TEVAT / SHEVAT 5783

RUACH

SHABBAT POTLUCK and CELEBRATION: FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 @ 6:00 PM.

Location: TBD. If you are interested in hosting please contact Robin Hruska @robinhruska@gmail.com

TU B’SHEVAT: Sunday, February 5 @ 1:00 PM. Come to share the “Celebration of the Trees”, and the Four Worlds embodied by four different kinds of fruits:

Four Worlds, their characteristics, and symbolic Fruit:
Assiyah: Action. Fruit with hard, outside shell or peel, and soft inside. Example: Banana
Yetzirah: Formation. Fruit with a soft outside, hard inside (such as a pit). Example: Date
Briyah: Creation. Fruit that is all soft. Example: Raisin
Atzilut: Spirit. Fruit: None

RSVP to Robin Hruska at robinhruska@gmail.com

CULTURAL EVENTS

Did you know there were four significant waves of Jewish migration to China, starting with the Silk Road around 1000 CE and ending during WWII? Each wave settled in a different part of China and some of those communities are still active.

In January, we’ll be continuing our exploration of the history and experiences of Jews in China through books, and a video lecture.

Video lecture, Rabbi Anton Laytner, “The Jews of Kaifeng”: The Jews of Kaifeng: Yesterday and Today–A Lecture by Rabbi Anson Laytner – YouTube

Jews have lived in Kaifeng in central China for over 1,000 years. Rabbi Laytner, a scholar of this population, discusses what brought them to Kaifeng, what their lives were like, and the community today. (Watch anytime.)

Book discussion, Sunday, Jan. 22, 11:00 via Zoom

Pick a book and join the discussion! There are many interesting books about Jews in China, so rather than pick one book for everyone to read, we’ve come up with a list of books to pick from. Pick one (or more!) and then join us for a discussion where we’ll share what we’ve learned.

Here’s a list of books to pick from. (If you find others that look interesting, if you find others that look interesting, let us know at robin.a.simons@gmail.com

Peony by Pearl S. Buck: set in the 1850s in Kaifeng, the novel follows Peony, a Chinese bondmaid of a prominent Jewish family, and shows through her eyes how the Jewish community was regarded in Kaifeng at a time when most of the Jews had come to think of themselves as Chinese.

Escape to Shanghai by Alex Ross: the true story of four Jewish families who escaped from Germany to Shanghai during WWII.

Farewell, Shanghai by Angel Wagen­stein: a novel based on real people that tells the stories of Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII.

More books about Jews in Shanghai during WWII:

https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/books/reading-lists/chinese-jewish-experiences

The Last Kings of Shanghai, The Rival Jewish Dynasties That Helped Create Modern China, by Jonathan Kaufman: the story of two powerful Jewish families who dominated trade in Asia for 150 years until shortly before WWII. This is also available as a YouTube lecture by Jonathan Kaufman.

To do:

• Read about Jews in China during this month.
• Watch your email for the Zoom link for the book discussion on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 11:00 am.

We look forward to seeing you at these events!

For more information, contact Robin Simons at robin.a.simons@gmail.com

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BAGELS AND COFFEE

Jane and Bob Greenberg are hosting a Coffee, Bagels, and Conversation event at their home on Sunday, January 29 @ 10:30 AM. To reserve your spot, please RSVP Jane at jwren7@gmail.com