ASIAN EWISH LIFE J A JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTURE WINTER 2010-11 Never Forget, Never Forgive in Feudal Japan Not a comic social commentary Towards Jerusalem with an Easterly View Taglit-Birthright’s shifting focus Finding Kosher Kimchi in Korea A Jewish US Army Chaplain’s report Cover image: From the graphic novel Never Forget, Never Forgive by Rami Efal Asian Jewish Life is a celebration of the diversity of the Jewish experience in Asia as well as of Asian Jewry. We publish a quarterly print magazine that is also available online that seeks to: • Connect the separate pockets of Jewish life throughout the region by creating a contemporary creative outlet to share thoughts, ideas and promote unity through memoirs, poetry, short fiction, historical pieces, book and film reviews, viewpoint articles, artist profiles, photography and graphic art. • Help preserve the long history that Jewish life has imprinted on the region. • Break down common stereotypes about where Jews hail from or what we look like. • Build bridges with local communities by sharing our celebration of Jewish life in the region with the aim of leading to a broader understanding of the richness of the Jewish tradition and culture. • Help other Jewish non-profit organizations with a regional focus to grow along with us. Asian Jewish Life is a registered charity in Hong Kong. Invest in our vision! Asian Jewish Life is also under the fiscal sponsorship of the Center for Jewish Culture and Creativity, Make a donation. a qualified U.S. 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. For more information, please email us at [email protected] or donate online at http://www.razoo.com/story/Asian-Jewish-Life ASIAN EWISH LIFE JA JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTURE The Lost Records Revealed Hong Kong Heritage Project’s Jewish collection by Amelia Allsop 4 4 Finding Kosher Kimchi in Korea A Jewish US Army Chaplain’s report by Chaplain (CPT) Shlomo Shulman 10 Poetry by Rachel DeWoskin 14 How I Moved to India and Rediscovered my Judaism A JDC Jewish Service Corps Volunteer reflects by Jeanine Buzali 17 10 Never Forget, Never Forgive in Feudal Japan Not a comic social commentary by Erica Lyons 21 Towards Jerusalem with an Easterly View Taglit-Birthright’s shifting focus by Gidi Mark 26 Mapping My Judaic Studies Career in China An academic confession by Lihong Song 30 34 In an Ancient Land Revisited Trade and Synagogues in South India by Dr. Shalva Weil 34 Expat Diary Letter from Modern Kaifeng by Yair Osherov 39 Book Reviews by Susan Blumberg-Kason 40 39 ASIAN JEWISH LIFE WINTER 2010-11 1 Inbox Dear Editor: I just finished reading the last edition of Asian Jewish Life and must send you a few words about the article on Israelis and drug abuse in India. Indeed many Israeli backpackers use drugs. I am not so sure about the statistics given in the article, but I find it strange and quite upsetting that it is pictured that it is only Israelis that are using drugs in India. One might wrongfully assume that all the other tens of thousands of young backpackers are not using any drugs and are instead just visiting museums. This is a one sided story that fails to present reality. Adding to that, the Israeli military salary is hardly enough for a beer on a weekend and surely one can’t use it to pay for a trip. I just wanted to let you know how I feel as an Israeli. Regards, Gil Azoulay Dear Gil: I am very sorry if the article offended you. That was clearly not the intention. You are absolutely correct. Backpackers of many nationalities use drugs but the article was specifically on one organization’s efforts to help Israelis. Asian Jewish Education Foundation International (AJEFI) is an organization with the Faces: Weaving Indian Jewish Narratives. Fulbright central focus of Jewish education in India and providing support for Israelis Senior Scholar Fellowship 2011-Siona Benjamin in India. Their programs include developing Judaic studies, providing free The project proposal is to raise Western awareness accommodations to Jews and Israelis, offering drug rehabilitation for Israeli about the history of the Indian Jewish communities backpackers, and organizing community service projects that bridge sustainable by using photography and painting to document relationships between Judaism and India. the faces and stories of this ancient group and their heritage. www.artsiona.com This organization doesn’t work to help backpackers as a whole nor do they aim to help Indians as a whole. They specifically aim to aid Jews and Israelis. I understand the potential sensitivity involved in seemingly singling out Israelis but the organization is an organization run by Jews to help Jews in a publication How to reach us: that reaches Jews. Online In the same issue, we highlighted another organization, Lev Olam. Lev Olam http://www.asianjewishlife.org also operates in India and recognizes the same potential temptations but have found a way to harnesses the Israeli backpackers’ energy and enthusiasm into Email us: a force for positive change. The article shows the best of Israeli travelers. Both [email protected] organizations reach out to the same demographic but with different focuses, and with both doing important work. On Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/ If awareness of these types of resources and increased awareness about drug Asian-Jewish-Life/183624201891 abuse helps even one single person, then we have done our job. Erica Lyons On Twitter: at AsianJewishLife Asian Jewish Life Your opinion matters. Please tell us what you think. Suite 804, Winning House 10-16 Cochrane Street Write to us at [email protected] Central, Hong Kong COPYRIGHT Asian Jewish Life is the sole title published by Asian Jewish Life Ltd. © Copyright DISCLAIMER AJL does not vouch 2010. Written material and photographs in the magazine or on the website may not be used or for the kashrut of any product in this reproduced in any form or in any way without express permission from the editor. publication. Printed by: Fantasy Printing Ltd. 1/F, Tin Fung Ind. Mansion, 63 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Hong Kong. 2 ASIAN JEWISH LIFE WINTER 2010-11 EditorMission of Holocaust survivors, Efal has given this craft a new edge. Perhaps it is my imagination or my own now uniquely Eastern-skewed view of the Jewish world, but the topic of China and the Jews has seemed to permeate the Jewish press in recent months. While we have not put together an ever-so-popular Tiger vs. Jewish Mother piece, we have put together an exciting series of China- related articles of our own. Dear Readers: Taglit-Birthright explains why they are now Happy Chinese New Year! I do love the looking east, including at China, in our opportunity to reflect on the occasion Best of Asian Jewish Life piece, Towards of the New Year and here in Hong Jerusalem with an Easterly View: Taglit- Kong, as Jews, we have three. At Asian Birthright’s shifting focus by Gidi Mark. Jewish Life, we have much to celebrate Professor Lihong Song has also this season as we publish our first contributed an enlightening piece is a free anniversary issue. Asian Jewish Life has entitled, Mapping my Judaic Studies Asian Jewish Life truly grown in the past year in terms of Career in China: An academic confession quarterly publication designed to readership, scope, development and that explains how a Chinese academic share regional Jewish thoughts, geographical reach; and will continue to chose to teach Judaic Studies and the ideas and culture and promote grow in the Year of the Rabbit. personal connection he has forged with unity. It also celebrates our While I loved putting together the special Jews and Judaism. Also from China, we India Issue, this issue finds Asian Jewish have an Expat Diary piece, Letter from individuality and our diverse Life back looking across the broader Modern Kaifeng, where Yair Osherov backgrounds and customs. region. Of course, India is not forgotten, writes about his experience in Kaifeng and tackles some tough questions as with a beautifully, moving piece, How I Asian Jewish Life is a registered Moved to India and Rediscovered my he reaches out to the descendents of Judaism: A JDC Jewish Service Corps Chinese Jewry. charity in Hong Kong. AJL is also Volunteer reflects by Jeanine Buzali. Long overdue, being Hong Kong based, under the fiscal sponsorship of Out of India we also have In an Ancient is an AJL article actually from Hong the Center for Jewish Culture and Land Revisted: Trade and Synagogues in Kong. Amelia Allsop, representing the Creativity, a qualified US 501(c)(3) South India by Dr. Shalva Weil. Hong Kong Heritage Project, has written charitable organization. For the first time, we have an article that an article entitled The Lost Records depicts Jewish life in Korea. In Finding Revealed: Hong Kong Heritage Project’s Kosher Kimchi in Korea: A Jewish US Jewish collection. The article takes us Editor in Chief Army Chaplain’s report, Chaplain (CPT) through their archives to get a glimpse at Erica Lyons Shlomo Shulman gives us a glimpse of this rare and newly discovered collection. Copy Editor not only what Jewish life is like in Korea Last but of course not least, Asian but also a look at daily life on a United Jewish Life brings you the poetry of Jana Daniels States military base. novelist Rachel DeWoskin and book Books Editor Our cover story, Never Forget, Never reviews by our own books editor, Susan Susan Blumberg-Kason Forgive in Feudal Japan: Not a comic Bloomberg-Kason.