Dara Horn's recent book on antisemitism, "People Love Dead Jews" devoted a chapter to Harbin and Shanghai. Arthur Rotstein, the then young Jewish-American documentary photographer, visited Shanghai in 1946 to photograph the Jewish refugees still awaiting resettlement to draw attention to their plight: https://arthurrothstein.org/portfolio/shanghai-jewish-refugees/
I grew up in Shanghai’s International Settlement and my Mom, Dad, and I lived with my Arabic Granny (my Mom’s mom) throughout WWII in her one room apartment. I remember going to synagogue, Jewish school, and Granny’s outstanding cooking and baking. Thank you so much for sharing your odyssey of discovery and remembrance.
This is so wonderful, Greg. So wonderful! Do you remember the dishes your granny made, or what was being eaten by others around you? You should definitely try to visit the museum, it filled my heart so, I can imagine how you would feel. Xoxox
Granny’s food was very Middle Eastern and Indian. Loaded with flavor and fresh vegetables. I loved her okra and chicken dishes. Everything kosher. When she left Iraq with my mother they lived in India for several months, a pause in their journey to Shanghai. Do you know my book, “Shanghai Passage”?
There were so many jewish communities in the world, for so many centuries, we will never know enough ...
Now that I have identified the members of my family who disappeared, I have to plan a trip to Lodz, probably next year, a big task, with hopefully my children's help.
Marlena, I loved our conversation but must return to my chores which is why I am home on a Sunday afternoon.
Of course you know more than I. However it remains incidental, especially compared to centuries of jewish presence and influence in Europe (not to mention the sephardic jews).
I also note this, and have wondered about it. I'm surprised that there have been Jewish communities over the years, especially in the time of the Silk Road, and China has not been COMPLETELY without any antisemitic feeling but it was never a feature, and there is a fascination (on both sides). I feel like i know very little, and am so curious about all of this. I always want to learn more. And the sepharadic jews and the mizrachi jews, and i am often overwhelmed by the sheer world and world history of us. whoever we are. and wherever we are. xoxoxo
Marlena, thanks but although it was my original ambition, I never wrote beyond personal adresses and do not consider myself a writer. I envy those like you who actually produce and at nearly 76 I have become a very very lazy person.
The people in Shangaï were undeniably generous to the jewish immigrants but, let's face it, they had not developed antisemitism because they did not have jewish communities in the past. This does not take away from their generosity, however it does somewhat explain their attitude.
the Chinese-Jewish, and Jewish-Chinese connection is curious and fascinating. I keep stumbling upon it in my trips to China, and the history of Jews in China...i think there was less distinction between gajin, whether Christian or Jewish....you're right that Anti semitism has never been a big thing, and there have been communities, and its all complex. my first time in China I went to a Seder, at the synogogue in Beijing where my brother had belonged when he lived there. Meeting people and having conversations, I was suddenly catapaulted into a different world, considering all sorts of things I never had before. But most Jews in China now are foreign workers, as was my brother (UNICEF). There is a Kaifeng Jewish community, no one is exactly sure where they came from, and they are separate (as in: encouraged to be separate by the government) from the foreign jews; for awhile outreach from israel etc was allowed, but i don't think now it is. not sure.
la Shoah (I prefer this term) is full of improbable stories : how people escaped and survived in the most unlikely circumstances, it is not a consolation for the millions who didn't, but it is the proof that life is unpredictable and that we can have hope
so well said, you have such a way of explaining, choosing the right words, etc. a wonderful writer. la shoah is such an overwhelming thing to contemplate, that I often just prefer not to, but following the trail to my grandmother...led me to so many other stories, and i clung on to this small piece of kindness, an international city saving as many jews as it could...perhaps it is the only uplifting and positive story from la shoah, indeed, so unpredictable, and yes, i truly have always felt the need for hope. to know that hope exists. (you write more clearly about this than i). xoxoxo m
another wonderful post, but different, so different, very moving. I was vaguely aware that some russian and east european jews had fled to China, but knew nothing more. If only my polish family (on my father's side) had been able to flee there instead of Antwerp, where five of his siblings and their children were arrested and died in Auschwitz!
A very emotional account, and as always, well written, thank you, merci !
all so overwhelmingly heartbreaking; knowing this story, though, has helped me both personally and in a sense for all who were saved, and destroyed me for all who could have been saved but weren't. I'm sorry your fathers family was...of the destroyed. i'm just so sorry. so many people have written to me about their own families and relations regarding shanghai, then i keep adding to the original piece and am thinking that i must, and want, to do more. hugs, xoxoxoxo
Marlena - I'm new to your substack. What a wonderful story and touches me as my own uncle (well, my father's uncle) was in Shanghai from 1939-47 and eventually came to San Francisco, where I am from (I grew up in the East Bay). My great uncle, Herb Wolff, z"l, met and married my father's aunt and became a part of our family as we did of his. I have many of his records and tellings of those days. He was born in Berlin in 1920. I will try to come to NYC for the 8/1 show but am not sure I can swing it. I live about 2.5 hrs from the City. How long will the exhibit be running? Are you aware of the Shanghailanders Facebook group?
Dara Horn's recent book on antisemitism, "People Love Dead Jews" devoted a chapter to Harbin and Shanghai. Arthur Rotstein, the then young Jewish-American documentary photographer, visited Shanghai in 1946 to photograph the Jewish refugees still awaiting resettlement to draw attention to their plight: https://arthurrothstein.org/portfolio/shanghai-jewish-refugees/
Searching or this right now. Thank you so much Lynne, for pointing this out.
Marlena, once again, we dive into the warm broth of your words. This is where your recipes are, sharing your perfectly crafted gift for life.
Your stories, a bowl of global soup, warm my heart like no other master crafts person ever has.
💋💋💋
Aloha, Marlena
I grew up in Shanghai’s International Settlement and my Mom, Dad, and I lived with my Arabic Granny (my Mom’s mom) throughout WWII in her one room apartment. I remember going to synagogue, Jewish school, and Granny’s outstanding cooking and baking. Thank you so much for sharing your odyssey of discovery and remembrance.
This is so wonderful, Greg. So wonderful! Do you remember the dishes your granny made, or what was being eaten by others around you? You should definitely try to visit the museum, it filled my heart so, I can imagine how you would feel. Xoxox
Granny’s food was very Middle Eastern and Indian. Loaded with flavor and fresh vegetables. I loved her okra and chicken dishes. Everything kosher. When she left Iraq with my mother they lived in India for several months, a pause in their journey to Shanghai. Do you know my book, “Shanghai Passage”?
I have heard of other families fleeing Iraq for shanghai, ending in usa. I don't know your book, shanghai passage, how can I order it?
Try thriftbooks.com
Will do! Can't wait to read it.
Thank you for taking us along on this journey of discovery.
There were so many jewish communities in the world, for so many centuries, we will never know enough ...
Now that I have identified the members of my family who disappeared, I have to plan a trip to Lodz, probably next year, a big task, with hopefully my children's help.
Marlena, I loved our conversation but must return to my chores which is why I am home on a Sunday afternoon.
Talk to you soon,
Paulexo
Of course you know more than I. However it remains incidental, especially compared to centuries of jewish presence and influence in Europe (not to mention the sephardic jews).
I also note this, and have wondered about it. I'm surprised that there have been Jewish communities over the years, especially in the time of the Silk Road, and China has not been COMPLETELY without any antisemitic feeling but it was never a feature, and there is a fascination (on both sides). I feel like i know very little, and am so curious about all of this. I always want to learn more. And the sepharadic jews and the mizrachi jews, and i am often overwhelmed by the sheer world and world history of us. whoever we are. and wherever we are. xoxoxo
Marlena, thanks but although it was my original ambition, I never wrote beyond personal adresses and do not consider myself a writer. I envy those like you who actually produce and at nearly 76 I have become a very very lazy person.
The people in Shangaï were undeniably generous to the jewish immigrants but, let's face it, they had not developed antisemitism because they did not have jewish communities in the past. This does not take away from their generosity, however it does somewhat explain their attitude.
the Chinese-Jewish, and Jewish-Chinese connection is curious and fascinating. I keep stumbling upon it in my trips to China, and the history of Jews in China...i think there was less distinction between gajin, whether Christian or Jewish....you're right that Anti semitism has never been a big thing, and there have been communities, and its all complex. my first time in China I went to a Seder, at the synogogue in Beijing where my brother had belonged when he lived there. Meeting people and having conversations, I was suddenly catapaulted into a different world, considering all sorts of things I never had before. But most Jews in China now are foreign workers, as was my brother (UNICEF). There is a Kaifeng Jewish community, no one is exactly sure where they came from, and they are separate (as in: encouraged to be separate by the government) from the foreign jews; for awhile outreach from israel etc was allowed, but i don't think now it is. not sure.
Marlena,
la Shoah (I prefer this term) is full of improbable stories : how people escaped and survived in the most unlikely circumstances, it is not a consolation for the millions who didn't, but it is the proof that life is unpredictable and that we can have hope
Bisous
so well said, you have such a way of explaining, choosing the right words, etc. a wonderful writer. la shoah is such an overwhelming thing to contemplate, that I often just prefer not to, but following the trail to my grandmother...led me to so many other stories, and i clung on to this small piece of kindness, an international city saving as many jews as it could...perhaps it is the only uplifting and positive story from la shoah, indeed, so unpredictable, and yes, i truly have always felt the need for hope. to know that hope exists. (you write more clearly about this than i). xoxoxo m
Chère Marlena
another wonderful post, but different, so different, very moving. I was vaguely aware that some russian and east european jews had fled to China, but knew nothing more. If only my polish family (on my father's side) had been able to flee there instead of Antwerp, where five of his siblings and their children were arrested and died in Auschwitz!
A very emotional account, and as always, well written, thank you, merci !
Paule
all so overwhelmingly heartbreaking; knowing this story, though, has helped me both personally and in a sense for all who were saved, and destroyed me for all who could have been saved but weren't. I'm sorry your fathers family was...of the destroyed. i'm just so sorry. so many people have written to me about their own families and relations regarding shanghai, then i keep adding to the original piece and am thinking that i must, and want, to do more. hugs, xoxoxoxo
Fascinating story, thank you.
thank you for sharing this!!!! x m
Marlena - I'm new to your substack. What a wonderful story and touches me as my own uncle (well, my father's uncle) was in Shanghai from 1939-47 and eventually came to San Francisco, where I am from (I grew up in the East Bay). My great uncle, Herb Wolff, z"l, met and married my father's aunt and became a part of our family as we did of his. I have many of his records and tellings of those days. He was born in Berlin in 1920. I will try to come to NYC for the 8/1 show but am not sure I can swing it. I live about 2.5 hrs from the City. How long will the exhibit be running? Are you aware of the Shanghailanders Facebook group?