Following a provocative escalation of military tension by China against Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that his country would be moving toward a “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan. However, Taiwanese officials asserted that they will not be intimidated, while hoping for what Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen called “an easing of cross-strait relations.” There has been a Jewish presence in Taiwan since the mid-twentieth century, comprising mostly foreign business executives, students, and diplomats. The community currently numbers approximately 800. In the late 1970’s, members of the Jewish community decided to form an official organization, the Taiwan Jewish Community. What concerns were raised early in the history of the Taiwan Jewish Community (TJC)?

Taiwan_19 (Confucius Temple - Taiwan's oldest Confucian Shrine) by Dancing Fingers is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A. Saudi Arabia, the only Arab nation to recognize Taiwan at the time, was apprehensive that this official “club” for Jews was an indication of cooperation between Israel and Taiwan, which the Saudis found very concerning. To mollify the Saudis, the Taiwanese agreed to refer to the Taiwan Jewish Community not as a club but rather as a church.

B. The location of the Taiwan Jewish Community center is close to the Saudi Arabian embassy. To avoid offending the Saudis, a primary source of oil for Taiwan, the Taiwanese authorities required the TJC building’s sign to only include English and Chinese, with no Hebrew wording allowed.

C. Because of the enmity between Saudi Arabia and Israel, Taiwan wanted to minimize any concern that the Saudis might have about the establishment of an official Jewish group with ties to Israel. As a result, Taiwanese officials required the TJC to agree not to allow any Israelis to serve in a position of leadership of the community.

D. The original location of the Taiwan Jewish Community center was close to the Saudi Arabian embassy. To avoid offending the Saudis, the location of the TJC center was later changed to another site further away.

E. In response to pressure from Chinese restaurants located near the Taiwan Jewish Community building, who feared a loss of business as Jews moved into the neighborhood to be near the Jewish center, the TJC rabbi agreed to allow members of the Jewish community to follow the American Jewish minhag (custom) of eating wonton soup and egg rolls on Sunday nights and Christmas Eve.

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