Kosher Showers

Out of the woodwork they came, one by one, then in larger waves, like those ants who went marching or the teddy bears arriving at their picnic in the woods.  If you arrived a mere five minutes early, as we had done, the place was empty, tables neatly set for people that clearly weren't planning on showing up.  Show up ten minutes late, and you were fighting for a seat.  Before long, what started by feeling almost as if we were trespassing on something small and private, had turned into what must be one of the best kept secrets in town:  Shabbat in Shanghai.

Where did all the Jews come from?

Such was the first question I asked my friend Michelle upon sitting down to dinner after Shabbat services at the Shanghai Jewish Center.  We'd been talking about going to Shabbat here for a couple months now, primarily to appease Michelle's Jewish-guilt-flinging grandmother.  We weren't really sure what to expect, since neither of us know that many Jews in town.  It turns out, there are a lot, perhaps not in terms of relative numbers, but certainly in terms of cultural enthusiasm.  At least 70 people showed up to the services tonight, if not more.  Some of them live here, some of them were passing through -- all of them, however, were welcome and welcoming.

Like the telltale smell of grandma's matzo ball soup, wafting through the kitchen before a Seder, feelings of Jewishness, and the pride at our ability to share a festive meal with friends and strangers alike, came rushing back tonight.  The service was long enough to feel meaningful, and short enough to keep my limited attention span for these kind of things.  The singing was loud, exuberant, and almost entirely in tune.  The food was delicious and plentiful.  And most of all, the people were exactly as I remembered "them" -- it feels as if I left my Jewish self behind when I came to China, and found it again at dinner tonight.  They greeted me like an old friend, and asked where in New York I was from (before telling them I was even from the US).

Some highlights from the evening:

• When I arrived at the shul, it was empty.  I told the Chinese receptionist that I was there for Shabbat services and dinner, and he said, pointing to the staircase to my right, "Okay!  The show is downstairs!"  I assumed this was the Shanghai Jewish community's response to "Book of Mormon."  I descended to the sanctuary, and awaited the start of the "show."
• Chicken soup was served as part of the meal.  It tasted eerily like wanton soup.
• I forgot to pay for my meal when I arrived, and by the time I remembered it was already Shabbat, so I was barred from paying (not allowed to do business on Shabbat!).  I promised to pay next time, and I actually think I will.  Good to support these kind of things, I think.
• The rabbi, your classic big, burly, and bearded fellow, was your classic Jewish politician, roaming the room during dinner.  He greeted everyone with two bottles -- one whiskey, and one vodka -- and said, "And for you?"  When the guy across from me shook his head in decline, the rabbi said, "I wasn't asking yes or no, I was asking whiskey or vodka!"
• After the first round, however, the rabbi (who was awesome, and I don't begrudge him for this one bit) was way more interested in filling and re-filling his own glass than he was with making sure everyone else was full.  I must've said "le'chaim" about 10 times with an empty glass (and on each one, the rabbi took a shot).
• The rabbi interrupted the meal every now and then for prayer, song, and talk.  At one point, he had everyone new to the congregation stand up and introduce themselves.  I thought this was a particularly nice touch, and made me feel even more a part of the community than I already did.
• During another interlude, the rabbi quipped: "In response to all of the disturbing news about the contents of our river here in Shanghai, I have been asked a very troubling question in recent days: is it no longer kosher to take a shower in Shanghai?"

I'll be going back.