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Restoring urban memories
By Anna Greenspan and Nick Land
Shanghai Star. 2004-03-11
FOR any Shanghai resident or visitor interested in the ongoing development
of the city, the Hongkou District, situated on the Huangpu River to the north of
the Bund and directly opposite the most spectacular skyscrapers in Pudong,
is an area of particular fascination.
Despite its proximity to many of the city's most dramatic landmarks - both
traditional and contemporary - the tide of urban renovation seems to have
largely bypassed this relatively unassuming neighbourhood, leaving it as
something of a backwater.
Yet it was the fascinating past of the Hongkou District, rather than its dazzling
future, that first brought Ian Leventhal to the area in the spring of 2001, along
with his wife Renee.
The Canadian couple were visiting Shanghai on a sightseeing holiday, and
had a particular interest in the city's Jewish heritage. "With directions to the
Ohel Moishe Synagogue scratched onto a piece of paper, my wife and I
jumped in to a cab and headed for the Hongkou district of Shanghai."
Leventhal's initial impression of the North Bund was of: "A virtual time
capsule of decaying tenements, crumbling Victorian style brownstones and
small stores. In the centre of all this proudly stands the Ohel Moishe
Synagogue (now called the Refugee Memorial Hall).
"Set back from the hectic swirl of Changyang Lu you enter the building
through a majestic iron gate. Immediately as you move through the sanctuary
door, you are overcome by an eerie stillness ... a place time forgot."
History of Hongkou
It was at this site that Leventhal met Wang Liang, whom he describes as "the
Museum's most important feature".
Now 83 years old, Wang grew up in the district and experienced its history
directly. Today he works at the Memorial Hall, introducing visitors to the site
and its significance, his personal reminiscences enriched by diligent study of
the Jewish Diaspora in China.
In the early decades of the 20th century, when Shanghai was recognized as
one of the great international centres of the global economy, one of the many
cultural groups that flourished there were the Jews, who had come to the city
from all over the world. First were the Jews of Baghdad, wealthy families like
the Sassoons and Kadoories who left a splendid architectural heritage,
including some of the finest colonial buildings in the city - among them the
Peace Hotel and the Children's Palace.
Next came a wave of refugees from the Bolshevik revolution, and finally there
was the wave of refugees from Nazism who found shelter in Shanghai, one of
the only ports in the world which did not require an entry visa.
At the peak of this influx, Shanghai was home to tens of thousands of Jews.
This community participated significantly in the vibrant cultural life of the city.
In the Jewish area of Hongkou, where the European refugees from Nazism
were concentrated, one could find Jewish newspapers, Yiddish theatre, violin
concerts, European coffee shops, dance clubs and sports activities. During
the Japanese occupation of the city, Shanghai's Jews were strictly ghettoized
in the few blocks surrounding the old Hongkou synagogue.
For both Chinese and Jews the period of Japanese occupation was a
harrowing time, and Wang vividly recalled the feeling of mutual sympathy
between the two groups that their shared tribulations provoked. According to
Leventhal, "Mr Wang made the history of the former Ghetto leap out of the
past with gripping clarity. I came away from our encounter charged with
purpose. Filled with passion and resolve I would help Mr Wang tell his story
to a new generation."
Gift of friendship
Having returned home, yet still feeling inspired - even "electrified" - by his
visit, Leventhal decided to organize an art exhibition on the theme of SinoJewish ties. The exhibition was to be called "The Gift of Friendship" and was
conceived as "a gift from the Canadian Jewish and Chinese Community, to
commemorate the safe haven Shanghai offered to the Jews during the war
years."
Together with his friend, Harriet Morton, Leventhal found "33 artists willing to
donate their visions to the gift of friendship. Two thirds of the artists were of
Jewish backgrounds, one was actually born in China. The other third were of
Chinese ancestry but were now living in Canada." Canadian GovernorGeneral, Adrienne Clarkson agreed to became the exhibition's honourary
Patron.
The show opened on May 6, 2002 at the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater
Toronto, drawing a crowd of over 700 rather than the 200 anticipated. It was,
Leventhal said, "successful beyond our wildest dreams".
The next stage was perhaps even more significant, shipping the show to
China and its permanent home at the Refugee Memorial Hall in Shanghai. To
assist with this process Leventhal turned to a friend from Toronto, Tom Rado,
who became a solid partner in the ongoing endeavour.
On October 23, 2002 the Gift of Friendship opened in an specially renovated
section of the old synagogue, in a outbuilding that used to be a "matzah"
factory, making the unleavened bread consumed during the Jewish holiday of
Passover, but now restored and renamed the "Art Exhibition Hall".
Later in the same month, the two Canadians had the opportunity to talk to
Hongkou District government officials at a lunch to celebrate the opening of
the show. A senior Hongkou District official, Madame Yao, presided. It was at
this occasion that they began to learn about the ambitious redevelopment
plans being explored for the Hongkou district. Leventhal's involvement with
Jewish Shanghai was only just beginning.
Living Bridge project
During the winter, and into the spring of 2003, Leventhal and Rado deepened
their collaboration with the Hongkou District government, working on a
concept for restoring the old Jewish Ghetto in keeping with the overall
development plan for the area. The initial idea, Leventhal said, was to create
a "mixed-use community, with emphasis on restoring heritage structures and
sensitivity to the special qualities of the historical backdrop".
To pursue this goal, Leventhal and Rado formed a company called Living
Bridge dedicated to combining the modern urban renewal of the area with a
"Jewish heritage component". By the summer they had formulated a block by
block comprehensive overview, specifying which buildings would be restored,
paying particular attention to green space and traffic flow. The plan
envisioned "a lively neighbourhood encompassing old architectural gems, a
new Jewish Museum, refurbished concert and venue hall in the old art deco
theatre and an expanded Ho Shan park (currently the site of a memorial to
the Jewish Ghetto Community)".
Leventhal and Rado assembled an impressive array of financial partners,
including major Canadian banks to support the project. In September last
year, a delegation from the Hongkou District government came to visit Living
Bridge in Toronto, where they were introduced to the Canadian team of
advisors and legal counsel. This meeting obviously went well, because in
December, the two Canadians returned to Shanghai to attend a forum on the
future of the district, involving local experts and government officials.
A public announcement was made for the first time that Living Bridge
organizers would be working together with the Hongkou government to
"advance plans for the protected redevelopment" of the area. The various
components of the project - shops, restaurants, museums, galleries - are
scheduled for completion in phases, with the core areas to be completed by
2008 (in time for the Beijing Olympics) and the balance for 2010 (in time for
the Shanghai World Expo).
If Leventhal and Rado succeed in their plans, the future development of the
city will also be a celebration of its rich and colourful multi-cultural past.
Copyright by Shanghai Star.