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Maps Art Source International offers a selection of antique maps, prints and globes at Art Source International Burma There are about 25 Jews living in Burma There are many photos available at 'The Rickshaw Express" Web site - http://www.rickshaw.org/photo_page.html The one pictured here is entitled "The Chanukah costume Party at the Shanghai Jewish Community Center on December 13, 1947". Photo courtesy of Harry Sydel A very informative article, actually a talk given by Dr. Les Malkin about 'The Jews of China', can be now read here. Click here Jews have had contact with the Chinese since the 8th century when they began trading with them. In the 9th century, nearly 1,000 Jews lived in the city of Kaifeng. And in the 19th century, Jewish immigrants from Europe, Russia, India and the Middle East founded communities in Harbin, Tientsin and some other cities. By 1937, the Jewish population had swelled to some 20,000 mostly European Jewish refugees fleeing from the Nazis and spent the war years in Shanghai, China. Today, China's Jewish community numbers around 200, nearly all in Shanghai In Chinese, the name "Shanghai" means 'by the sea.' A feature-length film, "Shanghai Ghetto", offers interviews with survivors and never-before-seen footage that documents the story of the refugees, their relationships with the local Chinese people and with the occupying Japanese army, as well as the rich Jewish cultural life constructed under great hardship and the tragedy of relatives who stayed behind in Europe. The film is narrated by Martin Landau. The microfilm reading room at National Archives located in College Park, Maryland, holds Records of the Central Intelligence Agency (Record Group 263). RG263.2.3 "Records of the Shanghai Municipal Police" contains Russian Emigrant Registration Cards, 1940-1952. Russian emigrants had to register, and their registration cards with certificates and photographs have been microfilmed (16 rolls). It appears that only the Russian emigrant cards were microfilmed. There are no hard copies. They are in alphabetical order. Information obtained from a posting to JewishGen 12-12-2002 by Roberta Solit rsolit@comcast.net "There are several elderly American Jews who remained in China after WW2. They live in Beijing. There is a small Jewish community in Shanghai, primarily Israelis and Americans who are there for business purposes. They have a community Seder and meet on occasion for Sabbath services. The last Jewish resident of Harbin, died about five years ago. Though she was born in Harbin, she never learned Chinese. Her family was from Russia and arrived there in 1910 to avoid the cruel reign of the Tsar." If anyone is interested in more info about this poor woman, kindly contact me Betty Provizer Starkman bettejoy@aol.com Chinese Jewish Family Tree - If you want to look up this ancient Hebrew genealogy http://www.geocities.com/zhouclan/chia_pu.html?200512 More information on Chinese Jews can be found within the database of MavenSearch Reference should be the chapter on China in the Avotaynu "Guide to Jewish Genealogy". This will lead the researcher to the relevant archives, resources, websites, etc. Of course other valuable resources are being found since the Guide was published over a year ago. YIVO in New York has a far more extensive collection on the Jews of Shanghai than the Leo Baeck Institute (refer Drs Schwarcz), especially for the Europeans that found refuge in Shanghai during World War 2. The Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People in Jerusalem has a most valuable resource, the so-called Shanghai HIAS Lists, which are now on microfilm. A microfilm copy is also available at YIVO. A list of ships that sailed to Shanghai could be compiled by searching about 8500 entries From a posting by Peter Nash genealogy@rpnash.com
"The Angel of Austria's Jews" - authored by Mark O'Neil for the South China Morning Post is a story about how Ho Fengshan saved thousands of Jews during World War II. http://journeyeast.tripod.com/agnel_of_austria_s_jews.html "Chinese Jews" - authored by William Charles White "Diaspora" - authored by Werner Keller "Emigranten Adressbuch Fuer Shanghai. Mit Einem Anhang Branchen-Register" published in 1939. This small volume contains the names, addresses, previous occupations and countries of origin of the thousands of German and Austrian Jews who had registered in Shanghai by that date. This book was reprinted by Old China Hand Press, PO Box 54750 North Point Post Office, Hong Kong and is priced at $10 USD, airmail) "Far East Mission" - authored by Louis Rabinowitz "How Do You Celebrate Christmas" - authored by Joshua Cohen "The Jews of China" authored by Jonathan Goldstein "Jews of Old China" - authored by Hyman Kublin "Mandarins, Jews and Missionaries" - authored by Michael Pollak "My China: Jewish Life in the Orient, 1900-1950" - authored by Yaacov Liberman and published by Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem and L. Magnes Museums, Berkeley, CA in 1998. "Studies of the Chinese Jews" - authored by Hyman Kublin "Wanderers and Settlers in the Far East" - authored by Herman Dicker General Am Yisrael China - relics of the Jewish presence in China can still be seen Association of Immigrants from China in Israel - includes Jews from all over China, Igud Yotzie Sin (Sin is China in Hebrew). It's a very active group. Teddy Kauffman, who was secretary of the Jewish Community in Harbin in the 1940s, runs the organization and is editor for its newsletter, which is published in Russian and English. They ask $25.00 for an ad in their newsletter. Their e-mail is Igud-sin@barak-online.net Association of Former Residents of China Beijing Jewish Community Kehillat Beijing Betar - the head of Betar in China was Aaron Henkin of Harbin. He came to the US in 1945 or 1946. Betar was the Zionist youth group that backed the Irgun Zvai Leumi. During WW II, because of the railroad and because the Japanese were relatively tolerant, the Jewish community added a lot of refugees from Austria and Germany. China's Historic Jews - More than 4,500 miles from the Holy Land, a Jewish community of 10,000 people lived in central China during the Sung Dynasty. Although the synagogue and village were ravaged by bandits and floods, Leo Gabow managed to gather photographs, memorabilia and artifacts connected to the synagogue, which was first constructed in 1163 China Virtual Tour - Virtual Jewish History Tour. Today, China's Jewish community numbers around 200, nearly all in Shanghai. Council on the Jewish Experience in Shanghai (CJES) Harbin - once known as "the little Paris of the East", many refugees from Russia lived in Harbin before immigrating to other countries. The archives of the Jewish community in Harbin are intact, but the Chinese authorities stopped access. The Mormons are working on it. Eventually, it is expected, we will be able to get marriage, birth and death records from them. The first Jews reportedly arrived in Harbin around 1899. Thereafter there were three waves of immigrations according to Li Shuxiao, vice director of Jewish research at the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences. The first group, in the early 20th century, came in search of opportunity after the opening of the Russia-China railroad. The second during the 1917 Russian Revolution. A third group of Jews sought to escape a Russia-China border conflict in 1929. The local Jewish population reached some 20,000 around 1920. The Los Angeles Times published an Associated Press article about the Harbin Jewish Cemetery reopening which was published on April 22, 2000. It can be found in the LA Times Archives The gist of the article was that Chinese authorities have reopened Huangshan Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery built by Jews who moved there after the completion of the Trans-Siberian railway in 1896. The article said that the cemetery, built in 1903, has more than 2,000 tombs and is said to be the largest Jewish cemetery in Asia. It explained that 20,000 Jews moved to, or visited the city, after the railway opened, and the government moved an additional 605 tombs to the cemetery in 1953. Information dealing with Harbin during WW II can be found at Harbiner Russia\China search: try the Rootsweb-organized Newsletter. To subscribe send an e-mail message with only the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject and the body of the message to: rusharbi-D-request@rootsweb.com Teddy Kaufman is the leader of the Tel-Aviv based Association of Former Residents of China. "Secrets and Spies: The Harbin File" - authored by Mara Moustafine is a book about her family's experiences in Harbin before emigrating to Australia. China's northeastern city is restoring two synagogues Hong Kong Jewish Community - The Jewish Community Centre is a multi-faceted facility conveniently located in the Mid-Levels area above the Central district on Hong Kong Island Igud Yotzei Sin (Association of Former Residents of China) Editor of their Bulletin is Boris Mirkin, 13 Gruznberg St., Tel Aviv, Israel Israelites - a very well done and informative site dealing with 'The History of the Ancient Near East' is at Jewish Diaspora in China - from a Chinese perspective by Professor Xu Xin Jews in China - "There were many Jewish communities in China during the past 1000 years. In the ancient city of Kaifeng, however, we have found written and archeological evidence of Jewish life. Kaifeng now has a Jewish museum. Though they are no longer Jewish, the descendants of this ancient community continue to identify themselves on the Chinese census as "Yotai, Jews." There is an estimated 300 'Yotai" living in Kaifeng at this time (2005). The Jewish Community disappeared after its last rabbi died in the mid-1800s. Although the Jews are intermarried and retain few, if any Jewish practices, they identify with the Jewish people. The Jews of China - this site offers some good information about this part of the Jewish past Kaifeng - located in the province of Hunan, just south of the Yellow River. It was once the capital of Hunan province. At it's peak (under the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644) it numbered some 5,000 Jews, has dwindled to no more than a few hundred. In the last Chinese census in which Jews were allowed identify themselves as Jews (1988) there were some 700 to 1,000 Youtai in Kaifeng. There is a small Jewish museum in Kaifeng that commemorates the hundreds of years of Jewish history in this ancient land. "Minyan in Kaifeng" - produced by Gorps Productions. The National Center for Jewish Film "Peony" - a novel authored by Pearl S. Buck describes the Kaifeng Jewish community. "The Jews of Kaifeng, China", by Professor Xu Xin The 48-year-old director of the Center for Judaic Studies at Nanjing University has been ensconced at Harvard University's Center for Jewish Studies since January, wrapping up work on his book about Kaifeng Jewry. He has already written a book on anti-Semitism, and penned numerous articles on the subject of Jews "The Jews of Kaifeng" - authored by Beth Hatefutsoth, The Nahum Goldman Museum in Israel - 'The sect that plucks out the sinews' Kosher and Jewish China Nanjing University - Xu Xin is a professor of Jewish studies Shanghai Ghetto Documentary - twenty thousand Jews found refuge from the Nazis in Japanese dominated Shanghai. Five internees and two historians describe the ingenuity of Jews who, in a land of appalling poverty, created a fully functioning community. Old footage as well as new bring this little-known episode to life. I saw this movie, and although it is a bit too long and repetitious, it is well worth your time. Produced by Dana Jankowicz-Mann and Amir Mann. Rebel Child Productions An interesting internet site on Jews, the Holocaust and Shanghai Shanghai Jews - contact Ralph Harpuder harpuder@aol.com Shanghai Jewish Burials - some names are listed on the IAJGS Cemetery database. Shanghai Municipal Police - Jews were a part of this municipality force. Surnames are in this database which includes other information in many cases. Shanghai Synagogue visit and to other Asian Jewish sites Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia includes a map of Shanghai in 1933 Shanghai Jews as seen by Chinese Safe Have: 2 Immigration and settlement - admission of German Jews to Shanghai Synagogues of China - a listing of synagogues can be found at this site. Look for the list at the lower left of index page Telephone Directories on the Web - The Center for Research and Study of the Sephardi and Oriental Jewish Heritage at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel. Phone +972 2 883962 Translating Services - Click Here Just in case you didn't think of it, contact a nearby university or college's foreign language department. They may offer to write letters and translate letters into English. A nominal fee is usually charged. India
General Of a total population of 944,580,000, India's Jewish population is less than 5,000 and mostly centered in and around Bombay. There are no Rabbis officiating at any of the remaining synagogues. The Kerala Synagogue is the oldest house of worship in the British Commonwealth. Jews have been a presence in India back to antiquity. The Jewish population increased during WW II as many Jews sought refuge here from the Nazis. Not long after, more than half of the Jewish community immigrated to Israel. There were only 29 synagogues left in the 1960s and now there are 18 left. Agra - had a Jewish presence Bnei Menashe - these practicing Jews came to the India-Myanmar border by way of China. They claim that their ancestors were from the Ten Lost Tribes and wandered from Israel to this remote area. In recent years, more than 5,000 have embraced Orthodox Jewish practice and attend mud and bamboo synagogues. Few Western Jews have ever visited the community which is located in Imphal, the capital of the northeast Indian state of Manipur. Hadassah Magazine offers information and photos of these Jews in their August/September 2002 issue. Bombay (Mumbai) - had a Jewish presence. Cochin, India Pardesi Synagogue - built in 1568 in south India and one of the oldest existing synagogues in the world. It sits at the end of Cochin's Jew town road. The hand painted tiles were created in Canton, China. The Oil burning chandeliers were crafted in Belgium. There are less than ten families using this synagogue, whereas in the past the congregation once numbered in the thousands. The little community never numbered more than 2,500. It flourished for centuries on the southwestern coast of India until 1948 with the birth of Israel when most of the Jews left for their homeland. Delhi - had a Jewish presence Global Gazetteer is a great web site. It is a directory of 2,880,532 of the world's cities and towns, sorted by country and linked to a map for each town. A tab separated list is available for each country. India 1952 Movie clip India's Jewish population today totals about 5,000 in a population of over 944,580,000 who are mostly Hindus or Muslims. There has been very little assimilation. Most of the remaining Jews live in and around the city of Bombay (Mumbai). There was an article published in late 2002 'Geneticist helps Mumbai Jews reinforce sense of identity' and it may still be in the Times of India archives This referenced layman's article discusses Y-Chromosome evidence linking the Bene Israel community in India to Aaron the Priest. The Bene Israel claim descent from the '10 lost tribes," which were supposedly expelled from the Northern Kingdom (Israel) ca. 720 B.C.E. by the Assyrians, more than 130 years before the destruction of the Solomon's Temple in the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Modern Biblical scholars see evidence in the Bible of a rivalry between the priests in the North (Shiloh) and the South (Jerusalem), and link the priesthood in the north with the descendants of Moses not Aaron. At any rate, according to tradition, Moses and Aaron were brothers, and thus would have shred the same Y-Chromosome. This information was submitted by Jake Goldstein Jaipur - had a Jewish presence Mizos - these are people who believe that they are descended from the Lost Tribes. About 350 of them have moved to Israel. Refuge and Rescue - two complementary exhibits on the related themes of refuge and rescue are featured at the Holocaust Education Centre, in Vancouver, BC. Telephone Directories on the Web -
Indonesia There are about 25 Jews living in Indonesia Japan The chief Rabbi of Tokyo was Rabbi Marvin Tokayer who retired to Great Neck, New York Philippines
"Escape to Manila: From Nazi Tyranny to Japanese Terror" - authored by Frank Ephraim and published by the University of Illinois Press The Jewish community of the Philippines, though quite small as compared to Shanghai, was not confined to a ghetto. Two hundred Jewish refugees reached Manila (population of one million) by the end of 1938. By mid-1940, there were 1700 Jews in all of the Philippines, 1200 of them refugees. The Japanese occupation extended from January 1942 to March 1945 and interred the Jewish congregants. Temple Emil was founded in 1919 and the adjacent Bachrach Center was built in 1942. The Rabbi was Joseph Schwarz and the cantor was Joseph Cysner. During the Battle of Manila, the temple was destroyed. It was the only synagogue on United States territory that was destroyed in WW II. Singapore There are an estimated 300 Jews living in Singapore according to The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute Annual Assessment 2004-2005 South Korea There are an estimate 100 Jews living in South Korea Taiwan There are an estimate 150 Jews living in Taiwan. more to come ... Please let me know if there is a favorite link of yours that is not included in my site and I will be happy to add it to Jewish Web Index
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