Jewish Diaspora in Modern China

Anyone interested in viewing Xu Xin’s Coursera course in Jewish Diaspora
in Modern China should visit it.

I have signed up and am fascinated.

Following are descriptions of the 8 modules:

1. Introduction

This course, “Jewish Diaspora in Modern China,” will give you an understanding of the major issues related to the history of Jews in China
in Modern times.

2. Background: Jews and China

In this module, we will introduce pre-modern Chinese society, wars with Western Powers, and the Open Door Policy. We will also analyze the major causes that brought Jews to China. In particular, we will focus on waves of migrating Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews to China, which mark the beginning of the history of the Jewish diaspora in modern China.

3. The Jewish Community in Shanghai

In this module, we will study four Jewish communities established in Shanghai from the second half of the 19th century to the mid-20th century, with a special focus on the Sephardic Jews and European Jewish refugees.

4. The Jewish Community in Harbin

In this module, we will discuss Harbin as a newly established modern Chinese city. We will explore the Jewish communal life in the city from its leadership, various Zionist organizations, business, observance, and relations with adjacent Jewish communities in the region and in the
country.

5. The Jewish Community in Tianjin

In this module, we will focus on the Jewish communal life in the port city of Tianjin, tracing its beginnings, development, and decline. We will also introduce some well-known Jewish individuals living in the city.

6. The Jewish Community in Hong Kong

In this module, we will explore the special status of Hong Kong as a centre of Jewish life in China. We will trace the ups and downs of Jewish life in the city and the unique roles the Hong Kong Jewish Community played in the city– the only Jewish community with a sustained, uninterrupted history in China over the past 160 years.

7. Departure and Contributions

In this module, we will analyze the factors that spurred the departure of about 40,000 Jews from China. We will also discuss their contributions– economic and cultural– on Chinese society today.

8. History Renewed and Impact

In this module, we will describe the re-establishment of Jewish communities in contemporary Chinese society, especially in Beijing and Shanghai, following the adoption of China’s open-door policies and economic reforms in the 1980s. We will also discuss the impact of the re-establishment of Jewish communities on Chinese academia.