Tianjin Jews, later on mostly associated with Russian's consulate They had different considerations Because they were considered Russian citizens When situation became worse afterwards, after the Pacific War started people from other western countries, say British, French, German, got persecuted by Japanese authorities Because the Soviet Union at that time had a peace treaty with Japan those Jews who held Russian passports were safe That's how made them different They, for quite few years could develop their business could live peacefully in the city and became one of the groups enjoying a kind of freedom to do business Their life was not very much interfered until later During the Holocaust there were also few Jews we consider them Holocaust survivors came to Tianjin through other means But the number was a few hundred only They joined the Ashkenazi Jewish community became part of the organization The Jewish school played an important role because many young people who received primary Jewish traditional education were from that school though in school they emphasized teaching in English and many other subjects which, in a way, prepared those kids to meet the standard of high education in Britain Many young people because they had a good education in English afterwards, were able to go to different countries even went to London to go to British universities to study It laid a good language foundation for many of them Today we could see a lot of people who grew up in Tianjin recalled that experience thanked for the education or good education they had received when they were young, in their teen ages A good foundation was laid for their further development The Tianjin Jewish community dropped its number because the Japanese finally came in after 1937 They marched into the Great Wall after the Pacific War after 1941, they declared war on western powers after Pearl Harbor Americans, British, French were their enemies And Jews, though enjoyed a kind of freedom their business was suffered because the Japanese influence After the end of the war Jews in Tianjin started to look for somewhere else Very few wanted to go back to pick up their business which was interfered during those years under Japanese control or domination They started to look for somewhere else And also after 1946, the concessions which had provided a kind of protection for those western people including Jews were overthrown No more concessions Jews lost that kind of protection They felt not that safe, and started to look for somewhere else Situation was not good in China The merchants, the businessmen, had a hard time It was soon followed by what we call, a Civil War in China between Nationalists and Communists When there was a war involved, their business their life, were surely interfered or suffered So the population of Tianjin Jews started to drop and they were looking for somewhere else However, in Tianjin there were quite few prominent figures we need, perhaps, to mention One of the major figures, besides Leo Gershevich who played a leading role There were also other Jews who were very much sympathetic to Chinese revolution or to Chinese people to assist Chinese government or even communists to fight against what we call imperialism, or Japanese invasion One of them was Israel Epstein who actually grew up in Tianjin and went to Jewish High School He received a good education, and became a reporter He was sympathetic with Chinese revolution and especially, Madam Song was his good friend He also associated with Chinese Communists During those years Epstein not only helped many revolutionaries or Chinese in their courses but also had some specific missions One thing is that he was entrusted by Edgar Snow the American writer who asked him to escort Deng Yingchao the wife of Zhou Enlai who later on became China's premier, to go to Yan'an He made all his efforts to make sure that she arrived in Xi'an from Tianjin safely Because of that he has many Chinese good friends especially in the Communist Party After war, he left China for a short time but later he was invited to come back and served in Chinese government He ran the magazine China Reconstruction, as editor-in-chief He is perhaps one of the best Tianjin Jews in China In his later life he actually joined Chinese nation, became a Chinese Very few western people or very few Jews could become Chinese national but he was an exception After the Communist took over the power he remained and worked for Chinese and finally became Chinese national And he was elected into Chinese political system especially as a member of China Political Consultative committee and stayed there until he died If we look into his life we could see the friendship between Jewish people and Chinese was enormous In his last years almost every birthday of his was greeted by Chinese leaders He was on Chinese television and on Chinese newspaper They presented him birthday cake and wished him a long life This is one who grew up in Tianjin and became that important There were also other people who were very sympathetic to Chinese revolution In Tianjin, they joined the Communism Red Army or the New Fourth Army became doctors, who provided medical care for people This is one of the things we could talk about Tianjin Jews
