China: In the footsteps of the Jews of China

There are a number of Jewish communities in China, among them the most ancient in the Far East. Jews first arrived in China around the 7th or 8th Century from neighboring India or as part of trade missions from Europe along the Silk Road. The community of Kaifeng is the most ancient Jewish community in China, established in the 11th Century, most likely by descendants of Jews who had been exiled to Babylon and who arrived in China from India and Persia. The synagogue in Kaifeng was established in 1163. It was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times until the 19th Century. According to Halacha, the Jews of Kaifeng are not Jews at all because they maintained a tradition of patrilineal descent rather than matrilineal descent as required by Halacha. The Chinese authorities never recognized the Jews of Kaifeng as a separate ethnic group. Members of the community look Chinese, speak Chinese and maintain very few Jewish traditions. Judaism, in fact, is not a recognized religion in China ever since the rise of C ommunism in 1949. Therefore, if the Jews of Kaifeng wish to convert formally, they are not able to do so because the authorities forbid conversion.

Another Jewish community in China is that of Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province. Jews began settling in Harbin in 1898.

On this tour we will expand our knowledge of the Jewish communities that have remained in China, as we meet with the culture that created massive edifices such as the Great Wall, valuable art works and architecture, the Forbidden City in Imperial Beijing, the Terra Cotta Army in Xi’an and the intricate gardens of Hangzhou.

Itinerary
Day 1-2, Monday-Tuesday, Arrival in Beijing
Departure from home gateway to China. Arrival in Beijing, meeting and orientation at the hotel.

Day 3, Wednesday, Beijing
We’ll depart early for the greatest wall in the world. The Great Wall of China is the largest construction project ever undertaken by man– measuring over 7,000 kilometers. Large sections of the wall were built between the 7th and 4th centuries BCE, over 2500 years ago. For hundreds of years, according to security needs arising from political conflicts in different ages, some sections of the Great Wall of China were added and strengthened while other sections were neglected. The Great Wall is made up of three primary components: passes, signal and watch towers, and defensive walls. Walking along the Great Wall will enable us to sense the historical dimension of the project. Afterwards, we’ll visit a Chinese health center and enjoy an invigorating reflexology treatment. We’ll continue the day with a visit to the Summer Palace. We’ll view the palaces, gardens and lake where the emperors of China would relax and retreat from the sweltering heat of the Beijing summer. We’ll end the day at Tiananmen Square, one of the best known symbols of China in the West. Tiananmen Square is the central square of Beijing, capital of China. Its name means The Gate of Heavenly Peace. It’s called this because of Tiananmen Gate which stands at its northern end, and which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. The square was built in 1417. At its center stands the Mausoleum of Mao Ze Dong which contains his mummified body. Tiananmen Square became infamous due to the quelling of the student demonstrations which took place there in 1989. In the evening, we recommend an amazing Kung Fu spectacle, a magnificently staged theatrical production with lovely music and a beautiful story describing this ancient Chinese martial art.

Day 4, Thursday, Beijing- The Forbidden City – Xian

This morning we’ll visit the very heart of Beijing – the Forbidden City. Built in the 16th century, as the palace of China’s Ming Dynasty Emperors, it’s an impressive example of traditional Chinese architecture. We’ll traverse the entire length of the Forbidden City, as we view the many splendid palaces and vast courtyards. Used as the set for the film “The Last Emperor”, it was indeed forbidden to the Chinese masses until the onset of the revolution at the beginning of the 20th century. We’ll also visit one of the city’s parks from where we’ll be able to see the Forbidden City from a completely different vantage. From there we’ll continue to tour Beijing’s old Hutong neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are slowly being destroyed by the Beijing Municipality as they make way for new, attractive public housing projects. It’s worthwhile to see them now as they will soon have disappeared from Bejing’s urban scene. At the end of the tour we’ll depart for the airport for our flight to Xi’an. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Day 5, Friday Xian, the Terra Cotta Army

This morning we’ll take an early flight to Xian, where we’ll visit one of the wonders of the world: the immense Terra Cotta Army that the great Emperor Qin Xi Huang Di prepared for himself for his “eternal life.” We’ll view the mountains at the foot of which lie the Huah Qin springs, which became famous as the place where Chiang Kai-shek was captured and from where he escaped.
We’ll also visit one of the city’s picturesque quarters where to see a building that bears striking resemblance to the ancient synagogue of Kaifeng, China.
Return to the Hotel to prepare for Shabbat, Shabbat services and Shabbat dinner at the hotel.

Day 6, Shabbat, Xian

After Shabbat services and lunch we’ll take a walking tour of the area near the hotel. In the evening, we recommend the Tang Dynasty Show.

Day 7-8, Sunday-Monday Xian – Luoyang – Kaifeng

Before us lie two days of unforgettable experiences. After breakfast we’ll head south toward Luoyang in Henan Province in Central China. Luoyang is the setting of the famous novel The Empress by Chan Se. Along the way we’ll stop to explore Longman Caves or by their other name: “The caves of the 1000 Buddhas” that were discovered in an amazing natural setting, in a place that became known as “The Gate of the Hei River.” The site is located at the intersection of green mountains, clear waters and pleasant weather. We’ll also the visit a Shaolin Monastery located at the base of the Song Mountains- best known for the teaching of Kung Fu Martial Art. The monks here display unbelievable physical abilities achieved through meditation and concentration. We’ll continue to tour the ancient Jewish quarter of the city of Kaifeng where thousands of Jewish families once lived and worked going back to Talmudic times. We’ll stroll through streets bearing Jewish names and we’ll try to arrange a meeting with some of the remaining Jews in Kaifeng.

Day 9, Tuesday Kaifeng – Shanghai “Future Shock”
After breakfast, we’ll continue our tour of the Kaifeng. The city is famous for its astronomical clock tower built by the engineer, scientist, and statesman Su Song in the 11th Century. The clock incorporated an escapement mechanism two hundred years before they were found in clockworks of Europe, and featured the first known endless power-transmitting chain drive. We’ll visit the Youguosi or Iron Pagoda as it is called today, was constructed, which measures 54.7 m in height. Built in 1049, it has survived the destruction of wars and floods and become the oldest landmark in this ancient city. After the visit to Kaifeng, we’ll fly to Shanghai, the second largest city in China, and by all accounts, the most modern and developed city that causes most visitors to wonder in amazement at its astonishing stylized, modern, soaring skyline. Upon arrival, we’ll take a tour of the city including Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s main pedestrian mall and Shanghai’s famous Bund promenade along the HuangPu River. Here we’ll see the city’s famous 19th Century colonial buildings. In the evening we recommend a cruise down the river from where the lights of this magnificent city can be seen from a different angle.

Day 10, Wednesday Shanghai
Throughout today’s tour of Shanghai we’ll acquaint ourselves with its varying characteristics. We’ll tour the Jewish Quarter – a fascinating and unique story in itself. From there we’ll continue to the YuYuan neighborhood, Shanghai’s “Chinatown” with its bustling shopping center and beautiful gardens. We’ll ascend to the top of one of the skyscrapers for a bird’s-eye view of the city. After that we’ll make our way to the Shanghai Museum, one of the most important museums in the world. We’ll end the day with a visit to the financial center of Shanghai in Pudong, an area that only 15 years ago was a small village and today is the fastest growing area in the world. In the evening we recommend enjoying an amazing Chinese acrobatic show.

Day 11, Thursday Shanghai – Suzhou, City of Silk, Gardens and Canals

Today we’ll visit Suzhou – the “Venice” of China. We’ll be amazed by the canals as we make our way to a silk factory, where we’ll view the silk production process: from the silkworm to a fashion show. Well see the Lion Grove Garden, once owned by the grandparents of architect I.M. Pei, and the hundreds of naturally odd-shaped boulders which lend the place a most unusual look. This evening we’ll host you at a special show at the “Master of the Nets” or “Fisherman’s” Garden.

Day 12, Friday Suzhou – Hangzhou

After breakfast, we’ll travel to Hangzhou, a city surrounded by China’s most famous tea plantations. Hangzhou was the capital of China in the 12th Century, and is considered the “Switzerland” of China. We’ll marvel at the city’s West Lake, its gardens and promenades. We’ll visit the Pagoda of Six Harmonies where we’ll come into contact with Buddhism – the most important religion in China and indeed in the entire East. We’ll visit the Temple at Li-Yen where hundreds of Buddha statues are carved into the rock face surrounding this enormous temple. Afterwards we’ll transfer to our hotel to prepare for Shabbat, Shabbat services and Shabbat dinner.

Day 13, Shabbat, Hangzhou

After Shabbat services and lunch, we’ll take a walking tour to the “Chinese Quarter” – an area reconstructed in ancient Chinese style. We’ll visit an ancient Chinese pharmacy which has been in existence for over 150 years and where Chinese medicinal practices guide the pharmacists in their work. We’ll see the pharmacists at work and we’ll visit a museum located on the 2nd floor of the building. After dinner, we recommend going out to the amazing Song Dynasty show.

Day 14, Sunday, Hangzhou – Harbin
Today we’ll fly to Harbin, the second largest city in northern China. Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang (Black Dragon Lake) Province; part of what was once Manchuria in northeastern China, and which borders with Mongolia and Russia. There is a noticeable Russian influence in the area, especially in the local architecture, and most of the foreigners here are of Russian extraction. After arrival we’ll tour the city.

Day 15, Monday, Harbin

After breakfast we’ll head out in the footsteps of the Jewish history of this city. Some years ago, the government of Heilongjiang together with the local Academy of Social Sciences, decided to preserve the Jewish heritage of Harbin. They invested heavily in the repair and preservation of the synagogue, the Jewish cemetery and the other Jewish institutions. We’ll visit the “new” synagogue with its permanent exhibition detailing the history of the Jews of Harbin. We’ll also visit the Jewish cemetery with its 583 tombstones which were repaired in 1992. The cemetery was established in 1903 in the city center, but was transferred out of the city in 1958. In the cemetery are buried among others, the rabbi of Harbin, Aharon Shmulevitz Kisilov as well as the grandfather of Israel’s former Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. We’ll call at the Jewish hospital established in 1931 in traditional Jewish building style, where both Jews and non-Jews were treated equally. The Modern Hotel was built by a Harbin Jew by the name of Kasp. We’ll try to visit there too if time permits.

Day 16, Tuesday, Harbin – Beijing
Today we’ll make our way to the airport for our flight to Beijing, from where we’ll return to our home gateway. We’ve had an unforgettable experience, seen a beautiful and fascinating part of the world, and developed an appetite for more.

Dates and Prices:
12/04/2010 to 27/04/2010 16 days $4630 per person, double occupancy $930 single suppl.
4/10/2010 to 19/10/2010 16 days $4630 per person, double occupancy $930 single suppl.
For those joining the tour from outside of Israel and providing their own transportation to and from China, the land only price is $3880.

Price includes:
* Return International Flights
* Internal flights as per the itinerary
* First class hotels
* Comfortable air conditioned touring coach
* Entrance to all sites mentioned in the tour plan
* Breakfast + Dinner + supplies for making sandwiches for lunch
* Professional experienced Israeli guide + Local Guide as required

Price excludes:
* Travel and baggage Insurance
* Shows that are not included in the tour plan
* approximately $30 per show
* including transportation (details will be made available per tour)
* Chinese Visa: Israeli Passport Holders: $50
* Foreign Passport Holders: $75
* Tips for local service providers: $150
* Changes in air fares due to increases in fuel
* airport tax and security tax surcharges as they become known prior to the tour. (Travel price was fixed on October 25 2009)
* Tip for Israeli guide (Recommended: $3 per person per tour day)

For more information write to me at
drsavta@gmail.com
or call me at 052 574 0573
0r from outside Israel 972 52 574 0573

Insurance
We urge all passengers to purchase travel and cancellation insurance immediately upon registration for the tour. This ensures a refund of expenses in case of cancellation due to medical emergency, illness or bereavement.

Terms
More than 45 working days prior to departure: $47 per passenger registration fee only
14-45 working days prior to departure: $500 + $47 per passenger
7-13 working days prior to departure: $1,000 + $47 per passenger
Less than 6 working days prior to departure: Passenger will be liable for full payment of all expenses connected to the tour (including visas, etc.)
Fridays, Shabbat and Holidays (including Chol Hamoed in Israel), and Sundays and Public Holidays abroad are not considered working days. If flight tickets have already been issued and/or any other services have already been purchased (visas, etc.) their costs will be added to the cancellation penalties mentioned above.