Lianyungang: The Ark of the Jews

Author: Zhang Yanhua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: The title of a book like "Tiblanqiao—The Ark of the Jews" evokes a strong contrast in the hearts of those familiar with Shanghai. For a long time, "Tiblanqiao" was synonymous with Shanghai's prisons, yet now it stands alongside "The Ark of the Covenant." Passing by Waibaidu Bridge along Dongdaming Road leads to the Bund, known as the "Exhibition of International Architecture"; across the river from the iconic Lujiazui skyline, it is a dilapidated corner of bustling Shanghai. Here, "dilapidated" carries a special scale—something modern cities lack. History has covered a series of dreadful or joyful events, but these moving stories still stir today's viewers. In his foreword, the Israeli Consul General in Shanghai, Lan Maor, quotes an ancient Jewish proverb: "Whoever saves one Jewish soul saves the world." He says, "Then, the residents of Hongkou and other parts of Shanghai have saved over 20,000 worlds!" "Hongkou will always be a warm place in our hearts." The Tiblanqiao Conservation Plan was nominated for the 2006 Israel DanDavid Heritage Protection Award. "For the Tiblanqiao area, what matters most is that it provides a precious urban memory—in a metropolis of skyscrapers, there still exists such a quiet corner that once supported the survival faith of tens of thousands of people." Brushing away the dust of history, Dr. Zhang Yanhua meticulously lays out the long-forgotten stories of this region without embellishment: "Today, in many countries such as Germany, Austria, Canada, and the United States, 'Hongkew Ghetto' (Hongkou Jewish Ghetto) has become a specific term"; "Browsing the famous Jewish website 'Rickshaw,' you will be shocked to discover that although the surviving Jews are scattered across the world today, they still maintain the closest connections through the theme of 'Hongkew Ghetto.'" Among the 30,000 Jewish refugees who sought refuge in Shanghai, thousands later went to third countries. By December 1941, when World War II in the Pacific broke out, there were still 25,000 Jews left in Shanghai, a number exceeding the total number of Jewish refugees accepted by Canada, Australia, India, South Africa, and New Zealand at that time. Historically, Shanghai was the largest Jewish settlement outside of Israel. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary and current Director of the Berlin Jewish Museum, Brummoessel, fled to Shanghai at the age of 13. At the age of 92, he revisited his former home in Hongkou District at No. 59 Zhoushan Road, the former site of his synagogue, and the ruins of the primary school he attended. He lingered for a long time, saying, "Without Tiblanqiao, there would be no descendants of Jews scattered around the world today." The Moses Synagogue bears a message from former Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, signed on behalf of the Israeli government to thank "Shanghai people for their extraordinary humanitarian efforts during World War II." Israeli photographer Devin spent years collecting 85 Jewish tombstones from roads, steps, walls, and laundry platforms, and invited outstanding international designers to create a conceptual design for the Shanghai Jewish Memorial Site. This book uses before-and-after photographs to tell people: beneath the tiles and billboards of convenience stores lies the old appearance of the former Vienna Cafe; the illegal constructions and cluttered rooftop terraces were once the famous outdoor gathering place "Moscat Roof Garden." It also tells people: the future Tiblanqiao will preserve its most precious historical value, becoming a living textbook that truthfully records how a land ravaged by war became another nation's "Ark of the Covenant," showing the world how the kindness and friendship of the Chinese people warmed millions of Jews in dire straits. The compilation of these historical materials is not just a supplement to local chronicles but also the living soul of these "Historical Heritage Protection Zones." This book introduces how Shanghai accepted tens of thousands of Jewish refugees during World War II, most of whom spent a period of hardship yet filled with warmth in a place called Tiblanqiao.