Berkley Center

I have been living in China for almost five months and I have come to realize, despite the overwhelming traffic jams of people, bikes, and cars, you can manage to find anything your heart desires (except for the occasional Western-style toilet). As China has recently become a major player in world affairs, other parts of the world have become a part of China's people and culture.

Besides China's ethnic minorities it seems the vast majority of Chinese people affiliate themselves with Buddhism or Daoism, two religions based on Eastern thought and philosophy. During the Cultural Revolution Mao Zedong implemented a policy to eliminate the practice of religion from China's culture, forcing all religious institutions to close and converting religious centers into secular buildings. Conversely, since the 改革開放 (opening and reform) of China starting in the 1970’s the Chinese people were given back the right to religious freedom, and there has been a massive push to rebuild Buddhist and Daoist culture throughout China. Today, Buddhism and Daoism are visible aspects of Chinese culture; however, “Western” religions are more difficult to come by.

I affiliate with the Jewish religion and coming to China as a Jew, I felt distant and lost from my religious background. The majority of cities in China have the occasional church or mosque, but temples are much harder to come by. I assumed once I was in China my religion would be as far away from me as my parents in the United States.

I was wrong. One night in September I was reading “the Beijinger,” a local magazine guide to Beijing, and I came across an article with "rabbi" in the title. I immediately read the article and found out there was a Chabad center in Beijing which held Shabbat dinners every Friday night and services for all of the high holidays. At first I was hesitant to go to services because I am a Reform Jew, but I came to terms with this difference, and my Jewish friend and I went to Shabbat dinner.

The two of us found our way to the address provided on the Chabad center's website, but it was nothing like we expected. It was a simple living complex, in a very simple apartment, in the middle of China's capital city. We arrived late due to Beijing's notorious traffic, but we were welcomed with open arms. Everything was very casual and relaxed. The rabbi's kids were running around the living room; with a little boy coming to pray on the female side and a little girl reading her Cinderella book instead of the Jewish text, no one said a word. Once services ended, we sat down to a wonderful home-cooked meal and became acquainted with our fellow Jews. I was disappointed no one was from a Chinese background, but it was amazing to meet Jewish people from all over the world who, despite Beijing's chaos, all managed to find a community to which they belonged.

I cannot acclaim to be a devout follower of the Jewish religion, but I still felt a sense of security and reassurance when I found a Jewish community in my new home in China. Every time I go back to Shabbat dinners I see some familiar faces and meet a whole new group of world travelers. I find it ironic that I need to go thousands of miles away from home, in a country where only fifty years ago religion was banned, to realize the comfort and importance of my religion.

My friend and I had to wander around a Beijing apartment complex to find ourselves on the third floor of building number nine in order to find my religious community. Nonetheless, Judaism still exists in China. Driving down the streets, it appears that Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut are the only predominant representations of Western culture in China. However, amongst the population of 1.32 billion people you can never be quite sure what you will be able to find. Forty years ago the concept of religion, even traditional Eastern religions, was forbidden. Now in the twenty-first century, Chinese people have gone from rejecting religions developed from their own thought to accepting and allowing Western religions to be a part of their culture. Judaism cannot rival Kentucky Fried Chicken in popularity, but it remains a growing institution in China's culture. The simple fact that Chabad is allowed to exist in the nation's capital reflects the vast changes occurring in China's politics, culture, and society.