Report from Kaifeng: Passover in China
Grandpa and granddaughter preparing for Passover in Kaifeng
How do you celebrate Passover in China? With gefilte fish, charoset, chicken soup with dumplings, and six liters of raisin wine!
Hebrew University graduate student Shulamit Gershovich has been spending the semester studying at a local university in Kaifeng to improve her Chinese. She is also teaching Jewish history and culture, as well as Hebrew and some English, to the Jewish community there. She reports that, with Shavei Israel’s generous assistance, this year’s Seder was particularly festive.
In addition to the kneidelach from Israel, “each family brought two dishes, which were all vegetarian,” she writes. “We read the Haggadah and acted out the ten plagues and the song ‘Had Gadya’ (‘One Little Kid’).” The table was set with flowers and a beautiful white tablecloth, which Shulamit bought specially for the evening.
During the week of Passover, the Kaifeng community hosted two more Israelis – doctoral student friends of Shulamit’s, one studying Israeli archaeology and the other Bible. The two led a fascinating discussion on the origins of Hebrew writing.
In the coming weeks, the Jews of Kaifeng will have another visitor. Ilene Orleansky, a musician and producer from Israel has been traveling around the world making recordings of Jewish music from remote communities in Africa and Asia. She will arrive in China at the beginning of June. She plans to release a CD with the music and to share the proceeds with the communities involved, including Kaifeng.
The Kaifeng Jewish community was nearly lost until just a few years ago. With your steadfast assistance, Shavei Israel has been able to provide this remarkable community with teachers, kosher food, Jewish ritual objects and, for eleven young men and women, the means to immigrate to Israel as full members of the Jewish people. We welcome your continued support.
Shulamit has shared several pictures taken just before the start of the Passover holiday, which you can see here.