Aliyah

Abstract

Broadcast transcript: In Chinese, the syllables a li ya can have a variety of meanings depending on tone and character. One interpretation could be this: Oh! Leaving Asia. In Hebrew, aliyah means "the immigration of Jews to Israel." And this is exactly what a few young Chinese people are doing: leaving Asia and going to Israel. They are descendants of the Jews who left Persia in the 10th Century and settled in Kaifeng where they built temples, practiced Jewish ritual and received seven special surnames from a Ming Emperor. Eventually, they became so assimilated that only these last names identify them as Jews at all. Now these young Chinese Jews are in Jerusalem reconnecting with their heritage. From Middle Kingdom to Middle East. #china #hacker #israel #ceas