{"id":970,"date":"2004-10-25T05:19:49","date_gmt":"2004-10-25T09:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chinacenter.net\/?p=970"},"modified":"2023-04-19T11:01:38","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T15:01:38","slug":"chinese-jews-return-to-harbin-see-a-bright-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chinacenter.net\/2004\/china-currents\/3-4\/chinese-jews-return-to-harbin-see-a-bright-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Jews Return to Harbin, See a Bright Future"},"content":{"rendered":"
On September 2, 2004 when Teddy Kaufmann, President of the Tel Aviv-based Association of Former Jewish Residents of China, recited the prayer for the dead at the grave of Harbin\u2019s long serving Rabbi Aharon Kisilev, an entire cycle of Jewish history in China came a full circle.<\/p>\n
Among Kaufman\u2019s entourage at Harbin\u2019s Huang Shan Cemetery were over one hundred returning residents, their children, grandchildren, and scholars of Chinese and Jewish history from China, Israel, Australia, England, and America. Some of these people, such as former Israel Railways General Manager Freddy Heyman, had not visited the graves of their parents or other kinfolk since they left for Israel over fifty years ago. Still others, such as Beijing-based journalist Israel Epstein, never left China. Epstein returned to the scene of his boyhood in an official limousine, provided to him in his capacity as a member of China\u2019s National People\u2019s Political Consultative Congress. Chinese policemen snapped to a smart salute when Epstein\u2019s red-flagged vehicle and police escort sped by.<\/p>\n