Xi Jinping bans Judaism: Jews forced into hiding

While Jewish communities worldwide are celebrating Hanukkah, the small community in China must do so in secret as Beijing works to crack down on foreign influences and unapproved religions in the country, The Telegraph reported.

The community in China is very miniscule, consisting of around 1,000 people of which experts say only 100 are actually practicing, and have lacked a rabbi for well over a century. However, it goes back over a thousand years, having settled in Kaifeng. Even at its height during the 16th century, it numbered just 5,000. And throughout the years, despite losing many of its members to conversion, wars, disasters and more, the community has lived on through the passing down of tradition between generations.

Already, the Chinese leadership has worked to erase much of this long history, The Telegraph reported. This includes not only the removal of museum exhibits regarding the community’s history, but also razing any physical trace of the community. This has included removing the remains of a 12th century synagogue alongside stones with engravings of the community’s traditions and heritage, some of which dated as far back as the late 15th century.

They have also removed the few signs in Hebrew that could once be found in the city, and the spot where the few practicing Jews once gathered to pray has now been covered with Chinese propaganda, a security camera and reminders that Judaism is an illegal, unrecognized religion in the country, according to The Telegraph.

God (or the Tao) knows what happened; the Jews were doing OK, when Mao Tse Tung was around.

FRONT: l-> r: (((Maurice Votaw))), (((Proshenko))), (((Israel Epstein))), (((Harrison Forman)))

BACK f-> r: (((Shananhan))), (((Cormac))), (((Gunther Stein)))

Back-Left: (not yet Chairman) Mao Tse Tung