ampuses che Qe..ji President of Zhens,zhou University. SU students d Magnuson, 24. earned a BS in economics from PSU earlier this year. He has been studying Chinese for two years with Shen. He also plans a career involving China but isn't sure what it will be, although he says he wants to continue his Asian studies. "I'd like to see a bigger and better program - a degree program - at PSU," Magnuson said. ''This looks like the prime time to get it going." The students' immediate futures are full, even if their long-range plans are still open. During the school year they will have access to free medical care, travel within Henan Province (where Zhengzhou University is located), and will earn a generous stipend. Following their year of teaching, the students will be given extensive travel privileges throughout China and they plan to take advantage of them. Although it is barely two months old, the PSU-Zhengzhou University exchange program is creating a 101 of interest among PSU students, according 10 International Studies Director Charles White. He reports an increasing number of students asking about participation in both the faculty exchange, beginning this year, and in the student exchange, to begin next year. "Street of Teaching Scriptures" Rabbi makes contact with Kaifeng Jews by Cynthia D. Stowell Qu Yi-nan is one of a hundred people in Kalfeng, China who are registered as Jews. When she comes to Portland State this fall, she will be the first of her people to study Judaism in over a century. Cut off from the rest of the Jewish world. the isolated Jews of Kaifeng were able to maintain Iheir Iraditions for eight centuries. But the death of the last rabbi in 1830 and the destruction of the synagogue by the flooding Yellow River in 1852 were the beginning of the end of a community that once numbered 3,000. "There's nothing like iI," said Rabbi Joshua Stampfer, PSU adjunct professor and director of the Institute (or Judaic Studies, housed at PSU. "It is an amazing example of an island community. Their power of survival and tenacity outweighs the fact thaI in the last 100 years the traditions have died out." Rabbi Stampfer journeyed to remote Kaifeng last year to find what was left of the Jewish community. With the help of PSU Chinese instructor Katherine Shen and Portland photographer Harry Dawson, Stampfer made contact with descendanls in four families and examined landmarks and artifacts that tell some of the Jewish history. On behalf of Portland State, Slampfer and Shen were also scouting Kaifeng University and the University of Zhengzhou for exchange possibilities. (See story this page about the PSU-Zhengzhoo agrooment.) Qu Vi-nan's decision 10 study at PSU was an unexpected by-product of the trip. Yi-nan's ancestors followed the silk route from Persia in the 10th or 11th century to do business in the Orient, and found China under the Seng Dynasty to be a very hospitable place. They settled in Kaifeng. lhen the capital of Hunan Province, and became respected members of the community. With the blessing of Ihe Emperor, the Jews built their first synagogue in 1163 on what is now called the Streel of Teaching Scriptures. Numbering about 3,000 at their peak, the Jews quietly carried on their religion and their commerce for several centuries, unknown to the western world. "There's nothing like it. It is an amazing example of an island community." In 1605, a Jesuit missionary named falher Ricci arrived in Kaifeng. creating much interest among the Jews, who thought this man who believed in one God was another Jew; Ricci Similarly assumed the Jews were Christians. Once the misunderstandings were out of the way, Ricci brough Kaifeng to the attention of lhe outside world. The Catholic Church in particular was interested in Kaifeng's Biblical scrolls, hoping that "untampered" scriptures would reveal a Messianic prophecy. Catholic missionaries were also lured by the fact that the Kaifeng Jews were "halfway there," said Stampfer. Inlerest from the Jewish world was not forthcoming, however, and the community slowly began to lose its traditions. "The descendants know nothing of Judaism but they have a strong sense of attachment to the past and it would be a betrayal 10 deny their ancestry," said Stampfer. "So they officially register as Jews." Stampfer talked 10 some people who vaguely remembered that their grandparents "would not eat pork and made strange little cakes in the spring." Stampfer became intrigued with Kaifeng about a decade ago when he was researching a biography of Julius Eckman, Oregon's first rabbi. In the 18605, a crilical time for Kaifeng Jews, Eckman was Irying to do something to help them, but he gained little support, said Stampfer. 'When there was an opportunity to help, when they were (by the jewish world)," he said sadly. An adjunct professor at PSU since 1960, Slamp/er has taught Hebrew and ancient Middle East history, although he was not active this academic year. In 1983 he established the Institute for Judaic Studies for the purpose of developing Judaic Studies programs on Oregon campuses and providing lectures on Jewish culture and religion for (he public. Siampfer's trip to Kaifeng was sponsored in part by the Oregon Comminee for the Humanities, Pan American Ail'VY'ays and United Airlines. 9
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