China’s Debt: The Jews of Shanghai
Join us as we explore the extraordinary contributions to Shanghai made by Jewish Families such as the Sassoons and the Kadoories over a period of nearly 100 years. We are going to unfold the fascinating little-known story about how three waves of Jewish immigration helped turn the small port-city of Shanghai into a thriving metropolis.
We are led by gifted story-teller, Dvir Bar-Gal, who, armed with his humor, intense passion, and encyclopedic knowledge, will keep us mesmerized with tales of the massive influence these individuals had in creating “The Pearl of the Orient” and of the marvelous landmarks they developed over the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
BIOs
DVIR BAR-GAL
We are privileged to have the Israeli-born, noted documentarian and photo-journalist, Dvir Bar-Gal, guide us through the fascinating history of Baghdadi Jews who shaped the emerging metropolis that is Shanghai. Arriving in China on 2001, Bar-Gal began journalistic research to unearth and save Jewish cemeteries. His findings prompted him to preserve the remaining gravestones and to bring them to a befitting place of memory. His distinguished career has brought him far and wide as a sought-after, expert guest speaker. He has led Jewish Heritage tours in China since 2003 and is the author of three photography albums and the first-ever Passover Haggadah of China.
