'Jewish Refugees in Shanghai' exhibition opens at UT Dallas

The exhibit tells the story of the migration of the Jews from Europe to Shanghai, one of the few places that accepted Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution.
The exhibit tells the story of the migration of the Jews from Europe to Shanghai, one of the few places that accepted Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution. | Contributed photo
The University of Texas Dallas opened the "Jewish Refugees in Shanghai" exhibit today with support from the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies and the Confucius Institute.

The exhibit is on display in the first-floor gallery of the Edith O'Donnell Arts and Technology Building until Sept. 30. It tells the story of the migration of the Jews from Europe to Shanghai, one of the few places that accepted Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution. The exhibition includes personal stories of the refugees, photographs and artifacts on loan from the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. The museum is at the former site of the Ohel Moshe Synagogue.

Director of the Shanghai Center for International Studies Pan Guang will lecture on the history of Jews in China and the cultural exchange that ensued on Saturday.

“Professor Guang is one of the top scholars of Jewish studies in China, especially known for his deep knowledge of Chinese Jews in history,” Confucius Institute Director Ming Dong Gu said. “His lecture will situate the Jews in Shanghai exhibition into the larger context of Jewish migration to China over history and offer a fresh perspective to viewing Jewish refugees in Shanghai during World War II.”

"The Shanghai Ghetto" and "A Gift of Life" will be shown at 4 p.m. on Sunday. "Wind from the East," a Chinese folk music concert, will be held on Sept. 25. The UT Dallas Confucius Institute Folk Music Band and the art troupe from Bejing Normal University will perform.