Shanghai Zhoushan Road

About 70 years ago when most Jews were suffering terribly in the Nazi concentration camp, a number of fortunate Jews sought a 'Noah's Ark' in the Far East, China's Shanghai. According to the historical records, in the 1930s, more than thirty thousand Jews came to this oriental metropolis, forming the biggest Jewish community in the Far East. In this community, they have their own churches, schools, hospitals, clubs, cemetery, chamber of commerce, publications as well as their political groups. Here, Travelchinaguide will lead you to trace the old tracks of Jews in Shanghai. The major Jewish sites in Shanghai are as below:

Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum
Located on Changyang Road in Hongkou District, it is also known as the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue. During the World WarⅡ, it is the center of religious activities for Jewish refugees in Shanghai. For a while, it was also the head office for Jewish youth organization. At present, it collects the most character and object documents related to Shanghai Jewish refugees, attracting more and more people, especially the offspring of those Jewish refugees, to come and muse over the memories of the past.

Ohel Rachel Synagogue
As the most important Jewish Community building still standing today, it was the primary synagogue for the Sepharic (mainly lraqi) community in Shanghai. It was used between 1920 and 1952. Founded by Sir Jacob Sassoon (from Hong Kong) in memory of his wife, and consecrated in 1920 by Rabbi W. Hirsch, it is now occupied by Shanghai Education Bureau. Appointments to visit are required and can be arranged by the Jewish Community which is available at (+86)21-6289 9903.

Shanghai Jewish School 
The Shanghai Jewish School stands on the left of Ohel Rachel Synagogue. Set up in 1900 by D. E. J. Abraham on the grounds of the Shearith Israel, it was transferred here by Horace Kadoorie in 1932. All the other buildings are built later than 1952. There used to be a Mikveh in the space next to the school (where there is a six-story building now), and there was a separate entrance on Xinzha Road (still visible). The main entrance is located at No. 500, Shaanxi North Road.

The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Michael Blumenthal (third from left) returned to Shanghai in 1979

Old Market Area
Walk down Shaanxi North Road and turn west (right) on Nanjing Road. Here were many Jewish retail shops because of the high concentration of customers. There would have been a multi-storied market on the left (east side), roughly where the back of a new skyscraper is today. In the old times, people of all nationalities would shop here and all kinds of languages could be heard. There was a kosher butcher inside. The Uptown Theatre was a well-known landmark to nearby residents and many would attend the new films there. Now it still stands at the southwest corner of Nanjing Road and Shaanxi North Road.

Exhibition Hall
For the local Shanghainese, Sir Silas Hardoon remains the most famous foreigner of old Shanghai. He was considered among the richest people in Shanghai and it is rumored that he was forced to pay for the paving of Naming East Road because of his wealth and ownership of 40% of the buildings on the street. The whole complex, now known as the Shanghai Exhibition Center (across from the Portman Ritz-Canton and originally called the Chinese-Soviet Union Friendship Hall), was his residence. Old Shanghainese still know it as Hardoon Gardens. The street immediately to its west (Tongren Road) was once called Hardoon Road.

Jewish Club (now Music Conservatory)
Located on Fenyang Road, south of Huaihai Road, the Russian Jewish Club eventually became a club for the whole community. Since the Russians were the greatest Zionists in Shanghai, news of the establishment of the state of Israel, including Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's speech, was read to the community at the Jewish Club in 1948. The site is now used by the Shanghai Music Conservatory. The Jewish influence on Shanghai's music scene was probably greater than in any other area. In fact, Jews from central Europe and Russia trained many who would become the city's leading musicians for decades.

Jewish Refugees Museum, Shanghai

Jewish Hospital
Situated at No.83 Fenyang Road, the Shanghai Jewish Hospital was originally called the B'nai Brith Polyclinic. Founded in 1934, it adopted its new name in 1942 and was headed by Dr. Max Steiman. Today, the site is the Shanghai Ear, Nose, and Throat (Otolaryngological) Hospital. While not as great as in music, the Jewish influence on medicine was also significant. Jewish German doctors played a large role after their arrival in the late 1930s.

Original Cemetery 
Originally known as the 'Israeli Cemetery' and later as the 'Mohawk Cemetery' because it was on Mohawk Road, this was the first of the four Jewish cemeteries in Shanghai. When first opened in 1862, this location was beyond the Western edge of the city. Later, it would border the city's Racecourse. The racecourse tower and grandstands can still be seen across the street, the former now an art museum, the latter a host for offices and a museum for the new opera house. The four Shanghai Jewish cemeteries were moved to the western suburbs in the 1950s and later were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

 Beth Aharon Synagogue
The Beth Aharon Synagogue was located where the single office building stands at the No.42 on Huqiu Road (originally No.50 Museum Road), near the Bund. It was built in 1927 by Sir Silas Hardoon in memory of his father and demolished in 1985. One of the large stone Menorahs was saved and is preserved by the Shanghai Museum. It was loaned to the Holocaust Museum in 2000 for an exhibit. When the Mir Yeshiva escaped to Shanghai, they continued their studies in the then empty Beth Aharon Synagogue miraculously; the seats were exactly enough for their 400 members!