China

From JudaismWiki

CHINA, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF. Chinese Jewry consisted of two communities. The older group believed that its forbears reached China after the destruction of the First Temple (586 B.C.E.). Early Chinese documents indeed mention Jewish traders several centuries before the Common Era. Much later, in the 14th century, Marco Polo wrote of influential Jews at the court of Kublai Khan. After 1650, this community, which had preserved its religious traditions for more than 2,000 years, declined rapidly. By the middle of the 19th century its last synagogues—beautiful pagoda-like structure at Kai-fung-foo—had disappeared. Today, only a handful of “native” Jews remain. Owing to intermarriage and possibly to conversions in the past, they are indistinguishable in appearance from their Chinese neighbors. The Western community in China was founded in the 1840’s, when China was opened to western trade. Its ranks were swelled by refugees from Europe during the Nazi Era. Several European yeshivot, or Talmudic academies, had relocated in China during World War II. After 1948, most of the refugee community settled in Israel. In 1992, Israel and China established diplomatic, trade, and cultural relations. Currently, the Shanghai community numbers about 200. As with many place worldwide, the Chabad movement has established a branch there and is involved with attempts to revive the small Jewish community.

Synagogues

Chabad Beijing 18 Xiao Yun Lu King's Garden Villa, House D5A Beijing 100016 Chabad Lubavitch Tel: (8610) 6468 1321 Fax: (8610) 6468 1322

Kehilat Beijing Beijing Reform http://www.sinogogue.org/

Chabad Lubavitch of Hong Kong 7 Macdonnell Road Mandarin Oriental - Shabbos Hotel Hong Kong Chabad Lubavitch Tel: 852-2-523-9770 Fax: 852-2-845-2772

Kehilat Zion / Hechal Ezra Unit 102, 1st Floor, Wing On Plaza 62 Mody Road, Kowloon Hong Kong 00000 Orthodox Tel: 852 2368 0061 http://kehilat-zion.org/

Ohel Leah Synagogue 70 Robinson Road Mid-Levels Hong Kong ORTHODOX http://www.ohelleah.org/

Shuva Israel 61 Connaught Road Central Fortune House Hong Kong Orthodox http://www.shuva-israel.com/new/

The United Jewish Congregation of Hong Kong One Robinson Place 70, Robinson Road Hong Kong Modern Orthodox http://www.ujc.org.hk/

B'nai Yisrael 1277 Beijing Rd 19th floor Shanghai Tel: 86 21 6289-9903 Fax: 86 21 6289-9957

Shanghai Jewish Centre Shang-Mira Garden Villa #1 1720 Hong Qiao Road Shanghai Chabad Lubavitch http://www.chinajewish.org/

Jewish Museums

Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall of Shanghai