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Reprinted from the China Judaic Connection, July, 1998.
"Jews in Places You Never Thought Of"
Edited by Karen Primack
KTAV Publishing House, Inc., (900 Jefferson St, Box 6249, Hoboken, NJ, 07030-7205) in association with Kulanu, $29.50.
Personal accounts of encounters with lesser-known Jewish communities written by the people who actually visited these (often inaccessible) groups: The Section on the Jews in China (pages 151 to 162) contains three articles:
"Jews Have Been in China a Long, Long Time, by Karen Primack is a historical overview based on public lectures delivered by Professor Xu Xin in Washington DC. on November 19 and 20, 1995.
"Xu Xin, an Unusual Man," also by Primack, explains his initial interest, involvement, and the inception of the China Judaic Studies Association.
"A Delightful Introduction to Chinese Jewry," by Jack Zeller, is a review of Legends of the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng, by Xu Xin with Beverly Friend, illustrated by Ting Chen, KTAV, 1995.
Photos include Xu Xin taken by Aron Primack; Shi-Ping and son Chao Liang, present day descendants of Kaifeng Jews, by Ray Kaplan, and a translation of the Shema prayer into Chinese by Denise Yeh Bresler.
Other groups include Jewish communities in Uganda, India, Ghana, Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, and many other fascinating places.