High Holidays in Beijing

Rabbi Jack and Beverly spent three weeks in China (mostly in Beijing, with a side trip to Xi’an) for the 2014 Jewish High Holidays. Rabbi Jack was invited back in May, 2015 around Shavuot to conduct a wedding, and then Jack and Beverly were back for High Holidays 2015 (photos from that trip have not yet been posted here).

Thank you to the wonderful Kehillat Beijing community for inviting Jack to Beijing to lead Rosh HaShannah and Yom Kippur services and to support the community; in his rabbinical capacity in Beijing, Jack has also conducted two weddings, facilitated a baby-naming, given several talks at the Beijing Moishe House, and provided rabbincal guidance and counseling. Here are a few snapshots from the 2014 trip.

Group bike ride with Kehillat Beijing

Group bike ride with Kehillat Beijing. Jack and Beverly are on the left.

Kehillat Beijing Ark, closed

Kehillat Beijing Ark, closed

Kehillat Beijing's Torah in Chinese-style Holy Ark.

Kehillat Beijing’s Torah in Chinese-style Holy Ark. Board members Shimi and Sandy do some pre-holiday planning with Rabbi Jack

Kehillate Beijing's sanctuary set up for Shabbat services

Kehillat Beijing’s sanctuary set up for Shabbat services

Pre-Yom Kippur community dinner

Pre-Yom Kippur community dinner

Wedding in Beijing

Wedding in Beijing

Learning how to shake a lulav

Learning how to shake a lulav

Wedding mementos

Beijing wedding momentos

Visiting Beijing's tea market

Members of Kehillat Beijing generously showed us around this huge city. Here, KB’s Jake (a tea expert) and Becca took us to Beijing’s tea market, a neighborhood filled with shops selling teas and tea paraphernalia

Chinese spoon seating tags from Lucy and Ari's wedding

Chinese spoon seating tags from Lucy and Ari’s wedding

Havdalah

Havdalah

Water calligraphy at Temple of Heaven Park

Water calligraphy at Temple of Heaven Park

Serving tea

Serving tea

Jack and Beverly bike on top of the old City Walls, Xi'an City.

Jack and Beverly bike on top of the old City Walls, Xi’an City.

Rooftop, as seen from Xi'an old city walls

Rooftop, as seen from Xi’an old city walls

Terracotta Warriors. Jack had long wanted to see this archeological wonder in Xi'an. Thousands of life-sized, individually-carved soldiers and horses buried in a Qin-dynasty emperor's mausoleum.

Terracotta Warriors. Jack had long wanted to see this archeological wonder in Xi’an. Thousands of life-sized, individually-carved soldiers and horses buried in a Qin-dynasty emperor’s mausoleum.

Practicing for National day dance performance by Xi'an old city walls

Practicing for National Day dance performance by Xi’an old city walls

Young dancers practicing for their National Day (October 1st) performance, Xi'an

Young dancers practicing for their National Day (October 1st) performance, Xi’an

Xi'an

Xi’an

Mother and Child in Hegezhuang Hutong, outside Beijing's 5th ring.

Mother with baby in Hegezhuang Hutong, outside Beijing’s 5th ring.

A three-wheeled delivery vehicle, Hegezhuang Hutong.

A three-wheeled delivery vehicle, Hegezhuang Hutong.

Coal delivery, Hegezhuang Hutong

Coal delivery, Hegezhuang Hutong.

A colorful kite against a clear Beijing sky

A colorful kite against a clear Beijing sky


Kite flying in a Beijing park

Kite flying in a Beijing park

Chinese morning market--"Red or Green?"

Chinese morning market–“Red or Green?”

At the Ancient Observatory

At the Ancient Observatory

At the Ancient Observatory

At the Ancient Observatory–what a fun place for a physicist to visit

Ancient Observatory

Ancient Observatory

Dragon Fruit--the flesh inside is white with small black seeds

Dragon Fruit–the flesh inside is white with small black seeds

Rabbi Jack by a 3-D model of Beijing at the Urban Planning museum

Rabbi Jack by a 3-D model of Beijing at the Urban Planning museum

Reclaiming plastic threads for reuse

Reclaiming plastic threads for reuse


Mother with child

Mother with child

Starbucks

Starbucks

We saw lots of interesting English translations....

We saw lots of interesting English translations….

Contemporary Art at 798 art district

Contemporary Art at 798 art district

Old manufacturing building being renovated into an art gallery, 798 art district. Old fa

Old manufacturing building being renovated into an art gallery, 798 art district

Lots of modern shopping malls with every upscale store imaginable

A thoroughly modern shopping mall, complete with larger-than-life artwork

One of the largest video screens in the world, at "The Place"

One of the largest video screens in the world, at “The Place”


Real bagels in Beijing!?!

Real bagels in Beijing!?!

And tasty falafel and other Israeli delights, at Biteapitta

Tasty falafel and other Israeli delights, at Biteapitta

Skinned turtle on a stick--someone's dinner

Skinned turtle on a stick–someone’s dinner?


Floral creation, an ode to farm workers

Floral creation, an ode to farm workers

Sunday brunch at the St. Regis hotel

Sunday brunch at the St. Regis hotel

Wangfujing Avenue, Beijing's lively shopping strip

Wangfujing Avenue, Beijing’s lively shopping strip

Leave a Reply