14 Facts You Should Know About the Jews of China

By: Yehuda Altein

Did you know that China has been home to Jewish communities for centuries? While Jewish life is often associated with places like the Land of Israel, Europe, and the United States, China also has a rich and unique Jewish history. Read on for 14 facts about the fascinating story of Chinese Jewry.

1. Jews Have Lived in China for Over 1,000 Years

Historians1 aren’t exactly sure when the first Jews arrived in China, but estimates range from as early as the Zhou dynasty (which lasted until 256 BCE) to the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). Interestingly, since the Jews of Kaifeng (more on them later) had no knowledge of Hanukkah, it suggests they arrived before the Hasmonean revolt in 140 BCE. The oldest physical evidence of Jews in China is a letter written in Judeo-Persian in the year 718 CE—using paper, a Chinese invention!

2. The Story of the Kaifeng Jews Is Written in Stone

While Jewish communities have lived in various parts of China, the best-documented one is that of Kaifeng, a historic trade city along the Yellow River. Three stone tablets, dating from 1489, 1512, and 1663, tell the story of Kaifeng’s Jewish community, describing their beliefs and lifestyle, and recording key historical events.

3. Their Synagogue Stood for Almost 700 Years

In 1163, Kaifeng’s Jews built a synagogue in traditional Chinese architecture, complete with Torah scrolls, sacred texts, a mikvah (ritual bath), and a kosher slaughterhouse. After being rebuilt multiple times, it was ultimately destroyed in a flood in 1854, marking the end of an era.

4. They Struggled to Maintain Their Jewish Identity

The Jews of China faced a unique challenge: because there was little to no anti-Semitism, they were easily absorbed into Chinese society. While this allowed them to live peacefully, it also led to high levels of assimilation. The Ming dynasty (1368–1644) even required minority groups to intermarry with the Chinese. Many Jews also studied Chinese classics for the imperial examination, required to become a civil servant, leaving them with little time to study Torah. With the passing of Kaifeng’s last rabbi in 1810 and the destruction of their synagogue, the Jewish community dwindled significantly.

5. They Were Known as “Sinew Removers”

Despite these hardships and their isolation from their co-religionists, the Kaifeng Jews remarkably kept many aspects of Jewish observance. In fact, they were known to their Chinese neighbors as “the religion that removes sinews,” because they kept the Jewish practice of removing forbidden nerves and sinews from meat before eating it.

6. There Was a Sephardic Boom in Shanghai

In 1842, after the Treaty of Nanking opened China’s ports to foreign trade, many Sephardic Jews from Iraq and India moved to Shanghai. The Sassoon family, among others, built a thriving Jewish community, establishing synagogues and a complete Jewish infrastructure.

7. Russian Jews Found Safety in Harbin

In the late 1800s, Russian Jews fleeing persecution in Tsarist Russia settled in Harbin, in northeastern China, forming an Ashkenazi Jewish center parallel to the Sephardic community in Shanghai.

8. Harbin Supplied Matzah to Jewish Soldiers

During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), thousands of Russian Jewish soldiers were sent to the battlefield. Rabbi Sholom DovBer Schneersohn, the fifth Rebbe, led a national effort to send them matzah for Passover. Wagonfuls of matzah were shipped to the front via Harbin, supplemented by additional matzah baked locally in Harbin—ensuring that every Jewish soldier could celebrate the holiday properly.

9. It Was a Safe Haven During the Holocaust

While most countries closed their doors to Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, China stood out as an exception. Due to various political factors, no visa was required to enter Shanghai, and over 20,000 Jews survived the Holocaust there.

10. A Chinese Diplomat Saved Many Jews

Even though no visas were needed to enter Shanghai, Jews still needed exit visas from their home countries. Ho Feng-Shan, the Chinese consul-general in Austria, defied the orders of his superiors and issued thousands of exit visas between 1938 and 1940, saving countless lives.

11. Life in the Shanghai Ghetto Was Harsh

In 1943, under Japanese occupation, all Jewish refugees in Shanghai were forced into a designated area known as the Shanghai Ghetto. Life was tough, with poor living conditions, disease, and a severe language barrier. Despite these hardships, the Jews were free from persecution and were allowed to practice their religion, and the vast majority survived the war.

12. Torah Study Flourished in Shanghai

Among the Jewish refugees were students from European yeshivas, including the Mir Yeshiva and the Lubavitch Yeshiva in Otwock, Poland. These young scholars reestablished their institutions in Shanghai, and the sound of Torah study reverberated in the streets of the Chinese city.

13. Jewish Books Were Printed There

Printing in China at the time was significantly cheaper than in many other countries. During the war years, many Jewish books—including volumes of the Talmud, Chassidic works, and more—were printed in Shanghai, bolstering Torah study among the refugees.

14. It Boasts Many Chabad Centers

Judaism in China continues today, thanks in large part to Chabad. With centers in multiple Chinese cities, Chabad serves the needs of Jewish foreign residents and travelers, ensuring that Jewish life remains alive and well in the Far East.

          (Chabad.org)

Rabbi Yehuda Altein is a writer, translator and editor specializing in Jewish subjects and handwritten family material. A former researcher for JLI’s Machon Shmuel Research Institute, he has written on Jewish history, scriptural exegesis, halachah, and chassidut. Yehuda resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., with his family and enjoys collecting antique Judaica and exploring natural history in the Torah.