First Friday on a Wednesday with Shoshannah Turgel.
Jewish Voices: Shanghai During WWII
Wednesday, May 27th, 7:00 pm
https://bonaishalom.org/events/jewish-voices-shanghai-during-wwii/

Join CBS member Shoshannah Turgel for what will certainly be a very interesting and educational talk!

This presentation will focus on the history of Jews in China, with specific insight on the city of Shanghai during WWII. At a time when most places in the world had closed their doors to Jewish refugees, Shanghai stood out at a refuge, commonly referred to in historical writings as a port of last resort.

What factors enabled Shanghai to remain an open port for much of the war? How did Jewish refugees make the long journey from Europe to Asia? What did they experience upon arrival and throughout the war? What lasting impression did the Jews leave and how has this impacted Chinese perceptions of Jews today?

Please join us for an informative discussion about the history of Jews in China leading up to WWII and a detailed look into the Jewish experience in wartime Shanghai.

About the Host:

Shoshannah Turgel moved to Boulder in 2000 to attend CU, and first traveled to China in 2003 on a study abroad program.  It was during that trip that Shoshannah first learned about the Jewish history of Shanghai and became fascinated with the Chinese perception of Jewish people and culture. 

Shoshannah returned to Boulder and graduated summa cum laude in History and Religious Studies.  Following graduation she returned to China to study Mandarin at Fudan University, in Shanghai.  She holds an MA in World History from NYU and a Masters in Library Science from Long Island University. 

Shoshannah worked as a librarian for NYU’s Shanghai Campus from 2012-2014 and is now employed as a Librarian at Centaurus High School in Lafayette.  She is an active member of the Bonai Shalom Community.