Alison Klayman

Rude Israeli Olympic medalist ticks off Chinese, Peres apologizes

Published on September 15, 2008

Israel’s biggest source of pride at the Beijing 2008 Olympics became its biggest blight this past week, after bronze medal-winning windsurfer Shahar Zubari called Chinese people “sh*ts” in an interview published September 5th in Israel’s Yediot Aharanot.

A boy becomes a man in Beijing

Published on September 10, 2008

"Other tourists, especially Jews, were really blown away when we told them about the bar mitzvah. Lots of people said it was the best story they'd heard yet in Beijing."

Israel finally medals, but it’s not in Beijing

Published on August 20, 2008

Not surprisingly, Israel's first medal of the Beijing Olympics was not won in Beijing, but rather in Qingdao, where the sailing competition is being held.

Report from Beijing: Israeli Olympians visit Beijing school

Published on August 18, 2008

The Shi Jia school put on events over the last two years to teach the students about Israel, how to say "Shalom," even had its students Skype with a school in Jerusalem. Of course, the school was following the progress of Israeli athletes along with China's.

Report from Beijing: Security, it’s not just for airports anymore

Published on August 12, 2008

Security checks are no longer just for airports in Beijing
'Bitachon' on his jacket (in Hebrew) means 'security'

Report from Beijing: Swapping old Jewish swim records for new ones

Published on August 11, 2008

In a strange Jewish sports irony, the gold for this half-Jewish team may come at a price to the legacy of iconic Jewish sports figure Mark Spitz

Israel comes to Beijing with its largest team, high hopes

Published on August 7, 2008

The largest contingent in Israeli Olympic history is eyeing its biggest medal haul as the Olympics get under way here.

Key dates in recent Chinese Jewish history

Published on August 4, 2008

From the opening of the first synagogue in Shanghai to the start of diplomatic relations between Israel and China, some key dates in Chinese Jewish history.

Your guide to Jewish Beijing

Published on August 4, 2008

Beijing has had an organized Jewish community since the late 1970s, the city's congregations cooperate well and Jews coming for the Olympics will find plenty of choices for davening.

Recalling Shanghai’s Jewish past

Published on August 4, 2008

More than 20,000 European Jews fleeing the Nazis found a home in Shanghai, many thanks to a Chinese diplomat in Austria. Honors for Ho Fengshan and a new museum recall that past.

VIDEO: What do the Chinese think of Jews?

Published on August 2, 2008

China correspondent Alison Klayman goes out to Houhai lake to ask the question: What do Beijingers think of the Jews?

Hot pot dinner bonds two very different ‘believers’ in China

Published on July 30, 2008

Hot pot meals are popular in China and a double problem for kosher vegetarians.

Jews in China roll out red carpet for Olympics [VIDEOS]

Published on July 30, 2008

Gold medalists won't be the only ones climbing podiums in Beijing once the 2008 Olympic Games are under way. Isaac Shapiro of Highland Park, Ill. will be stepping up to celebrate his bar mitzvah

Certifying kosher food in China keeping rabbis busy

Published on March 20, 2008

With the kosher certification of more than 300 food factories in China, each producing multiple products, America's largest kosher-certification company, the Orthodox Union (OU), has more than doubled the number of certifications it does in China just in the past two years.