My True Home

ZHANG:
And on a lighter note... How does it feel to be both Chinese and Jewish? Our Israeli team talks to a young woman from Kaifeng, China who belongs to both of these ancient cultures. Here's her story.

STORY:
We caught up with Jin Jin and her father, Mr. Jing, at the airport. He spent the holidays with her, here in Israel, and now he is returning to China.

[Jin Jin, Kaifeng Jew]:
"When I was a little child, my father always told me, 'you are Jewish, you should go back to Israel,' so I said, 'ok, I am Jewish, I should go back to Israel.'"

Jin Jin has been living in Israel for the past two years and learned to speak Hebrew. She can now translate Jewish scri ptures into Chinese, to help the Jewish community in Kaifeng.

[Jin Jin, Kaifeng Jew]:
In Israel it's according to the mother, but in China it's according to father. So, since my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather is Jewish, so my father is Jewish and I am Jewish."

Like all religious Jews ,Mr. Jing wears a Tsisit under his shirt and a Kippa on his head. He shows us his Kippaand explains.

[Mr. Jing, Jin Jin's Father]:
"Here it says Kaifeng in Hebrew. Here it says Kaifeng in English. It's handmade!"

So how is it possible that Jin Jins ancestors were Jewish? We went to see Michael Freund to find out. He specializes in locating descendants of Jews around the world and helps them return to Israel.

[Michael Freund, Chairman, Shavei Israel]:
"There was a Jewish community in Kaifeng for over a thousand years. Jews first arrived there around the eighth of the ninth century, along the silk route. They settled in Kaifeng which at the time was one of the imperial capitals of China. And over the centuries, a Jewish community in every respect, took root there."

Back at the airport, it's time to say goodbye.

[Jin Jin, Kaifeng Jews]:
"I think my father is right, there is a land that God promised to us. Yes, it is our home."

NTD, Ben Gurion Airport, Israel.

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[bebejay275]

These are a great people, us Jews in Israel should help them return. They are our lost people and need to return. I dont care about race of the people or their skin color.

[NZK0F]

I am Chinese and love the Jewish people. Anything I can do to help the Jewish people I will do it with a cheerful heart. Shalom!

[LucciLouTheArtist]

These so called jews inhabiting the land of israel are imposters - who are they? khazars who settled in various lands including china and israel around the 9th century from the land of khazaria! The real owners of the land are the semantic jews who are the Hebrew Israelites (also known as the Black People of America, Mexicans, and People in the Carribeans) who were carried off to the 4 corners of the earth due to the transatlantic slave trade - which the khazars participated as slave traders!

[murder312]

@gsvkck do even know about the religion or do u just want to convert for the sake of it !

[Rblett]

Seems to me as if "being Jewish" is being used as an excuse here. There is nothing in judaism about blind loyalty to a political nation-state; rather, we are told very directly to be loyal to our native country and government. Hey good luck to them and all, but while while we Jews are not permitted to question whether someone is or is not a Jew, there are things which are very definitely Jewish and not Jewish

[Albacorewing]

I think it is very good that these folks kept the traditions of their ancestors.

[jimmypagen10]

@gsvkck well, since your not Jewish youll have to go through the conversion process(unless you can prove your mothers lineage Jewish then you will not have to). bu theres no discrimination based on ethnicity in Jewish conversion, just go for it. but the Rabbi will probably deny you 3 times(as is tradition) but will accept you/

[gsvkck]

@jimmypagen10 This subject is very confusing to me. As an Asian American who's interested in converting to Judaism I want to learn more about this. None of my parents are Jews, so will the Jewish people except me as one of their own, or will I face more discrimination from all sides?

[jimmypagen10]

@israelmuse Israel accepts her, i say who are you to judge who is a Jew and who is not?

[darkness1987zx]

Ok but still don't forget that it palestine and what ever you confense your self and the world the truth will remain the same and Palestine is Palestine nothing more nothing less and as any inventor you will go out but still you will come back that our destiny to always be like this but in the end you Jew know and we know what the end and if you forget just go back to your book

[jugoolick2006]

@potlick18 I like. :)