AJL magazine - Asian Jewish Life

EditorMissionDear Readers:Happy 2013 and welcome to the 11thissue of Asian Jewish Life.In between issues, our staff has beenvery busy speaking on Jewish life in Asiaand Asian Jewry. If you happen to be inIllinois, you can catch AJL Books EditorSusan Blumberg-Kason at a NCJW eventon January 31 where she will talk aboutJews in China and their contributionsduring World War II. She will also discussJewish novels and memoirs set in Chinaduring this world-changing era. VisitSusan at http://www.susanbkason.comfor more information.You can also catch a podcast on HongKong’s RTHK Radio 3 on Laura Margolis,adapted from our cover story (Issue 8),entitled Laura Margolis in the Spotlight-Portrait of a heroine in Shanghai. I willalso be headed to Moscow in Februaryto participate in the 20th AnnualInternational Conference on JewishStudies organized by Sefer, the MoscowCenter for University Teaching of JewishCivilization.Please follow us for a daily dose of newson our Twitter and Facebook pages (@AsianJewishLife).As for this issue, we are excited to bringyou the cover story about the somewhatobscure story of a group of JewishHolocaust refugees that were housedin Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel, entitledFive Star Refuge- A Week at The Pen.We also have included the little knownhistory of Jews in the Philippines byBonnie Harris, Manila Memories -Historyof Jews in the Philippines. As Dr. Harrishas done extensive research on thissubject, we will explore this history, ingreater depth, in an AJL series in futureissues.Also travel with musician Irene Orleanskyfor a rare inside look at the Bnei Ephraimin A Musical Journey to Andhra Pradesh-Understanding the Bnei Ephraim.Also from India, we bring you A Memento,a beautiful short story by Sophie Judah.Judah is the author of Dropped fromHeaven (Schocken, 2007). A specialthank you to Yoraan Rafael Reuben forthe use of his photographs to go alongwith Judah’s story. His photographs alsoappear on Page 2.Again from India, we have our LoMein toLaksa food column. Yardena Ben-Israeloffers her modernized version of BeneIsrael Halwa, which she calls ‘sweet andsimple’.On the literary side we have includedbook reviews by our Books Editor SusanBlumberg-Kason as well as her interviewof Xu Xi. Xu Xi, a Hong Kong writer, hasinterestingly woven Jewish charactersinto her novels and we have discussedwith her why. (Being Hong Kong-based,we are also not quite impartial when itcomes to all things Hong Kong.)In this issue, we also hear from GedaliahGurfein, who has had some of his worktranslated into Chinese in Not Lostin Translation - A Torah scholar goesto China. And while we are looking atChina, we hear from Tiberiu Weisz inBiblical Influence in Chinese Literature,a continuation of his AJL series thatagain explores the fascinating yin andyang relationship between Chinese andJewish cultures.Last, but definitely not least, For the Bestof Asian Jewish Life feature, we look atthe incredible regional work of AJWS inFeeding the World with Jewish Wisdom-A look at American Jewish WorldServices.Thanks for reading!Erica LyonsEditor-in-ChiefASIAN JEWISH LIFEA JOURNAL OF SPIRIT, SOCIETY AND CULTUREFive Star RefugeA Week at The PenManila MemoriesHistory of Jews in the PhilippinesJewish refugees in The Peninsula Hong Kong, 1946(photo courtesy of The Hong Kong Heritage Project and Fred Antman)Asian Jewish Life is a freequarterly publication designed toshare regional Jewish thoughts,ideas and culture and promoteunity. It also celebrates ourindividuality and our diversebackgrounds and customs.Asian Jewish Life is a registeredcharity in Hong Kong. AJL is alsounder the fiscal sponsorship ofthe Center for Jewish Culture andCreativity, a qualified US 501(c)(3)charitable organization.Editor-in-ChiefErica LyonsCopy EditorJana DanielsBooks EditorSusan Blumberg-KasonPhotography EditorAllison HeiliczerDesignerTerry ChowISSUE 11 (JAN 2013)Board of DirectorsEli Bitan, Bruce Einhorn,Peter Kaminsky, Amy Mines,David ZweigISSN 2224-3011Key title: Asian Jewish lifeASIAN JEWISH LIFE ISSUE 113