5 members of ancient Chinese Jewish community moving to Israel

24 February 2016, 7:41 pm

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Five women in their 20s from the ancient Chinese Jewish community of Kaifeng are moving to Israel at the end of the month.

The five — the first members of the community to make aliya in almost seven years — have spent the past few years studying Hebrew and Judaism in Kaifeng.

“Kaifeng’s Jewish descendants are a living link between China and the Jewish people,” says Michael Freund, the chairman of Jerusalem-based nonprofit Shavei Israel, which is helping the women with the immigration process.

Freund will greet the new immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport, and take them directly to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.