Kaifeng article is a nice change
Thank you for the wonderful article “Local scholar keeps history of China’s Jewish community alive” (April 8).
I visited Kaifeng in 2000 and met a widow of one of the Jewish descendants. It was a touching, almost overwhelming day. She had hamsas and religious books donated by a U.S. congregation on her altar, along with traditional Chinese fruit offerings. We saw the museum exhibit about Kaifeng’s Jewish history, prepared by the Palo Alto Sino-Judaic Institute.
I have felt alienated over the last few years by J.’s focus on the local Jewish community’s support for Israel. I don’t see the diversity of viewpoints within the community represented in the paper. I was glad to see something historical and local about our Jewish history that I could learn from and enjoy.
Laura Bresler | San Francisco
Jewish isn’t an ethnicity
I read “California bill would add Jewish identity as an ethnicity on forms,” the March 30 article about “Jewish” being included as an ethnicity on state forms that collect demographic data. “This would allow Jews to identify themselves as an ethnicity for the first time,” the article says.
I don’t agree with this. Jews come from many ethnicities. Being Jewish is not an ethnicity. Our ethnicities remain intact regardless of our Jewishness. I am an Italian Jew, and I identify with my Italian roots along with my Jewish identity. We shouldn’t be piling all Jews into one ethnicity. It’s inaccurate and misleading.
Mary Silver | Tiburon
Kudos to Israeli folk dancer
Thanks for the article on Israeli folk dance instructor Allen King (“Israeli folk dancing changed his life. He’s chosen to spread the joy,” March 30). I had the great pleasure of interacting with him at weddings when I was playing with my band, Ellis Island Old World Folk Band.
One of Allen’s greatest contributions, unmentioned in the article, was writing the dance descriptions for the book “The Best of Israeli Folk Dances” (1990). It has sheet music and lucid descriptions for 51 classic Israeli dances and is a wonderful reference tool. Some used copies are still available over the web.
Jim Rebhan | El Cerrito
That shopkeeper was my uncle!
The article about the Jewish Fillmore was informative and excellent (“Jewish Fillmore back in the spotlight as S.F. seeks to undo ’60s ‘urban renewal,’” April 6). I enjoyed reading it because I grew up in San Francisco. It would have been helpful to identify the “shopkeeper” in your photo from the Magnes Museum as Harry Diller, the proprietor of Diller’s Kosher Restaurant. He was my uncle.
Dana Shapiro | San Francisco
Editor’s note: The photo caption has been updated!