chatham Road, massive rock face. The delivery, security of the Chinese and Jewish images in the low race, but rather the internal tenden- II. Cultural Stereotypes answer and some which I cannot. “Please Kowloon. and placement of the dynamite and ac- concepts of history. This was especially cies of Judaization (Verjudung) and 1. “Ossified Civilizations” comment on the economic status of the cessories required a lot of co-ordination common in religiously inspired ideolo- “Sinification” of Europe. In the course 2. This-Worldly Earthly Religion Hasidim.” “Please compare the role of The acquisition of the New Territories in in terms of transportation, licensing, and gies and specifically the Russian apoca- of the Enlightenment Europe supposedly 3. Materialistic Language Jewish women in Eastern Europe in the 1890 increased the area under British engineering, which were largely facili- lyptic tradition where the Jews and the adopted the features and characteristics 4. Jewish-Chinese Corporeality and late 19th century with that of their coun- Administration in Hong Kong to several tated by Nathan. Without Nathan’s as- Chinese were identified with the bibli- of the Chinese and Jewish cultures. This Christian Spirituality terparts in America.” Simple stuff. fold of the original cession of Hong Kong siduous effort in overseeing the initial cal “Gog and Magog”. In this context it danger is represented by communism, 5. False Moral Consciousness: Law & Island, part of the Kowloon Peninsula, is especially interesting to examine the capitalism, tendencies of commercializa- Ritual versus Grace construction of the Kowloon-Canton Dr. Zhang and I chatted after class about and Lantao Island. To reach out to the articles and memoirs about the promi- tion, effiminization or bureaucratization. 6. Effeminacy, Lack of Courage and Railway, the railway line would defi- SJI providing scholarships in Jewish Stud- vast tract of newly added land from Hong nence of the Jews and the Chinese in the The elements of this type of thinking are Valor ies at Henan University. We are going Kong Island, Nathan felt the impending nitely not have been completed as Soviet Secret Police (Cheka) and other found in the theories John Stuart Mill, 7. Sense of Honor and Dignity to try to offer two: one for any student of need of the railroad and a well-developed planned. Nathan even offered his tech- bodies of communist authority in the Alexis de Tocqueville, Alexander Herzen, 8. Jewish Totalitarianism and Chi- Jewish Studies and another for any quali- network of roads. nical advice to the construction of the early years of the Soviet power. This topic Dmitrii Merezhkovsky Feodor nese Despotism fying resident from Kaifeng. We also Chinese section, suggesting that the rail- occupied such authors as Vasily Shulgin, Dostoevsky, et al. 9. Exclusivist In-Group Mentality and talked about the program’s need for more The planning of a railway line from Hong way line bypass Weichow, thus saving Sergei Melgunov and Prince Nikolai Xenophobia books on Jewish subjects. Kong to China was already proposed be- enormous amounts of time and money. Zhevahov. I will also discuss the reper- Significance 10.Materialistic Eros: Inability for fore Nathan’s governorship began in The completion of the Kowloon-Canton cussion of these ideas in the Nazi ideol- Antisemitism and sinophobia often go Romantic Sentiments I am shown their small exhibit of Judaica, 1904. However, the few companies railway was not realized until 1910, three ogy, specifically the concept of the Third hand in hand in some contemporary ide- 11.Esthetic Impotence and Insensitiv- mostly purchases by Dr. Zhang when she which could finance the project reached years after the departure of Nathan. Reich as the protector of Europe from the ologies and movements: the rhetoric of ity studied in Israel. We pose for pictures. a stalemate with the British colonial of- Asiatic hordes led by Jewish commissars some members of the anti-globalist move- 12.Indo-European Civilization versus articulated by Alfred Rosenberg ment, the ideas of some prominent Rus- Chinese/Jewish Aberration After about 2 hours I wished them all fice when they attempted to monopolize To capture the opportunity of the strate- the railway line. Nathan intervened when (Rosenberg, 1922). sian ultra-nationalists (Vladimir 13.The “Spirit of Mediocrity” and good studies and good lives. They asked gic position of the Kowloon Peninsula he assumed office, and arranged a loan, Zhirinovsky) and the fringe spokesmen of Dearth of Creativity: if they could email me and I said of and enhance the efficiency of the Hong which was more reasonable without sur- The research project will study primarily the Orthodox Church, the ideologies of The Deficiencies of Jewish and course. And that was it. I’m already Kong section of the Kowloon-Canton rail- rendering the ownership. Nathan was three different manifestations of the idea some political leaders of East Asia (e.g. Chinese Science and Philosophy nostalgic for visiting the school again and way, he persuaded the British colonial nearly obsessed in the construction of the of the combined Judeo-Chinese menace Mahathir Mohamad ) and some right- II. Twin Races: The Pairings in Racist interacting with its enthusiastic faculty administration to modify its original plan to European civilization. wing American ideologies (e.g. Patrick Doctrines railway line from Hong Kong to the bor- and students. 1. The racist theories that have pro- Buchanan). The current research will III.“Decline of the West”: The Dangers der separating China and Hong Kong of locating the Ferry and Railway termi- nal in Yau-Ma-Ti and to move it to the claimed the Jews to be a part of the Yel- analyze some of these new antisemitic of “Judaization” and “Sinification” of People back home express astonishment proper. Not only did Nathan brilliantly southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, low Race. This ideas are found in the and sinophobic ideologies and establish Europe that Chinese people might want to ma- help to handle technical problems con- the shortest distance from Kowloon to works of Otto Weininger, Gustave Le Bon the intellectual and cultural parentage of 1. Sinification jor in Jewish Studies. But is it so very fronting the construction of the Kowloon- and Madame Helene Blavatsky (1937). these prejudices and trace their geneal- 2. Judaization Hong Kong. different than a Western Jew taking an Canton Railway, he was equally at ease It has been later reinforced by some Jew- ogy back to the ideas of the 19th century. 3. Between Communism and Capi- interest in Chinese Studies? More im- in resolving the financial impasse facing ish historians tracing the genealogy of the talism portant: These programs and these stu- the funding problem of the railway. This After the Royal Engineers of Hong Kong Jewish people to the Khazars (Roth, Primary Sources IV.The Apocalyptic Mind and the Con- dents represent an incredible opportunity was thanks to his liaison role, in which heeded to his proposal to place the 1959; Adler, 1930). The principal texts examined in the present vergence of Yellow and Jewish for the Jewish community because, by he was sometimes acting between the Kowloon-Canton Railway terminal at the 2. The ideas of Sergii Nilus according research will include the works of Brit- Perils supporting them, by investing in them, lending companies and the British colo- southern tip of Kowloon Peninsula, to which the Yellow Race plays an in- ish, French, Russian and German intel- 1. The Jews and China in Medieval we are opening the door to a better un- nial office, and at other times between which later called South Tsim Sha Tsui, strumental role in the Jewish conspiracy lectuals, ideologues and social scientists: Russian Apocalyptic Literature derstanding of who we are, our history Chinese and British officials. Nathan proceeded to further suggest a to destroy the European civilization and Thomas Carlyle, John Stuart Mill, John 2. Vladimir Solovyov and Russian 6 Points East Points East 11 Symbolists and people are much more at ease than well and two-room house on an old Dvir Bar Gal, an ex-pat Israeli who leads Xu and two PhD students and I went out Nazi and humanitarian, but Rabe even 3. Sergii Nilus: The Yellow Peril in before. hutong—and I am both ashamed of my tours of Jewish Shanghai, has collected to lunch. After lunch Xu and I talked wrote Hitler a letter criticizing the Japa- the “Protocols” judgmental behavior and proud of them Jewish tombstones from the region but about mutual cooperation between our nese and, when he returned to Germany 4. Red Terror in Russia: “Jewish I arrive in Kaifeng late in the evening and for hanging on to so little for so long. thus far is unable to find a place to dis- two institutions, he talked about his in 1938, he gave some speeches con- Brains, Chinese Bayonets” am met by a very eager Shi Lei (a tour play them. To me, the grounds of the dreams and fundraising efforts, and he demning the Japanese and the alliance 5. Russian Periodicals on the Eve of guide and a Jewish descendant) and 3 We walk a short way to the old Jewish Ohel Moishe would be the perfect place briefed me on his perceptions of Kaifeng. with them. The SS then brought him in 1905 young faculty members from the Jewish street—South Teaching Torah Lane. It’s and would add to the meaningfulness of The man has an innate love of Jews and and after that he apparently behaved him- 6. Jewish Peril and Russian-Japanese Studies program at Henan University. not much to look at—like a back alley the venue. The problem, in Shanghai and Judaism and thinks that somehow more self. War They are so excited to welcome me. Each that’s not even paved. The government in Kaifeng, is that there seems to be con- study of Jewish history and culture will 7. The Nazi Ideologists on Jews and one wants to take my bag, open my door, has put up some nondescript signs in fusion and ambivalence on the part of be good for China. He’s a non-religious III Henan University Chinese etc. We get to the hotel, a converted Chinese, Hebrew and English. We wind some of those in authority in terms of advocate for better understanding and On my first day in Kaifeng, I meet one V. The Elements of Antisemitism and mall, and I go to my room. It is clean our way to the house of the Zhou fam- how to deal with their Jewish history and cooperation. He is also a natural of the professors, who takes me to Henan Sinophobia Today and functional—and 1/5th the cost of a ily—the only one still on site. We in- presence. fundraiser. “I found that when I went to University for an informal chat session 1. Anti-Globalization Movement five star hotel. I also like going native! terrupt a foursome of old ladies playing America and I could meet people face to with the Jewish Studies majors. About a 2. Revilo Oliver: Antisemitism and It’s a lot bigger than my previous rooms mah-jongg. The house has two rooms. II Nanjing face and tell them my dreams and an- dozen young people are gathered in the Yellow Peril and it has a great view. One has a bed, desk and table for four. At the Nanjing Railway Station, I’m met swer their questions, then they gave me Jewish Studies library to tell me what each 3. Istvar Bakony: The Jews and Chi- This is also the Zhou family museum. by a young PhD candidate whose disser- a lot of money.” of them is studying and to ask me what- nese Communism The next day gets off to a most unusual The other room has two beds and a kitch- tation is on women of Reform Judaism ever they want. In front of me, on the 4. Ruslan Rusakov: Antisemtism and start. I am about to go outside when I enette. It is clean but a little grim. Old in Germany (up to the Nazi period). He He has also personally given money to desk, just for me to eat, are a cut-up Sinophobia in Post-Soviet Russia hear chanting and see that the front door Mrs. Zhou is 84 and looks 94. Shi Lei spent a year at the Hebrew University in try to help the Kaifeng descendants, melon, a half-dozen apricots, and a bunch 5. Antisemitism, Sinophobia and Rus- of the hotel is barricaded. I ask the staff asks me if I want to ask her anything. I Jerusalem and knows some Hebrew too. brought several to Nanjing to attend spe- of lychees. I offer to share and this is sian Orthodox Church what’s up. They say the people outside can’t think of anything but finally ask her He gets me settled in the University’s cial seminars, and sent them books, etc. met with many giggles. are doing a sit-in because the mall closed if she remembers her husband doing any hotel on campus—by far the nicest place I think he is one of the 36 righteous In CONCLUSIONS and now they don’t have jobs. A sit-in Jewish things. (She isn’t Jewish—Kaifeng I’ve been in yet—and then we go out for the afternoon I went sightseeing with A professor and one of the graduate stu- in China! Not only that, eventually they Jews trace lineage through the male lin- a bite to eat. another student. This man has never dents take me out for lunch. I say not to China Revisited barricade all the entrances all day! They’re eage.) She doesn’t remember anything. been outside of China but his English is order too much but the professor orders (continued from page 1) peaceful enough and don’t give us any Then we visit the Presidential Palace—a excellent and he is very adept at cross- enough for 6 people. The food is deli- trouble when we squeeze through but if Just then her granddaughter, Guo Yan, place that has been home to Qing gover- referencing Chinese and world history. cious and they divide up the leftovers. Here they put leftovers in plastic bags lation walked in tamped-down lockstep they continue I wonder what will hap- comes in. She speaks perfect English but nors, the Taiping rebel leaders, Sun regardless of how liquid it is. The grad as the Cultural Revolution entered its fi- pen. has never left China. She runs the mu- Yatsen and Chiang Kai Shek. It is so in- At 7:30, I meet two PhD grads for din- student is very self-assured and her En- nal throes. Today, one sees men and seum and maintains a website. She shows teresting that all wanted to establish cred- ner at a restaurant on campus; the two women holding hands as they walk and I meet Shi Lei and his father. His father us her nearby room, which has the Sh’ma ibility by claiming this site. It is a huge are the young men who’ve taken me glish is phenomenal but she has never been abroad. She is going to Beijing to chat, not just exchanging glances from is 9 months younger than I and already carved in gold letters on black wood. She compound with a variety of styles of ar- around town. We have the local beer get a PhD and wants to study Jews in the opposite ends of shared bicycle handle- retired because his factory closed. Ac- recites it for us. She is ambitious and chitecture as befits its history. and several dishes. I don’t eat much Soviet Union under Stalin. She is 24 and bars; families and friends gather for easy cording to Chinese custom, I am his el- wants to build a museum/center on her because I’m still full from lunch and I “doesn’t have time now for things like times in parks and restaurants or street der brother (gege) and he is my younger family territory and nearby. We have an I meet Dr. Xu Xin for a tour of campus am happy when they divide up the left- marriage”. markets. didi. Shi Lei jokes that he should be call- interesting conversation and I learn about and the Glazer Center for Jewish Stud- overs to take home. Undergrads live 4-6 ing me uncle or uncle rabbi. We take a the Jewish school she attends several eve- ies, which he founded. He has built an to a room; Masters 2-4; and Phds 2-3. That night I meet a real character, Jerry Thirty-five years ago it was impossible cab to the old Jewish quarter. There is a nings a week. amazing program. I’m introduced to the Most faculty members live on campus Gotel, from the London Jewish Cultural to interact with ordinary Chinese citizens new stone marker, appropriately about students in the program. First Xu spoke too as do all the staff. It is almost a self- Center, whose focus on teaching the in any meaningful way. Today, one can the size of a tombstone, on the main Then we walk to the Dong Da (Great about the program, then the graduate stu- contained community. Holocaust led him to Xu Xin in Nanjing meet anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Then, street, in Chinese, telling everyone the East) Mosque, which has portions of the dents each introduced themselves and and ultimately here to Kaifeng, where he official tour guides “knew nothing” about historical nature of the place. I am old synagogue incorporated into its struc- their fields: Zionism, Reform Judaism The next morning I go in the company of former Jewish sites in Shanghai and pleased to see this municipal interest. ture: tiles, figurines and the like. It is in Europe, Ahad HaAm, Jewish Contri- another PhD student to the Nanjing Mas- comes at his own expense several times a year to teach for about 5 days at a Kaifeng was a closed city to tourists. very quiet and we snap some pictures. It butions to the American Civil Rights sacre Memorial. I thought the memorial stretch in the Jewish Studies Department. Today it is a different world and I was First we see the site of the synagogue— looks just like a Chinese temple, but Movement, Martin Buber—I was im- was beautiful, powerful, ghastly and able to travel and interact freely every- now a hospital. We pose for pictures. without the figures or incense. pressed. Many had studied a year in Is- meaningful. It ends on a note of recon- Jerry is from London via New York City. where I went. Then we wander around back, through a rael. Several graduates now head Jewish ciliation with the Japanese and express- back alley and some construction to view We hop a cab to visit the Shi family Studies programs in other cities. There ing hopes for world peace. Unlike Ger- He was born into a very traditional Jew- I the one part of the synagogue still stand- museum. You begin to see the problem: is also an Israeli graduate student doing many and the Holocaust, Japan has never ish family, attended a yeshiva and ulti- mately got into Oxford and stayed in If Shanghai is a stepping-stone between ing—its well—literally a hole in the two families, two museums. It is in the Chinese studies on rural policy, who in- formally apologized for the Massacre, offered reparations, etc. London ever since. He is quite brilliant. the modern world and old China, then ground! Not only that but the hospital old family compound in an area that is teracts a lot with these students. has cemented the floor and now a con- about to be demolished. Here four homes Jerry went into the restaurant business and Kaifeng is definitely older China—less crete slab rests on top of the well’s iron are clustered around an inner courtyard. After seeing some other famous sites, I did fairly well by the sounds of it. Now, sophisticated, slower-paced, more bi- I give my lecture on the Jewish tradition cap. The Shis struggle to lift up both One house (two rooms) houses the mu- met Xu Xin for some more conversation, at 61, he is doing something meaningful cycles, dustier, and squat-style toilets— of arguing with God and take questions. lids and Shi Lei asks if I want to take a seum and nothing else. It consists of then he walked me over to the Rabe with his life (his assessment not mine). I also complimented them (i.e. China) but even it has suburban-modern new picture. “Of what?” I ask myself. “A photos, a few artifacts and gifts from for- House and said goodbye. I toured the He is doing great work! hotels, cars and Western-style toilets. In hole in the ground?” There isn’t even a eign Jewish visitors. Some of the photos not so much for its obvious physical Rabe House, named after its former Ger- some ways it is like the China I remem- sign to mark its historical significance. are quite historical and never been pub- progress but for its improvement in terms man owner who, because he saved thou- The next morning I was picked up for ber: many bicycles and 3 wheel vehicles, lished before. But the room is mildewy. of freedom. Xu Xin knew what I was sands of Chinese lives during the Massa- my lecture at the university. I was shown few cars and few foreigners. But there On the other hand, it strikes me later that There is mold on the walls. I am con- talking about because he had lived cre, is called China’s Schindler. Like into a large conference room with about are signs of the new China here too: these Jewish descendents are proud of all cerned about the preservation of the pic- through it; most of the students were Schindler, he was also a Nazi. I still 50 or more students and faculty waiting McDonalds, KFC, lots of English signage, that they have, even if it is an unmarked tures and artifacts. born after the hard times. have trouble squaring the two aspects, for me. Many attended just because they 10 Points East Points East 7 Israel, including an Orthodox rabbi, met with their groups. The two of them will is a good one: 2 from each clan/5 from Shi Lei and his dad and I chat. We have flexible it makes me nauseous), an axe lutionary Kaifeng”—but it is no longer and “examined” members of this group be SJI’s liaisons. each school. It could be called “The a very good conversation about the situ- thrower at a moving human target no here. He also remembers a large head of about their beliefs and also found no ·The school will welcome the otherAssociation of Kaifeng Jews” or “The ation among the descendants and what less, and a diver through rings of knives the Buddha being near the entrance and evidence of Christian theology.) group to study and celebrate with them. Association of Kaifeng Jewish Descen- to do about it. We plan to hold a meet- and fire—horseback riding, and cock- I encourage him to ask the attendant its ·Shi Lei will come to help Zohar teach.dants” etc. These representatives would ing with as many of the Jewish descen- fights. whereabouts. “Oh that,” she said. “It is After sitting though 1½ hours of begin- ·Perhaps, in half a year, after they knowwork together for the good of both dents as want to attend. I offer to host in another room of the museum that is ning Hebrew in an airless room, we got one another better, they can talk merger. schools and other people too. the meeting at the hotel and have SJI pay At 10:30 we go to SJI’s photo display of closed now.” I know museums do this to present the merger plan. Then I asked for it. Brilliant, if I may say so, on my the Kaifeng Jews. Just as I had been told sort of thing regularly, but it makes me Shi Lei to leave so the group and I could With that, we conclude the meeting. I 5. SJI will support both schools equally part—it sets the meeting on neutral terri- it is only available on a need-to-see ba- suspicious nonetheless. talk privately. The young woman, Guo go with Zohar and Guo Yan for a late but also will set aside a larger amount to tory. sis—which means it is only unlocked for Yan, and a young man, called Yaakov, dinner at a Muslim restaurant and return be given if the two groups actually suc- foreign guests. A nice young woman in She Lei had been complaining about the did the translating. And we all talked to my hotel at 10:30 pm—the latest I ceed in forming this proposed commu- After talking for about an hour or more, Song dynasty dress welcomes us and we lack of publicity about Kaifeng and its for about 2 hours! have been out and about in China so far! nity organization. we return to the hotel, cross the sit-in, look around the three rooms. A Chinese attractions so, when he casually men- meet with the marketing director to re- man wanders in and Shi Lei says if it’s tioned that Lord Bao had a memorial While we were meeting, Zohar and Shi However, several days later, after letting 6. Besides having liaisons with each serve the room. On the way in, one of open it is open to all. The exhibit is not temple nearby, I called him on it. “Why Lei were outside talking, so maybe some- my experiences settle in and exchanging group, SJI will make a point of having the women protesting recognizes Shi Lei too bad. Shi Lei says the signage has didn’t you mention that before?” “Oh, I thing will come that. The class has two emails with the two young men, I real- someone from its Board make an annual and calls out to him. We go over and, been improved. But, I ask him, if it is didn’t think any foreigners would be in- levels, beginner and advanced beginner ize that even this proposal is too much visit to Kaifeng. guess what—another Kaifeng Jew. “Sha- only open to foreigners, why are the signs terested.” “Well this one is,” I replied. and Zohar focuses on the advanced group for the divided community. lom”, she says to me. “Ani Yehudi also in Chinese and, if they want to make We took a bicycle-cab to the temple. It and leaves the others to study on their Time will tell whether or not the Jewish m’Kaifeng.” She learned her Hebrew here money, why don’t they let Chinese tour- features a large statue of him with an own. He really needs Shi Lei’s help. I proposed the following to the SJI Board, descendants in Kaifeng will be able to in Kaifeng. I couldn’t believe it—both ists see this too? He doesn’t have any incense container and honor table in which had its annual meeting on June surmount their differences and find com- the coincidence of meeting another Jew answers of course. Tomorrow I am go- front and a pillow for kneeling and pray- They asked why it was only with my visit 21st and which, in turn, I shared with Shi mon cause with one another. in Kaifeng on the picket line and her be- ing to meet his company’s manager and ing/offering reverence. Other buildings that the other group wanted to talk, why Lei and Yaakov: ing able to speak some Hebrew! ask her these questions. It doesn’t make contain a modernistic mural about his Shi Lei had never volunteered his services Jewish Studies any sense to me at all. life and works about him. One hall has before (bad Mr. Jin had turned him down, 1. Economically and in terms of avail- I ShanghaShanghai II a wax figurine display of him sentencing I reported, to much nodding), why no able teachers, it makes sense to have one Dr. Pan Guang’s Shanghai Center for Jew- First stop today is the Song Dynasty theme That afternoon, Shi Lei and I go on the the adulterous husband of a common one from the other group had ever come school but this may take time or it may ish Studies is part of the Academy for park in order to see Sino-Judaic Institute’s Municipal Museum, which houses the woman to death even though his par- to visit before, etc. etc. They were as never happen. The Yiceleye School will Social Sciences, in the former tree-lined exhibit on the Kaifeng Jews. The park is famous Jewish steles. As we approach, amour was an imperial princess! Very suspicious of the other group as it was of invite members of the other group to get French Concession. The CJS is a research a re-creation of Kaifeng in its glory days Shi Lei notes that the museum has had dramatic—but no pictures allowed. I them. better acquainted by studying and cel- institute and its staff does no teaching, when it was capital of China—it had both an external and an internal facelift think how wonderful if would be if ebrating holidays and Shabbat together. only research. I am introduced to the more people then than it does now. It and that it is no longer, as Art Rosen said Kaifeng had just one exhibit on its Jew- We talked about the need to create a cen- Maybe Shi Lei and Zohar can teach to- young scholars there. Some have stud- was bigger than Damascus—which means back in the late 1980s, the worst mu- ish community that was as well done and sus or roster of community members. gether regardless of the division and per- ied in Israel. Their fields range from it might have been the most splendifer- seum in the world. Indeed it looks good as accessible as Lord Bao’s temple. Once they had “Jew” on their local iden- haps, eventually, the schools will merge. outside and inside as well. Shi Lei speaks “American Jewry” to “Holocaust educa- ous city of its day in the world. The park tity cards but no longer—and it would But this ultimately is their choice to make employs many people who dress in Song to the attendant and we are escorted up III tion” to “anti-Semitism and terrorism”. be helpful both to themselves and out- and it all depends on them. dynasty styles. three flights of stairs to a narrow, locked Shi Lei took me to meet his boss because We have a good chat about the work of siders to know who is considered a Jew- double door. We go up another flight of her travel agency handles most of the the Center and about SJI then I am taken ish descendant. (One man, disliked by 2. Although it would be best to have At 9 am, the gates open and soldiers on stairs. Another foreigner, a university foreign Jewish tours to Kaifeng. Also she both sides, is a Moshe Zhang, who all one school, there is no reason why there to lunch with them all. After lunch and horseback holding banners gallop out student, follows us but is told she can’t has connections. You’d never know it agree is not a Jew, but who somehow can’t be two schools/groups. Every Jew- some more talk, I walk for about an hour accompanied by drummers and come up. “Why?” she asks. “It is pri- from the office—no air conditioning, a latched himself onto the community and ish community has its divisions—why back to my hotel, passing along the way cymbalists. Then comes the mayor, Lord vate. You can’t come up.” She leaves. grungy building I gave her some sugges- made himself into a community spokes- should Kaifeng be any different? the former Ohel Rachel synagogue. It is Bao, and his bodyguards. Lord Bao was The attendant goes up and then unlocks tions (“Get a map of Kaifeng and all its person without their consent. I joked only open to the Jewish community in the greatest mayor of Kaifeng at a time a gate grill to let us in. sites published in English.”) and espe- that maybe the name of the united com- 3. Even with two schools, the descen- Shanghai once or twice a year and its when it was the capital of China. He cially asked her advice (“How do you munity should be the “Anti Moshe Zhang dants will still need some kind of over- inaccessibility reminds me of my con- had a reputation for honesty, integrity, The exhibit is nicely displayed but small. suggest we can open the Jewish sites so Association”. Everyone thought that was all organization that represents all (or versation with the Israeli Consul Gen- justice and fearlessness that makes him There are two illegible steles and a big that more tourists would want to visit very funny.) most) of them. Why? To represent the eral about the Jewish sites in Shanghai. a model civil servant and a folk demi- stone bowl about a meter across, with Kaifeng?”) community in case they need to relate to god today. lotus flowers carved on its sides. There Zohar came in and spoke in support of local, provincial or national authorities; Shanghai, like Kaifeng, should be very are rubbings of the steles done in 1926 I pointed out that other Chinese are the idea of a merger. More discussion. to present a united view to businessmen proud of how it treated Jews in the 20th The mayor welcomes us in a dramatic that show what they used to say. And a Kaifeng’s biggest tourist market but that It is clear that there is no chance of a like Mr. Wang and to ensure they get century. Rather than keeping this fact a style, the ensemble processes back, and map of Jewish Asia from the land of Is- the existence of the Jewish community meeting of minds in the near future. One what is best for everyone in the commu- secret, both cities should promote it we push our way in. We walk along rael to China. God knows why the ex- is almost a secret. Kaifeng and China young man suggests that the other group nity; to determine who should meet with widely by making former Jewish sites Song style streets—where the houses hibit is double locked—it’s not as if there should be proud of how they treated the be invited to visit and participate and foreign guests (and not let this happen more affordable and accessible to Chi- would have been instead there are sou- is anything either controversial or even Jews and let its citizens and the world then, over time, merger discussions could by chance—which allowed someone like nese as well as foreign tourists. Both venir shops and snack bars staffed by portable up here. know about this. begin. That seems to be the consensus Moshe Zhang, a non-Jew, to step into could learn from the example of Harbin, people in costume. We wander along for now. I am disappointed but not sur- the vacuum and “represent” the commu- which has a wonderful new Jewish his- and see various performances: stilt acro- Shi Lei and I then tour the rest of the She took notes and when I offered to write prised. nity); and to determine communal needs. torical museum. By contrast, the Ohel bats, a depiction of a water battle, a fire- museum. Very nice but it hardly fills a formal SJI letter in support of greater We do feel strongly about this. Moishe Synagogue Museum is eater, street acrobats—a master of the bull the museum space. At least in these gal- openness, she concurred. Among other I call Shi Lei back in and I summarize: unaffordable to ordinary Chinese people whip, a juggler of metal balls, a boy who leries there are Chinese visitors. As we’re things she said were a) the situation is ·I will email the plan outlined4. The idea presented to elect 10 people and its exhibit is far too meager for its jumps headstands up a flight of stair, a leaving, Shi Lei tells me that last time he complicated by local minority relations, above to both Shi Lei and Yaakov to share to form such a communal organization price. girl contortionist (who is so unbelievably was here there was an exhibit of “revo- b) the theme park exhibit may be open- 8 Points East Points East 9 ing up to everyone, c) the museum ex- I ended by encouraging them to unite, to debated if there were even any Jewish This kind of criticism was what I had stead of just Mr. Li, 8 people crowded We met them at his unimposing factory, hibit is actually open to everyone—ex- stop thinking as fingers and start think- descendants remaining in Kaifeng—but been told to expect. I said: “I wish you into my little hotel room for a 2½ hour which he is closing and moving to a dif- cept that it isn’t publicized or advertized ing as a hand. Then I sat down and now I find out that there are two schools had spoken up about some of these things chat. There were members of the Li, Ai ferent location so that he can build a 4 and costs 50 Yuan to see something that waited for comments. and two family museums! at the meeting.” “Well I didn’t want to and Shi families. They talked with con- star hotel and a center for the Jewish com- should cost 5 or 10 Yuan at the most. embarrass other family members.” (I cern about the other group (it had been munity. Unlike other similar plans, he We agreed to try work together to try to No one spoke so we went around the I offered them the mezuzzot I brought as then realized that the Chinese do meet- taught by a Messianic Jew and now they has official permission to proceed. The change official attitudes and policy in this room and introduced ourselves. Many gifts and they snatched them up. I was ings Japanese style—resolve issues first receive money from some Hong Kong hotel’s basic construction is finished and matter. of those present attend the so-called about to explain what they were but they so that the meetings proceed without Christians to pay for their school room) he hopes to open by year’s end. “Yiseleye (Israel) school”; but several go said they knew what they are! More are incident.) I said that I would mention and they worried about their being led We returned to the hotel and I prepared to Shi Lei’s classes. Some do nothing. needed. Who knew the demand would to the larger group that the suggestion astray. This second group is strongly I said to Shi Lei that where I come from myself for the main event: the meeting Only members of the Li, Shi, Ai and Zhao exceed the supply? had been made to me to broaden the against any Christian influence or partici- the people for whom the work is being with the descendants. At 6:30 I went families were present. They said the leadership. I also pointed out that now pation. Mr. Li said some English Chris- done (i.e. the Kaifeng Jews) would be downstairs to the meeting room and Zhang family had disappeared long ago. Then a stocky young man spoke. He said that Shi Lei and Zohar had met and Zohar tians came recently to his home and of- consulted before the work was begun. He started to welcome individuals as they No Jins attended but they’re around— the descendants know their history and had invited Shi Lei to help him, Shi Lei fered him a lot of money and the oppor- said that in China whoever has the money came in. When everyone was settled in— some had made aliyah and one, a former proceeded to give me a précis. He said would be in an excellent position to be tunity to make aliyah to Israel if he would and the influence makes the decisions including a young Israeli student who school leader, is in bad favor with every- that there could be 2000 descendents in the primary teacher when Zohar had to accept Jesus and take their 45-day crash and the rest follows from that. I hope he teaches some of the descendents several one. Kaifeng even though they have isolated leave. That seemed to mollify them. course. He refused. is right or this businessman is in for a times a week—I introduced myself and for a long time. He said other Jews have nasty surprise. my background in my very best Chinese. Finally a woman sitting at the opposite no idea how powerful an influence Han IV They want a transparent accounting of the When I said how happy I was to finally end of the table spoke up: “We have culture is. It has assimilated many other, I spend an evening with Zohar to get to money—because a former leader of the Anyway, Mr. Wang is a very nice, unas- be here with them in Kaifeng on Erev heard this before from others. They come and larger, minorities. But not its Jews! know him better. Zohar has studied in other school pocketed communal money suming, cultured man. He has comput- Shabbat, they all clapped enthusiastically. and make promises and nothing happens. He said the reason was that they had a Germany, studied Chinese in Israel, and and was kicked out—but the suspicions erized pictures of what his hotel will look synagogue and that they knew their an- then came to China. His professor in haven’t been erased. They claim that the like outside and in. Very fine indeed. Then I told them a story, which Shi Lei “But we already have a school here for cestors stretched back to Abraham. Israel suggested several places and, after other school is popular because people He hopes that foreign Jews and other tour- translated as I went. A hungry person the descendants in a place funded by checking out a few of them, decided hope that it will enable them to visit Is- ists—Chinese included—will come stay wanted to eat and s/he had a pair of chop- Hong Kong Christians. They don’t want “We need a synagogue again,” he ex- Kaifeng was the right fit for him. Now rael or make aliyah. Several people work- at his hotel and visit with the nearby sticks. S/he told his first finger to pick to convert us. In fact, they want to be- claimed. “We want our strong voice to he is enrolled at Henan University and ing with the Shavei Yisrael organization Kaifeng Jewish center. His motives ap- them up, but the finger couldn’t; nor come Jewish. (Everyone laughs.) Their be heard by world Jewry and to be helped. helps the descendants learn Hebrew. and some Finnish Christians did just that pear both altruistic and economic. could the second or the third, etc. etc. motives are good. We’ve been here 1000 years and world but now, apparently, the Israeli minister Then the person told the hand to use the Jewry shouldn’t abandon us.” We walked along some streets and in charge does not welcome Chinese Jew- He is also looking for foreign investors. fingers together then lo and behold they “I am 67 years and now I am studying hutongs. He showed me where the ish descendants. were able to pick up the chopsticks and Hebrew. We study and observe Shabbat I responded that I would do my best to group meets and then when we walked While Mr. Wang and Mr. Guo were on eat. I said they were that person and the together and holidays with potluck din- get their message out. I suggested that out we came to a place I had wanted to I pressed the idea of merging the two one of many telephone breaks, the Shis fingers are the Shi, Zhao, Gao, Ai, Li, Jin ners. In fact ours is waiting now. we might not be able to build a syna- see: the Merchant Guild Hall (Gan Gan schools. After some discussion a con- and I spoke about the previous night’s and Zhang clans—everyone chuckled gogue but perhaps they could rent a big- Si). We go in and look around and in- sensus emerged, even though those attend- meeting. I repeated my suggestion about when I made a hand with seven fingers. “We don’t have enough money to rent a ger space since Jews can pray in any deed it is a very interesting and well- ing thought it unlikely to be accepted: Shi Lei working with the other school and They had a choice: either to keep trying place big enough for observance and building. Heads nodded. I also said we preserved site. In the main exhibition ·Merge the two schools, with Shi Lei they repeated their desire for a more bal- to use separate fingers or work together study. We need a synagogue for cohe- don’t want to run their affairs, only to hall there is a display of all the religious becoming one of the teachers anced leadership team. as a hand and survive. sion of our community.” help them help themselves (which it groups and their buildings in Kaifeng. ·The other school must give up its Chris- sounds like they are doing). I also pointed tian ties and support We also discussed Mr. Wang’s proposed Very respectfully I offered them several Other people chimed in that they want out that today our world is smaller and To my utter and complete surprise, out ·Foreign visitors must be shared equally center and I pointed out that people from suggestions: to send their young to Israel to study, that we have email and websites and cell there in the open, in Chinese, is a whole ·A leadership team should be formed both groups seemed happy about this ·There are four mediocre exhibits on that the school is their organization, that phones to communicate more easily. history of the Jewish community, with by having 2 representatives from each idea. Since this is one thing both groups Kaifeng Jews. Perhaps it would be good young people may need help financially Everyone applauded. lots of pictures, and even two very large family (10 people total) of descendants appear to agree on, per- to try to get them combined into one site to attend college, that other Jews (not stone bowls from the synagogue that the ·Where a family is split between the haps it will all work out with a compelling exhibit like that of Lord Christians) should assist them. I thanked everyone for coming and wished Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto re- two schools, it will have one representa- Bao at his memorial temple. Murmurs them “Shabbat Shalom”. “Shabbat Sha- turned to Kaifeng in 2002! (Now there tive from each side. VI all around. I learned that the Yiseleye School has 10 lom” they shouted back. I was bowled are five exhibits on the Kaifeng Jews in On Monday evening, Shi Lei and I went ·They are their own greatest resource. regular members and about 40-50 occa- over. Kaifeng!) I said I would convey this to the other off to the other school. The school is a Other Jews will come to visit Kaifeng sional members. It has 7 leaders, 5 of group when I went to visit their school one-room office in a small office com- but only recommend it as a tourist desti- whom were present. The Israeli, a young They invited me to join them for their We talked about our backgrounds and with Shi Lei. I also said that, while not pound with other businesses all around. nation if they get to meet descendants man named Zohar Milchgrub, who is potluck but I had already made plans so about the problems of the Kaifeng Jews. ideal, we could help support two schools Inside is an Israeli flag on one wall and and talk with them and be inspired by studying Chinese at Henan University, instead I said I would come on Monday He recommends that I tell them exactly although it would mean less for each. on the wall facing is a calligraphy saying their dedication to their heritage. The somehow got connected to them and evening. what I expect. That was what I was plan- “Yi Se Le Ye”, pictures of descendants best thing the descendants can do to pro- volunteered to teach them. ning anyway but it’s good to get the con- V old and new, and the Ten Command- mote this is to learn with Shi Lei or the I felt great but then the Shi family and firmation. Today Shi Lei and his father took me to ments in Chinese. Opposite the door Israeli or even with faculty from Henan I told them about SJI and said that, pre- several of Shi Lei’s students asked to meet meet Mr. Guo Ai Sheng and Mr. Wang are a bookcase and a computer. Behind U. viously we had been academically ori- with me. One man, a Li family mem- The next day, I was supposed to go Yue Fei. The former is a retired govern- the bookcase are a small kitchen area and ·Showing collective initiative could ented and focused on the past, but the ber, said we shouldn’t give money only sightseeing but because of rain we de- ment official and an advocate of the a toilet. I didn’t see any sign of anything open doors for young people to visit and current board was more inclined to help to that school, that its members had been cided to meet instead with one of the Kaifeng Jews; the latter was his protégé Christian, either in the bookcase on in study in Israel—Shi Lei is a good example the present. I pointed out that in the baptized, that the leadership should in- descendants, Mr. Li, who wanted very and now is a very successful factory owner any of the study materials. (Recently of what is possible. 1980s, when SJI was founded, the Board clude representatives from all the clans. much to speak with me. However, in- and businessman. several religiously observant Jews from