A few days ago, in sunny Chicago, we visited CHAYA SMALL, a Jewish lady who was born in Poland and lived in exile in Japan and Shanghai, China. Ms. Small, 87, loves Chinese culture deeply. Her home is as full of Chinese flavor as my home in Beijing. . . . The pain of life and death has dealt a heavy blow to Ms. Small's family. They fled from Vladivostok to Japan and then to Shanghai, China. Along the way, they never gave up hope in life.

 

 

How can you enjoy the fragrance of plum blossoms without experiencing a bone-chilling cold? ——Interview in Chicago

Author: Zhou Qian

I was sitting at home in New York in the afternoon, with the continuous rain brought by Hurricane Henry outside the window, and the smooth and passionate melody of the Hungarian Sonata in my ears. It was like the mood of the Jews who fled Europe in the storm 80 years ago, full of sadness and reluctance. But never gave up hope.

The Chinese embroidery work "Fu Ze My Family" at the entrance of Ms. Small's home

Displayed in the cabinet are small ornaments of metal rickshaws

 

A few days ago, in sunny Chicago, we visited CHAYA SMALL, a Jewish lady who was born in Poland and lived in exile in Japan and Shanghai, China. Ms. Small, 87, loves Chinese culture deeply. Her home is as full of Chinese flavor as my home in Beijing. On the left side of the entrance, there is a cross-stitch work "Fuze My Family" made by her daughter. On the wall of the study room is a picture of a drunken concubine. In the dining room, there are vases with blooming flowers and wealth. On the shelf of books, there is a gift from her father. Rickshaw ornaments from Shanghai, folded Chinese screens hung with Chinese knots and safety buckles.

Ms. Small wearing a black Chinese embroidered cardigan

 

Ms. Small, wearing a black Chinese-style embroidered placket top, gave us a warm and powerful hug, which actually reminded me of my grandmothers. They are both weather-beaten, kind and friendly old people who have seen the essence of life clearly. A warrior who still loves life.

In 1940, 6-year-old Ms. Small and her family fled to Vladivostok on the Siberian Railway to escape the massacre by the German Nazis. On this train that crosses Russia from east to west, what is more chilling and despairing than the desolate wasteland outside the window is the terrifying atmosphere inside the train. The fleeing Jews sat on the floor in the crowded train. Soldiers with live ammunition pointed their guns at them. They were not allowed to speak or talk except to go to the toilet. The young Ms. Small was frightened and hid in the arms of her parents, looking at the uniformed soldiers. She did not understand what was happening, but the dark, silent, long and endless carriage and the panic and fearful mood But it made her remember it for 80 years. She was wrapped in a thin blanket and slept on the ground for an unknown amount of time. The only thing that brought her a sense of security was her curled up sleeping position and the shaking floor of the carriage. She held on to the blanket tightly and survived the nightmare. Night after night. When they arrived at Vladivostok, the soldiers did not allow the Jews to get off the bus. In that era of war and when everyone was in danger, who would be willing to accept a busload of Jewish refugees?

Pictures from the interview

With tears streaming down her face and her voice shaking, Ms. Small thought she would never forget that journey. More than a decade later, when she was granted citizenship in the United States, she was unable to fully pronounce her name as uniformed staff looked on. At that moment, she was shaking uncontrollably and was speechless. This was typical post-traumatic stress syndrome. The uniforms worn by the staff reminded her of the nightmare on the Siberian Railway train. Even several times her husband found Ms. Small not sleeping peacefully in the bed early in the morning, but curled up in a corner and sleeping on the floor, wrapped in a quilt. If it hadn't been for Ms. Small's personal account, I would not have been able to imagine that the old man with sonorous words and firm eyes in front of me would have had such a fragile moment.

Ms. Small's family successfully escaped from Poland and saved their lives, but none of the relatives who remained there survived. In 1945, when the whole world was celebrating and cheering for the end of the war, her parents fell on the bench and wept silently. Searching the newspapers in Shanghai at that time, there was no news from Poland calling them, which meant that all their relatives left in Poland were no longer alive. After the war, Ms. Small's family searched for relatives all over the world, but unfortunately, there was no news.

Ms. and Mr. Small's wedding photos

Traditional Jewish wedding (Photo source: Sina)

Traditional Jewish wedding (Photo source: Kongfuzi Old Books Network)

The pain of life and death has dealt a heavy blow to Ms. Small's family. They fled from Vladivostok to Japan and then to Shanghai, China. Along the way, they never gave up hope in life. Talking about the two weddings she attended in Shanghai from 1942 to 1946, Ms. Small also happily recalled her traditional Jewish wedding—her wedding in 1952 in the United States, which was both solemn and lively. At the wedding, the mothers of both parties accompanied Ms. Small and walked around the groom seven times. The two newlyweds had to drink from the same glass of wine. Then the rabbi who presided over the wedding read out the marriage certificate, and relatives and friends read the congratulations seven times, which symbolized their love for each other. 7 blessings for newlyweds. Mr. Small, as the groom, is required to break a glass. This is a warning from Jewish ancestors to the newlyweds that even the happiest and most joyful moments can have bad things happen and be accompanied by painful and irritating emotions. The wisdom of the Jewish ancestors can be said to be similar to the wisdom of Chinese Buddhism. The “Four Seals” of Buddhism also tell us: “All happiness and stability are constantly changing: contentment, peace and tranquility are not achieved once and forever. "No matter how comfortable you are, it will eventually be disillusioned. Just as there is life, there will be death, there will be growth, there will be old age, there will be prosperity, there will be decline, and emotions also appear in pairs. In the seven days after the wedding ceremony, the Smalls will host a banquet at their parents' home to entertain relatives and friends, and will recite blessings to the newlyweds seven times every day. A week later, the groom takes the bride's hand and goes to his home, symbolizing the establishment of his own family from now on.

Drinking Hexin wine together at a traditional Chinese wedding (Photo source: Looking for Elements)

In fact, traditional Chinese weddings and Jewish weddings have many similarities. For example: Gong Lao He Ning. The newlyweds eat a piece of meat and drink a glass of wine together, which means they will become a family from now on, symbolizing that the couple will share happiness and longevity, joys and sorrows; there are also wedding tokens in traditional Chinese weddings: red dates, longan, peanuts, lotus seeds, etc., symbolizing descendants Continuing, you will have children every year, reunion, wealth and good luck. This is similar to Judaism’s purpose of encouraging early marriage and having children.

Jews in front of bomb shelter

Ms. Small’s favorite old photo taken in Shanghai shows several Jewish women standing in front of an air-raid shelter holding their children. She told us: “Those Jewish women who were not holding their children were all pregnant women. Jews at that time They still work hard to live under difficult circumstances, get married and have children, spread their business, and continue to build the Jewish community." Although air raids threaten their lives at any time, looking at this photo, I feel no fear or sadness at all, but a sense of Jewishness. The nation is tenacious, vigorous and the power of life. "You should always look at the good and positive side of everything. During the few years I lived in Shanghai, although life was difficult, I could always be with my parents, brothers and sisters, and get help from Chinese friends. Although I didn't have good food and clothing, I still had family and friendship. It makes up for everything." Ms. Small's open-mindedness and optimism infected us, allowing us to see with our own eyes the realm of "how can you get the fragrance of plum blossoms without being chilled to the bone".

Because of this wisdom, Ms. Small lived an independent and warm life in her later years. On the day of the interview, we met Ms. Small’s second son, granddaughter and great-granddaughter. They were very friendly and came to help make the interview go smoothly, and supported the mother with practical actions in telling this history to the younger generation. Ms. Small usually lives alone at home in Chicago and prepares three meals by herself. Fresh food and good eating habits help the old man maintain a healthy body. She told us that she has a close relationship with her children and they move around a lot. They take turns calling her every Friday, and sometimes she feels like a high-profile queen.

In addition to being an admirable mother, Ms. Small is also a successful real estate agent with a record of zero complaints in 50 years of practice. Her reputation is very good, and all the clients who recommend houses to her are convinced. She proudly said: "In order to take care of her five children and family, she chose a career as a real estate agent with relatively free working hours. Over the past 50 years, she has taken every business seriously and never lied, concealed, or forced herself to earn agency fees. Close any business.”

In the face of the great changes in modern life, the advancement of science and technology, and the impact of different cultures, traditional culture, whether it is the Jewish nation or the Chinese nation, is facing various challenges. How did Ms. Small maintain her love and passion for life and face difficulties and challenges after going through hardships and displacement in her teenage years? Ms. Small’s answer was so simple and resounding: “Do what you think is right, what the Bible tells us! Don’t be influenced by others, identify with your own attributes and culture, hold your chin high, and lift your Keep your head up and move forward firmly! Make more friends, keep an open mind, be kind to others, and look at the advantages of others."

When we first moved to New York, a new neighbor moved downstairs. On Thanksgiving day, she actually brought us sumptuous traditional Thanksgiving food, hoping that we could feel warm in a foreign country. It is an excellent Western tradition for new neighbors to visit old neighbors and share food, so later during the traditional Chinese Spring Festival, I also gave her some Chinese dumplings to taste and introduced her to the traditional food culture of the Chinese Spring Festival.

Daffodils in a New York home

In these interactions, what I saw was the answer given to us by the octogenarian Ms. Small: "Stick to what is right for you and learn from the good of others." So, at my home in New York, I bought a blue and white porcelain flowerpot before the Spring Festival. Plant daffodils, because in addition to the new clothes, sumptuous family dinners, and noisy firecrackers during the Spring Festival, there is also a faint fragrance; eat every grain of rice in the bowl during meals, respect the food and the people who provide us with food, Never waste food; use modern technology to chat with my father thousands of miles away every day and maintain a close relationship with family elders. At the same time, we also learn critical thinking in Western culture and look at problems from different angles; cultivate boys' gentlemanly style of dealing with others and respect for women; cultivate girls' attitude of being independent and actively exploring a broader life.

Ms. Small in interview

There is an old saying in China: If a family has an elder, it still has a treasure. The interview with Ms. Small lasted a whole day, during which she prepared desserts and coffee for us, showed us her old photos and collections, and recalled her husband with us in the study. She cooperated with us at the age of 87. All interviews requested. The three of us hugged each other again before leaving. My daughter whispered to me: Mom, I am particularly reluctant to let go of Ms. Small. She is so warm, so powerful, and so cute! Yes, this treasured old man has too many experiences to share and too many stories to tell. We have seen her sail through thousands of sails and never change her original intention; we also hope that after half of our lives, we will still be young when we come back.

This interview is Ms. Small's story about rickshaws while living in Shanghai.