Op Eds & Articles

The east-central Chinese city of Kaifeng — one of the seven ancient capitals of China — has two claims to fame: First, during the Middle Ages, it was considered the world’s largest metropolis, with an estimated 1.5 million inhabitants, and secondly, it’s the focal point of China’s contribution to Jewish history.

Shanghai Expo Series: The Journey of Haim Dotan – Architect of Israel’s Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo.

Prof. Gideon Shelach – Director of the Louis Frieberg Center for East-Asian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – discusses the challenges facing Chinese Studies in Israel. “One thing I hope for in ten years from now is that we won’t need to justify why Chinese studies is important.”

Teddy Kaufman – Chairman of the Association of Former Residents of China in Israel – was born in Harbin in 1924 after his family fled Russia in 1903. He lived there until 1949 when he left for the fledgling State of Israel. Here he discussed his life in China before 1948.

Prof. Xu Xin – Director of the Institute for Jewish Studies at Nanjing University – discusses how Jewish Studies can be used as a vehicle for promoting closer Israel-China ties. “Chinese scholars today strive for greater balance and reflect a gradual change in attitudes – both in the government and among the people – from ignorance and hostility towards objectivity and even admiration and sympathy.”