I am an Orthodox Jew who is Keeps Kosher and trys to daven in a synagouge Daily.....Does anyone have info for Hotels in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai that are near synagouges and/or Kosher Food?

Here's the information on the orthodox shul in HK, including nearby hotel and kosher restaurants: http://www.ohelleah.org/philosophy_s.html

And Beijing: http://www.sinogogue.org/
And Shanghai: http://www.chinajewish.org/

Have a good trip

Food wise, I imagine China can be tough if you strive to keep kosher. Lots of pork and shellfish. And I doubt animals are slaughtered according to kosher processes, nor will food be certified kosher as is typical in the West.

If you do end up eating local, and are concerned about whatever meat might be used, tell your host you wish to eat like a BUDDHIST vegetarian. Simply telling them you are "vegetarian" isn't enough. You'll get vegetables seasoned with meat. They understand a Buddhist vegetarian wants to avoid meat. You can still eat well on veggies, eggs & tofu though.

Stick to tea, canned soft drinks, bottled water & beer. Unless your system is pretty robust....

Can't help regarding synagogue though. Enjoy your travels.

If this can't help you, nothing can... http://www.chabad.org/centers/default.asp?AID=6268

Dan

Depending on how strict you are, the gong de lin chain of restaraunts in Beijing and Shanghai are strict Buddhist Vegan.

When you rely on "Buddhist vegetarian", you are (as you might expect) only as good as your host establishment.

Baltimore Hebrew College did a China trip last fall -- they had a few "near misses" with meat seasoning that were only caught by the intervention of their interpreter. If you are not fluent...

There are some good Buddhist vegetarian restaurants in Beijing. Food is
excellent.. even for a meat eater.

I know a couple of names and addresses.. and a few general areas.

PM me if you need the details.

I am an Orthodox Jew who is Keeps Kosher and trys to daven in a synagouge Daily.....Does anyone have info for Hotels in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai that are near synagouges and/or Kosher Food?

Dont know about Shanghai, was in PEK myself this past March. There were a few others on board heading over for a couple of trade shows who made plans to be in Shanghai for Shabbos so I would look up Habad there or just go to HK where there no problem at all. Probably the weathiest Jewish Community in the World.

As for PEK from a friend told me the Habad is clsoe to The Hilton, I wasnt staying near there but I guess you can find out what other Hotels are in that immediate area.

I see from your Handle you are NY based. In Brooklyn on 12th Ave between 48th and 49th St, there is a take out place called Shicks. You can buy meals in a can that are are already Cooked and doesnt require Refridgeration or a Micro to heat up. Best is putting the can into a sink of Hot water and after 45 mins or so its Luke-warm. they dont always have everything dont have the # but call and ask for Yossi and he'll tell you what he has or what he can can for you. I have been going this way ever since I was told of the place a yr ago. Sure beats not having nothing or having to depend on when and where I can eat.

I truly thank all of you for all your help. I am an Orthodox Jew, so I only eat at exclusively Kosher Establishments , so Chabad was a big help. Buddhist and Veg. Resturants do not suffice. But, I do really appreciate all of your input

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I see from your Handle you are NY based. In Brooklyn on 12th Ave between 48th and 49th St, there is a take out place called Shicks. You can buy meals in a can that are are already Cooked and doesnt require Refridgeration or a Micro to heat up. Best is putting the can into a sink of Hot water and after 45 mins or so its Luke-warm. they dont always have everything dont have the # but call and ask for Yossi and he'll tell you what he has or what he can can for you. I have been going this way ever since I was told of the place a yr ago. Sure beats not having nothing or having to depend on when and where I can eat.
Another option for all kosher travellers can be found atwww.labriute.com (http://www.labriute.com)
They manufacture a wide range of self heating glatt kosher meals at a very reasonable $7 a meal
They can be ordered online or picked up at various kosher shops including Boro Park and Five Towns
I've tried them and they are quite good
Be'Teavon

Another option for all kosher travellers can be found atwww.labriute.com (http://www.labriute.com)
They manufacture a wide range of self heating glatt kosher meals at a very reasonable $7 a meal
They can be ordered online or picked up at various kosher shops including Boro Park and Five Towns
I've tried them and they are quite good
Be'Teavon

I tried all of their so called Meat ones. and id rather not eat anything then that Garbage. It was meatball & spagetti (yep 1 meat ball , which I thought was made as a Racket-Ball). The chickhen and turkey ones had no taste and were just like Rubber too. These meals weigh less then the cans I get and cost $5 less, but the cans are really no different then what you would get if you went in and ordered it for Take-Away.

I tried all of their so called Meat ones. and id rather not eat anything then that Garbage. It was meatball & spagetti (yep 1 meat ball , which I thought was made as a Racket-Ball). The chickhen and turkey ones had no taste and were just like Rubber too. These meals weigh less then the cans I get and cost $5 less, but the cans are really no different then what you would get if you went in and ordered it for Take-Away.

Sorry that I can't agree with you. I have tried the beef and vegtable and the chicken and vegetable and while they are not gourmet or restuarant quality they are definately edible and much better then the canned food that I used to eat. Besidfs which each meakl comes with powdered soup, cookies, and plasticware.
The main advantage is that you don't need a heat source like you do with cans etc.
If you are running around Disneyworld or Niagara Falls like I will be doing in a few weeks, it beats the alternatives
But like anything else with food, it's all a matter of individual taste

Sorry that I can't agree with you. I have tried the beef and vegtable and the chicken and vegetable and while they are not gourmet or restuarant quality they are definately edible and much better then the canned food that I used to eat. Besidfs which each meakl comes with powdered soup, cookies, and plasticware.
The main advantage is that you don't need a heat source like you do with cans etc.
If you are running around Disneyworld or Niagara Falls like I will be doing in a few weeks, it beats the alternatives
But like anything else with food, it's all a matter of individual taste

If I was heading to Disney or NF, no way would I bother with taking any food with me. As for Disney theres The Lower East side a few mins from the Sheraton Safrai not cheap but its fresh and hot and w/o all the SODIUM that the LaBriute has in it.

As for NF its a bit of a schelp but I would do the hour trek to BUF and theres places there and supermarkets by the Young Israel. Even if I go every other day, it beats the other stuff.

I am an Orthodox Jew who is Keeps Kosher and trys to daven in a synagouge Daily.....Does anyone have info for Hotels in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai that are near synagouges and/or Kosher Food?

I doubt that you'll find kosher food in China (the only indigenous Jewish community died out hundreds of years ago), or even much food without meat, but if halal is an acceptable substitute (I know that the dietary laws are similar, but I'm not up to speed on all the nuances of kashrut to know whether my suggestion is anywhere near feasible), there are plenty of Chinese Muslim restaurants that omit pork and serve only halal meat. (I spent time at a language school where one of the students was an American Muslim, and he would eat out only at Muslim restaurants.)

If it's not acceptable, then Buddhist vegetarian is the only thing that is even remotely unlikely to contain meat.

Nothing in traditional Chinese cuisine contains dairy products, so at least you don't have to take that into consideration.

I travel frequently to Beijing.
Chabad there is excellent but expensive. They do deliver food. You can write to them at Chabad Beijing [info@chabadbeijing.cn]. You can also stay at a number of hotels close to them for Shabbat.
There are many Haagen Daaz and Baskin Robbins ice cream stores. I actually looked at the tubs in the Baskin Robbins store and they had a VMK (Vaad Hakshrus Mass.) symbol.
Underneath the Hyatt in the center of town there is a smalll mall which has a decent size food market. They have some Kosher food there such as peanut butter, potato chips, ketchup, tuna, etc.

I doubt that you'll find kosher food in China (the only indigenous Jewish community died out hundreds of years ago), or even much food without meat, but if halal is an acceptable substitute (I know that the dietary laws are similar, but I'm not up to speed on all the nuances of kashrut to know whether my suggestion is anywhere near feasible), there are plenty of Chinese Muslim restaurants that omit pork and serve only halal meat. (I spent time at a language school where one of the students was an American Muslim, and he would eat out only at Muslim restaurants.)

If it's not acceptable, then Buddhist vegetarian is the only thing that is even remotely unlikely to contain meat.

Nothing in traditional Chinese cuisine contains dairy products, so at least you don't have to take that into consideration.


Sorry can't help with the food bit because I've probably never bothered to figure out what's kosher or not, but there was a pretty large group of Jews in Shanghai during WW2. Not exactly couple of hundred years ago.

Sorry can't help with the food bit because I've probably never bothered to figure out what's kosher or not, but there was a pretty large group of Jews in Shanghai during WW2. Not exactly couple of hundred years ago.

There had been a synagogue here in Shanghai c. 1927. The Ohel Moshe synagogue that is. Between the first and second war there was a substantial growth in the community and then again a couple of years before WW2 and through WW2 the last big increase in numbers of regular attendees.

But I don't know if that would be called a long-established "indigenous" community. Indigenous communities that were along the earthy silk routes and watery spice routes in and around China moved to India, Bukhara/Samarkand and Azerbaijan/Iran a long time back.

Finding vegetarian restaurants is supposedly not too difficult (or so many strict Indian vegetarians doing business in China tell me); and, for the most part, such places should be kosher with kosher observers.

There is actualy a chabad house in changhi, log on to chabad.org for the email addresses etc... of the chabaf house.

I doubt that you'll find kosher food in China (the only indigenous Jewish community died out hundreds of years ago)
Well there are Chabad Houses in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kowloon, Pudong, Shanghai, and in Shenzhen, so I'm sure you wont have any trouble finding kosher food in those places!

There had been a synagogue here in Shanghai c. 1927. The Ohel Moshe synagogue that is. Between the first and second war there was a substantial growth in the community and then again a couple of years before WW2 and through WW2 the last big increase in numbers of regular attendees.

I visited that synagogue as part of a tour of the Jewish history of Shanghai in 2001, I suppose. The tour was organised by an expat Israeli woman, who I believe has since left China. The city has a fascinating Jewish history.

The synagogue, I believe, no longer houses regular services, and is controlled by the Ministry of Education. At that time, I believe the expatriate Jewish community was allowed access several times per year for special services. I'm not sure if that continues.

The tour was extremely interesting, particularly as hundreds (thousands?) of Jews escaped Europe and spent the war in Shanghai. Some extremely wealthy Jews were already living in the international concession and provided support to the refugees, who all left in the years following the war. I believe that the Sassoon family (from Iraq, originally?) build the Peace/Cathay hotel on the Bund. If the tour continues, it may be well worthwhile.

I visited that synagogue as part of a tour of the Jewish history of Shanghai in 2001, I suppose. The tour was organised by an expat Israeli woman, who I believe has since left China. The city has a fascinating Jewish history.

The synagogue, I believe, no longer houses regular services, and is controlled by the Ministry of Education. At that time, I believe the expatriate Jewish community was allowed access several times per year for special services. I'm not sure if that continues.

The tour was extremely interesting, particularly as hundreds (thousands?) of Jews escaped Europe and spent the war in Shanghai. Some extremely wealthy Jews were already living in the international concession and provided support to the refugees, who all left in the years following the war. I believe that the Sassoon family (from Iraq, originally?) build the Peace/Cathay hotel on the Bund. If the tour continues, it may be well worthwhile.

The family (or at least family name) was originally Spanish; moved to Morocco and then off to Iraq around the 1500s. Later, they were practically British even if living in Iran, India and China.

Under the certification of Rabbi Shimon Freudlich, Beijing China’s first Glatt Kosher restaurant opened on March 1st.

The only independently owned Kosher restaurant in China, Dini’s moderately priced menu offers a complete selection of Chinese food, Western food, and a spectacular sushi bar.

For the first time, those who keep Kosher can enjoy traditional Chinese food. The restaurant serves a Chinese banquet consisting of cold appetizers, chicken, beef, fish, fried rice and a selection of the freshest vegetables.

The Western menu includes soups, salads, steaks and the dishes that your
grandmother used to make. The breads, desserts and parve ice cream are
all homemade.

Complete packages and set menus (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are offered
for tours. Both in Beijing and for travel to other cities.

The restaurant is more than Kosher, it’s a dining experience.

Located just off Nu Ren Jie (the Woman’s Street); across from the New American Embassy, and a five minute walk from the Israeli Embassy.

Open from 11:00am to 10:00pm (last order). Closed Shabbos, opening on Saturday night one hour after Shabbat ends.

Dini’s Kosher Restaurant 6461-6220, fax 6461-3735

For additional information call 6556-2045

For tours and catering please call 139-1074-0109 or write to
tours@kosherbeijing.com; catering@kosherbeijing.com

http://www.kosherbeijing.com

I am an Orthodox Jew who is Keeps Kosher and trys to daven in a synagouge Daily.....Does anyone have info for Hotels in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai that are near synagouges and/or Kosher Food?

chabadbeijing , shimon freundlich, dini's kosher restaurant is a only and just profit oriented organisation ! no real jewish life, no prayer services, nothing..Only one goal..making money, money, money. All this under the mask of the religion...

"Excuse me, waiter: are there any Chinese Jews?"

(pause)......"We have orange jews, tomato jews, and pineapple jews. NO Chinese Jews!"

:D

Have a great trip!

Sh'aloha oy!

Welcome to FlyerTalk, lj1128 and cn770!!!!!

chabadbeijing , shimon freundlich, dini's kosher restaurant is a only and just profit oriented organisation ! no real jewish life, no prayer services, nothing..Only one goal..making money, money, money. All this under the mask of the religion...

I am very far from being a fan of Chabad. and most likely the restraurant was set up as a money maker, do you know of any restrauant that wasnt? As for not having prays, many a Chabad doesnt hav ethem, after all you do need 10 Jewish males and I doubt youd find 10 Jewish males living within walking distance of Chabad in Beijing or any number of cities.

What they do is draw alot of Israelis who are passing thru and give them a place to get kosher food or to intermingle with other Jews. Even Hong Kong is set up with the business-person in mind as are the other Minyons except for Ohel-Leah. Yes there are Jews that live in HK but not many at all in Kowloon. Kowloon caters to the biz person who wants to eat kosher and have a minyon to pray a swell as the Jewish tourist passing thru. From those I met who avail themselves of these places, they dont mind that its all about Money as it serves their own personal needs and makes their stay alot more comfortable.

I might have some ideological issues with Chabad, but I would never look at them as a profit-making enterprise. I met one of the guys who started the restaurant, and also heard from someone else that it is operating much more as a service... it isn't very profitable. There are services run out of the place on shabbat, and I also had the opportunity to attend services in Yabalou in the diplomatic area. The rabbi and his wife were very warm, and I had a great time.

Chabad has helped me out in Tokyo (fantastic rabbi there), Hamburg, Shanghai, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, and probably others that I'm forgetting. All of them have been very genuine, and never once asked for money unless I pushed them about it. There are plenty of people who use their services and never pay a penny. And that suits them just fine.

A suggestion for those who aren't glatt kosher. Many Chinese cities have fairly substantial Muslim populations and their neighborhoods have lots of halal restaurants. This is a good way to avoid the otherwise ubiquitous pork and shell fish which makes up so much of Chinese cuisine. There used to be one of these restaurants in Alhambra (east Los Angeles). I can personally attest that the food was very tasty.

A suggestion for those who aren't glatt kosher. Many Chinese cities have fairly substantial Muslim populations and their neighborhoods have lots of halal restaurants. This is a good way to avoid the otherwise ubiquitous pork and shell fish which makes up so much of Chinese cuisine. There used to be one of these restaurants in Alhambra (east Los Angeles). I can personally attest that the food was very tasty.

its not a question if one eats Glatt Kosher or reg Kosher, eating meat not slaughtered according Halacha (Jewish Law) renders the meat Not Kosher. Muslims are not in the same bind, unless they adhere to strict Halal, so a Muslim can eat meat that is kosher and can be fine, the same is not the case for a Jew who adheres to be kosher, whereby eating Halal is no different then eating something that is not kosher.

true eating something that is Halal will mean its origin is not from a Pig or shellfish, but it doesnt mean its kosher. otherwise one would be able to go into any supermarket and purchase Beef, as beef isnt pig or shellfish either.