Judaism Makes Its Mark in Beijing

Jews have been active in China since the 7th century Tang Dynasty, with notable communities having been established in Kaifeng followed by Shanghai. But here in the capital, Rabbi Shimon Freundlich has described “a third wave” of Judaism growing up and taking root.

In 2001, Rabbi Shimon and his family came to Beijing with a plan to set up a Jewish community centre and synagogue, and six years later the Chabad House had been erected and opened its doors. It certainly isn’t the only Jewish community centre in Beijing, but it is the most notable.

The Chabad House has comfortably settled into northeast Beijing, not far from the 798 art district. Architecturally, the building employs both modern and traditional elements, taking direct influence from historic synagogues in Shanghai and Tianjin.

The second floor is where most of the action takes place. The shul, or house of prayer, is located here, where rows of chairs line up alongside of the elevated central Bimah. The Bimah, where sermons and passages of the Torah are delivered from, faces the ornamental Aron Kodesh at the front of the room, where the Torah scrolls are traditionally kept.

Stained glass windows portraying images of important Jewish buildings worldwide (plus one of the Great Wall — why not?) create enough mood lighting to allow visitors to browse through a library of English and Hebrew Jewish texts. The other half of the room is designated as a Sino-Judaic museum, though for the moment it is more like a continuation of the library.

Friday and Saturday are the busy times here at the Chabad House, when people congregate to witness Shabbat rituals. After all, if God created the heavens and Earth in six days and rested for the seventh, surely us hardworking folk can accept a rule to relax a bit on the seventh day as well. Fifteen minutes before Friday evening’s sunset, candles are lit (exact times available on the Chabad Lubavitch of Beijing website), followed by prayers, songs and a celebratory meal. Saturday morning continues the celebration with Shabbat services and a meal.

Saturday afternoon also creates a peak time for Cafe Miniature, tucked into the far end of the building. The cafe provides a surprisingly contemporary aspect to the Chabad House. The smell of fresh-baked bread wafts through the brightly lit room filled with red designer chairs and glass tables. Servers are friendly, and the food is all homemade (though the regular coffee is instant).

The first floor of the building is largely occupied by the kosher restaurant Dini’s. The decor leans towards the elegant (if a touch austere) side of things while the menu which embraces both traditional and Chinese fare has received mixed reviews. Kosher meats must have been slaughtered properly according to religious rituals, and only certain kinds of meats, birds or fish are considered kosher. Just adjacent is the restaurant providing kosher foods and beverages, including traditional foods such as matzos.

For those who are not of the Jewish faith, the Chabad House remains open to all. Much of the staff isn’t Jewish, and all seem to be quite friendly and open there. Visitors who remain wary about the question of faith can just prioritize a cup of coffee, and a fresh-baked bun.