Merry Christmas, nu?

 Chinese jews from Kaifeng, circa 1910, Lantern slide

I am wishing you all a Merry Christmas. Christmas is a little bit different for those of my persuasion. First we wax our horns. Then after a few kippers, we might make a usurious loan or two. After reading a couple of passages from the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, we have a quick scan of the horizon for unwitting victims to fleece. Then we do what most jews do on this holy day - we go out for chinese food.

I don't know how the symbiosis with chinese got started, probably the only restaurant open on the christian holiday. We tend to do most of our business deals with the italians, for some reason. Maybe the food?

There is a jewish community that has existed in China for over 700 years in Kaifeng. They first came through on the silk road. Their existence was first documented by Italian Jesuit Matteo Ricci at the beginning of the sixteenth century. Matteo tells of

meeting in Beijing a Kaifeng Jew called Ai Ti’en who because of their shared belief in one

god assumed that Ricci must also be a Jew.

So the plan is to go to Jasmine for dim sum tomorrow. Will see many from my tribe. Anyone want to join us, just get in touch. Merry Christmas and hold the msg.