rjw@ptsfc.UUCP (Rod Williams) (10/25/84)
While aware that this newsgroup is intended for serious discussion,
I feel it is the appropriate destination for the following TRUE story:
A friend of a friend studies History of Religion at
U.C. Berkeley. While doing research for a paper on the
history of Jewish communities in *unlikely* countries,
he happened, one evening, to be eating in a restaurant
in San Francisco's Chinatown and, as the subject was
uppermost in his mind at the time, wondered if there
were any such communities in China. He called over the
waiter, explained the reason for his request and asked
if there were any Chinese Jews. The waiter, whose
command of English was limited, looked confused, said
-wait!- and went off to consult with the maitre d'.
After an animated discussion, the waiter returned,
looking even more confused and announced:
-No Chinese Jews! Only orange juice, grapefruit juice!-
Rod Williams
Pacific Bell
San Franciscotrb@masscomp.UUCP (Andy Tannenbaum) (10/31/84)
There is a fellow in Brookline, MA whose last name is Sargon, I believe, who is a Jew from India, who is an expert on Jews in Asia, especially India and China. I saw him over the holidays in Brookline, and also on TV on a show talking about the Asian Jews. They really do exist, and he claims that there was absolutely no anti-semitism (at least until recently) in India, the Jews were treated with great respect. Of course there was segregation, as there always is in the Indian caste system, but the Jews were allowed to worship freely. He mentioned that there were actually about four different types of Jews in India: Cochin (?), Iraqi, B'nai Yisrael, and Eastern European. The B'Nai Yisrael are an interesting crew of (I believe) black Jews who somehow found their way to India not even knowing that they were Jews, but practicing the Jewish traditions. It was a long time before other Jews accepted them in India, and it was a long time before Israel gave them the immigration rights of other Jews, but I believe that those difficulties have been settled. (His talk was very interesting, but it was in the middle of a Sunday night, when you'd expect to find odd religious shows...) This talk of Asian Jews reminds me of a joke... Reb Yankl takes a trip to China and finds out that there is a synagogue in Shanghai, where he's staying, so he goes down and checks it out. To his surprise, he finds a healthy congregation of Chinese, reciting the afternoon prayers. After the service, one of the congregants comes up to him and says: "Funny, you don't rook Jewish." Andy Tannenbaum Masscomp Inc Westford MA (617) 692-6200 x274
ecl@hocsj.UUCP (11/01/84)
Reference: <184@ptsfc.UUCP> A serious answer is that there once was a Jewish community in China (at Shaifeng?--I can't remember the city's names, but the American Jewish Congress has all its China tours visit there for just that reason). However, when my husband and I were there two years ago, we were talking with our tour guide about religion and he asked what religion we were and we answered "Jewish." He said he had never heard of that religion. Ever try to explain Judaism to somehow who doesn't have any background for it? He had heard of Israel, and eventually we were able to ascertain that what few Jews remain in China (mostly in the westernmost provinces) are called "blue-cap Moslems," because there are a lot of Chinese Moslems, and because Jews don't eat pork (like Moslems) and wear blue yarmulkes, they have that name. Welcome to culture shock! Evelyn C. Leeper ...ihnp4!hocsj!ecl
jtc78@ihuxm.UUCP (Mike Cherepov) (11/03/84)
I remember reading an article about Chinese Jews: there were small communities in big cities, which dissipated totally (connunities, not cities) in the 2nd half of this century (especially after 49 revolution). There was an interview with some old worker who remembers his mother telling him "you are Jewish, look at your nose, this is not a regular Chinese nose". The angle from which the picture was taken did not allow me to judge :-). I can not recall any details, but their way of observance had several specific distinctions. Mike Cherepov
reingold@uiucdcs.UUCP (11/04/84)
There was a famous Jewish community in Kaifeng; it died out about 200 years ago. For details, see the Enc. Judaica and a number of (modern) scholarly books available in major libraries.
naiman@pegasus.UUCP (11/05/84)
What about the Shanghai Yeshive around WWII ? Did anyone hear of it ? -- ==> Ephrayim J. Naiman @ AT&T Information Systems Laboratories (201) 576-6259 Paths: [ihnp4, allegra, hogpc, maxvax, cbosgd, lzmi, ...]!pegasus!naiman
smb@ulysses.UUCP (Steven Bellovin) (11/05/84)
> From: naiman@pegasus.UUCP > Subject: Re: Chinese Jews - (nf) > Message-ID: <1880@pegasus.UUCP> > Date: Mon, 5-Nov-84 09:58:39 EST > What about the Shanghai Yeshive around WWII ? > Did anyone hear of it ? During World War II, quite a number of Jews who had gotten out of Germany made their way to Shanghai. A friend of mine lived there for 15 years after his family escaped the Nazis; I'll be glad to pass along any questions. A rather well-known member of that group is former Treasury Secretary Michael Blumenthal; however, he converted to Christianity quite some time ago.
segs@mhuxv.UUCP (slusky) (11/05/84)
> What about the Shanghai Yeshive around WWII ? > Did anyone hear of it ? > -- > ==> Ephrayim J. Naiman @ AT&T Information Systems Laboratories (201) 576-6259 The WWII community in Shanghai was a group of Eastern European refugees. Many were associated with a single yeshiva which moved itself, more or less intact, to Shanghai via some circuitous route. I read a story which gave a reason why the Japanese did not destroy them when they (the Japanese) took over Shanghai. The Japanese commandant asked the rosh yeshiva why the Germans hated the Jews so. The rosh yeshiva answered, "Because we are Asians." And the Japanese let them live. (I admit the story has a midrashic quality to it. I won't claim it's true.) After WWII that group emigrated again. (to Israel? the US? maybe both) Susan Slusky mhuxv!segs -- mhuxv!segs
segs@mhuxv.UUCP (slusky) (11/15/84)
I received this in the mail and thought it was of general interest.
>From stan Mon Nov 12 22:47 EST 1984 remote from hou2f
The story of the jewish community in Shanghai during WWII is fully
told in the book, THE FUGU PLAN by Marvin Tokayer and Mary Swartz. It was
published by Paddington Press in 1979. The authors interviewed many of the
members of the community, read many Japanesse official documents, and put
together this fascinating story. They even included an epilogue to bring the
reader up to the current time. (Yes, the incident when the Japanesse were told
that the nazis hated the jews because they were oriental did happen.)
Stan Glazer
hou2f!stan
--
mhuxv!segs