So here's the short of it, 
Jews in China?

And here's the long.

Alan and I went to a lecture tonight about Jews in China.  Our Jewish Federation for the last few years hosts a series of lectures sponsored by the 92nd Street Y in New York.  There are lots of interesting topics and fascinating people.  The lectures are live if you are in New York, or there are about 15 or so locations where there is a live feed and you can watch from there; but here in Chattanooga, we get a video of a past lecture and then we watch as a group and then chat about it. I think it's much more economical that way!

Tonight there were two local folks to talk about their personal knowledge of the Jewish experience in China.  Eleanor Cooper spoke about the Jewish communities who migrated to China in the early 1900's out of Russia and Eastern Europe in response to the difficulties the Jewish communities were facing.  Monica Gefter spoke about her family's experience. Her grandfather was conscripted into the Russian army and then after two awful years on the front experiencing all kinds of discrimination he jumped on a train and escaped to the border of Russia and China.  From there he sent for his fiancee - who had been patiently waiting for him all that time.  They were married and settled in China. Monica was born in China - I would have never guessed!

Tonight's lecturer was a gentleman named Shi Lei from the Jewish community of Kaifeng. He spoke of growing up in an assimilated community who nevertheless always reminded the children that they were Jewish - that their ancestors came from Israel. It is Shir Lei who actually has been responsible for leaving and studying in Israel for several years and then returning to his community to help them rediscover the traditions that they had so long ago forgotten.

What an interesting evening it was.