Jewish communities have existed in China for over 13 centuries, but today architectural traces are hard to find. Ohel Rachel Synagogue was built in 1917 by the affluent Iraqi Jewish population of Shanghai. Though it still stands, Ohel Rachel has not escaped recent decades without damage. (...)
Jewish communities have existed in China for over 13 centuries, but today architectural traces are hard to find. Ohel Rachel Synagogue was built in 1917 by the affluent Iraqi Jewish population of Shanghai. Though it still stands, Ohel Rachel has not escaped recent decades without damage. Of the many associated structures that used to surround the synagogue, including a library and mikvah, only the school building has survived.
Shanghai’s Jewish community worshipped in Ohel Rachel Synagogue until 1952 when Chinese authorities seized the property and stripped the interior of furnishings and decoration. The windows and chandeliers were shattered during the Cultural Revolution. In 1993, Shanghai declared Ohel Rachel a historic landmark but the building functioned as offices and storage for the Communist Party Youth League for another five years. The synagogue was finally cleaned and painted in preparation for a visit from then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, but no structural repairs were made.
