February 2012 • Volume 6 • Issue 9 • Shevat / Adar 5772

Shimon Peres, President of Israel, paid an official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnamese President Tru-ong Tan Sang. This took place from 21-27 November, 2011.

President Peres was accom-panied by a delegation group of 65 businessmen, and also met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and National De-fence Minister General Phung Quang Tranh. The visit was the most important by any Israeli official since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1993.

There has been warm rela-tions between Israel and Viet-nam since the epoch of David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first Prime Minister at the Paris Peace Talks, held around 1946. This meeting was between heads of states of those countries in-volved in Middle-East affairs following WWII.

At that time Gurion was staying at the same hotel as Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s revolu-tionary leader and the country’s first prime minister. For a whole week they met each other each day and formed a special re-lationship. Ho Chi Minh was very interested in hearing about

PERES LANDMARK TRIP TO VIETNAM WITH HISTORICAL OVERTONES

IN THIS ISSUE

Regional News20 years of relations between India and Israel 3-7

Business NewsLooking to be local niche in logistics 8-10

Art and Culture“Israel Day” to thank relations 11-12

TributeCelebration of Life Muriel, The Lady Kadoorie 13

FeatureA stamp with the temple menorah uncovered 14

JTA Classifieds 16-17

Jewish communities in AsiaCandle-lighting and the month’s Parshas 19

By Philip Jay, Editor

February 2012 • Volume 6 • Issue 9 • Shevat / Adar 5772 www.jewishtimesasia.org

and his Vietnamese counterpart, Truong Tan Sang, witnessed the signing of a cooperation agree-ment on sea transport and a doc-ument on financial cooperation.

Peres laid a wreath at the Monument to Heroes and Mar-tyrs and paid a separate tribute to Ho Chi Minh. He also at-tended a Vietnam-Israel busi-ness forum and visited beautiful Ha Long Bay.

President Peres invited President Sang to pay a visit to Israel. President Sang accepted the invitation with pleasure and the visit will be arranged through the usual diplomatic channels.

the history of the Jewish people and was very touched by the Holocaust and the suffering of the Jews.

While on his trip, Peres mentioned this in the meetings and the anecdotes moved and impressed the people that he met. Peres himself was very taken by Vietnam, impressed by the people, and the relation’s he achieved and how the country had managed through the years struggling for their indepen-dence.

The 65 member delega-tion was made up of security and industrial representatives from many leading Israeli firms.While in the country, the delegation signed financial protocols, to ease companies doing business in Vietnam and vice versa, including a shipping agreement. Other agreements that were on the agenda remain to be completed.

Vietnam is interested in Is-raeli technology for economic growth to upgrade its tradi-tional agriculture and water management systems. Accord-ing to the Israel Export Insti-tute, Israeli exports to Vietnam have tripled in recent years. At the beginning of 2011 exports reached US$250 million and imports from Vietnam at the end of 2010 reached US$131.9 million.

“We agreed to expand our cooperation in the agricultural sector. Israel is ready to share experiences in fields prioritised by Vietnam,” Peres said after he Peres inspecting a Guard of Honour

President Shimon Peres and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang

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Israel looking for more Filipino caregivers

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20 years of relations between India and Israel

Thailand arrest terror suspectThai authorities arrested a Lebanese-Swedish man of duel citizenship, after being warned by Israeli intelligence of a possible attack in Bang-kok. Thai authorities arrested Hussein Atris, believed to be connected with Hezbollah, on 13 January.

He is alleged to be part of a cell planning an attack and was arrested at Bangkok airport attempting to leave the city. When interrogated by police Atris led police to a warehouse where they recovered 4,000 kilograms of urea fertilizer and several gallons of liquid ammo-nium nitrate.

However, Thai National Police Chief Gen. Prewpan

Dhamapong told reporters that he believed Bangkok was actu-ally a “transit point, and unlike-ly that they would have staged terror attacks in Thailand.”

Defense Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said Thai and US intelligence officials were moni-toring the movements of other individuals and were stepping up precautions in areas deemed to be at risk such as tourist sites.

A defense ministry source said Israeli intelligence had contacted Thai officials on 22 December with information that two or three suspects could be planning an attack in Thai-land. However, the individuals travelled to the south and left

the country. The Israelis alerted Thai officials again on 8 Janu-ary of the danger of an attack in areas where there are often large concentrations of tourists, such as the Khao San Road, which is popular with young backpackers.

Chief Rabbi of Thailand, Rabbi Yosef Kantor, commented that the incidences were not spe-cifically targeting Jewish institu-tions such as the Chabad House in Bangkok which is very close to Khao San Road or the Beth Elisheva Synagogue.

Although an increase in security measures is likely and implemented for better monitor-ing and screening.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Menashe Bar-On told local reporters that Israel issues approximately 10,000 working visas a year to Filipino caregivers, but this could go higher.

“Probably we can absorb some of the displaced Filipi-nos from the Middle East,” Bar-On said.

He said that Israel hires Filipino caregivers only be-cause there is no communica-tion gap as Filipinos speak English. At least 90% of care-givers in Israel are Filipinos, he said.

“The population is aging and more elderly people need caregivers,” he said.

Aside from the aging population, the ambassador said, demand for caregivers is increasing because more Jews now want their old folks to stay in their own homes with their families rather than in hospitals or spend the rest of their lives in homes for the aged.

According the Israeli gov-ernment, there are 100,000 Filipinos in Israel of which 40,000 to 50,000 have legal documents and 30,000 are overstaying workers.

To mark 20 years of diplo-matic relations, Indian Ex-ternal Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna visited Israel from 9-11 January. The visit kick started a festive year cel-ebrating ties between the two countries since diplomatic relations were established in 1992. Krishna is the highest-ranking Indian official to visit the Jewish state since 2000.

Krishna met with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-tanyahu and President Shimon Peres. During the meetings discussions were mostly on security-related and economic issues. The two countries are expected to sign a free trade agreement this year. An extra-dition treaty has officially been signed by the countries.

To mark 20 years, both countries will organise several events during the year to en-hance economic, commercial and technological cooperation.

A source in the Israeli For-eign Ministry said, “the visit marks the Indian leadership’s understanding that relations with Israel are very important in all areas.”

Indeed, in recent years the relations have grown stronger. In the past, the ties focused on the diamond trade, arms exports and hikers’ trips to

people in the rest of the world who are constantly looking for new destinations for high-quality vacations.”

The tightening cultural rela-tions make artists in both coun-tries happy. Israeli performers are receiving greater represen-tation in India’s cultural fes-tivals, and Indian artists have begun visiting the Holy Land more, and not just for “spiri-tual” festivals. The Festival of India will be held in Israel this year as well, in May.

After visiting Israel, Minis-ter Krishna met with Palestin-ian Authority leaders in Ramal-lah.

Foreign minister SM Krishna shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

India, but today they are held on all levels. The volume of trade between the two coun-tries reached US$5 billion last year. According to estimates, after the free trade agreement is signed this number will quickly triple. Israeli and Indian com-panies have already entered different types of partnerships in the fields of security, agricul-ture, technology and alternative energy, real estate, pharmaceu-tics, and telecommunications,

A recent visit last year was made to India by Israel’s Fi-nance Minister Yuval Steinitz, who attracted a lot of media attention. The visit focused on research and development is-sues, and one of the minister’s most interesting statements was that scholarships would be handed out to 100 postdoctoral

candidates in technological fields in order to bring them to study in Israel and connect the intelligence of both countries.

“Israel views its ties with India as its second most impor-tant relationship after the US,” Steinitz told Indian media.

Agriculture Minister Orit Noked visited India as well and signed a cooperation agreement for the next three years.

Tourism Minister Stas Mi-sezhnikov visited India in 2011. “Some 40,000-50,000 Israelis visit India every year,” his of-fice said in a statement to the press. “The minister is interest-ed in looking into ways to turn Israel into a tourist destination for 40-50 million Indians of the middle-upper class, whose income equals that of wealthy

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Regional News

Special visit for Kahanoff Human Magen David becomes official World RecordGuinness World Records has officially confirmed that the attempt by 276 individuals made up from the Hong Kong Jewish community to form a Magen David human star is a world record.

On 10 May 2011, at Discov-ery Bay College, Hong Kong, a human star, was organised by the Hong Kong Jewish (Scouts) Tzofim Group with the co-oper-ation of Israel’s Consulate. The day was to celebrate Israel’s 63rd Independence Day which included many other activities making it a family fun-day.

According to the regula-

Ruth Kahanoff, Deputy Di-rector General Asia and the Pacific, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), attended a 5-day seminar organised by the Hong Kong government in January.

The itinerary included some 20 meetings, briefings and visits where she met with senior gov-ernment officials, including Jas-per Tsang, President of Legco as well others from the private sector. The programme covered political, social and economic developments which enabled Kahanoff to see and understand at first hand the concept of one-country-two systems; between Hong Kong and China and Asia. She had also attended the Asian Financial Forum.

Kahanoff joined the Foreign

Ministry in 1983 and became the First Secretary, Asia and the Pacific Department in 1986. Kahanoff got posted to Hong Kong between 1989-1991 to become Consul and DCM, Consulate General of Israel. Her diplomatic career then took her to Beijing, Deputy Direc-tor, Israeli Liaison Office in 1992-1994 and later in 1995-2001 Ambassador of Israel to New Zealand. Before departing back to Israel, she was Director, Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei between 2003-2006.

Kahanoff studied Chinese Language and Modern History, at Hong Kong University and has a M.A programme in East Asian Studies, from the Hebrew University.

Amikam Levy, Israeli Consulate to Hong Kong, Ruth Kahanoff, Jasper Tsang, and Secretary General of Legco, Ms Pauline Ng

tions, two independent wit-nesses are required and the

organisers made sure that they were present. The 277 people participating beats the previous number of 250 people.

The Tzofim was established two years ago, by a group of parents, led by Eliad Cohen, who were looking for a social movement for their children based on Jewish values and a love of Israel. Its goals are to strengthen the Jewish identity of our youth and to emphasis Zionism together with provid-ing social skills such as leader-ship, teamwork and friendship.

Human Star record attempt

Tzofim with the World Record certificate


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Sandra Taieb, Yael Malka, Yonatan Yagodovsky, Annie Perez at the fundraising dinner event

Dr Racelle Weiman

Sandra Taieb, Annie Perez, Yael Malka, with Elie Bin Director General MDA, and Eilat Shinar during handover ceremony

Regional News

MDA Friends of Hong Kong established

Scholar connecting history of the Jewish and Philippine peopleIsrael’s Embassy in the Phil-ippines warmly welcomed Dr Racelle Weiman, Senior Director of the Dialogue In-stitute in the Temple Univer-sity in Philadelphia. Weiman visited on 15 November, and also attended a function at the Philippine Jewish Commu-nity Centre.

Weiman focuses her pursuit to connect the Philippines and its role in saving fleeing Jews during WWII from Nazi perse-cution. She had the opportunity to visit historical venues and ar-chives where the late President Manuel Quezon’s documents and correspondences were stored.

Weiman accessed the fa-mous Quezon archives and found many historical commu-nications between the Jewish communities in Europe and Manuel Quezon himself.

With permission, she plans to digitalise them at the Ho-locaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC, in order to showcase the hospitality of the Filipinos.

Her meetings with the De-partment of Education Secretary, Bro. Armin Lusitro solidified her goal in spreading the signifi-cance of the Philippines’ role in the Holocaust and promoting the importance of the country in saving thousands of lives.

In addition to her research

about the Philippines, she also had the opportunity to lecture about subjects related to the prejudice studies and conflict resolution at prominent educa-tional institutions such as the Asian Institute of Management, De La Salle University-Manila, Grace Christian College, St. Scholastica’s College and Uni-versity of the Asia and the Pa-cific.

Professor Weiman has also had past ties with the Philip-pines, herself. In 2005, she was awarded with the Order of Lakandula, the state’s highest civil honour, for her continuous research and contributions with the said project.

onstrates its support to Israel, Hong Kong did not have an ambulance with its name on it.

Moreover, the ambulance fundraising was the perfect project to launch what will soon become the Hong Kong recognised MDA Friends of HK charity to raise awareness in medical emergency services.

On 11 September 2011, a fundraising dinner was held at the Jewish Community Centre and raised most of the funds to cover a standard but fully equipped MICU ambulance, at cost of around US$85,000.

Yonathan Yagodovsky, Head of International Fundrais-ing Department and a former head of MDA Jerusalem Cen-tral Station, showcased the MDA mission, its capabilities and futures challenges.

The Friends of HK MDA Committee intends to organise

On 29 December 2011 Hong Kong officially became the 16th country of Magen David Adom (MDA) Societies net-work through the acquisition of a state-of-the-art Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU).

A ceremony was held in Tel Hashomer Hospital, near Tel Aviv, to formally hand over the ambulance to MDA Emergency Services with the presence of

Professor Eilat Shinar, Director of MDA Blood Services, help-ing to save lives in all commu-nities in Israel on a daily basis.

The Ambulance Project was initiated in June 2011 after Hong Kong residents Annie Perez, Yael Malka and Sandra Taieb rightfully noticed that, despite having a vibrant com-munity that regularly dem-

other events throughout the coming year that will both ben-efit MDA in Israel but also the local Hong Kong community as well.

For almost 80 years, Magen David Adom in Israel has been providing emergency medi-cal services to the citizens of Israel. Although saving lives is its primary role, functioning as

the Israeli Red Cross Society, Magen David Adom also plays an integral part in many other activities offering humanitarian aid and assistance within Israel and abroad.

Magen David Adom has a fleet of 650 ambulances sta-tioned at 119 stations across the length and breadth of Israel.


Regional News

Singapore JBF set upSecond series of Chinese Holocaust Studies programme held

Chinese educators in Israel

The Singapore Jewish com-munity has established the first Jewish Business Forum (JBF). Its main goal is to pro-vide a platform to connect Jewish business members with other leaders in the wider network circle of Singapore.

In addition JBF will facili-tate business opportunities and host events, with influential speakers and opinion-shapers and decision-makers.

JBF has been orchestrated by Simcha Sharon who has lived and worked in Singapore since 1980. “We have a few dozen members to join at this infancy stage. Once value be-comes more evident and visible to a wider circle, we hope to rope in between one to two hun-dred members,” Sharon said.

“The idea crossed my mind during late 2010. As a Jewish community in Singapore, with all its diversity, we are blessed to be located in a place and a region that is witnessing explo-sive growth and prosperity. In addition to the indigenous and expatriate Jewish community we have a growing cluster of

individuals in wide range of business activities like bank-ing, hotel/hospitality, casinos, trading, hi-tech, property, retail, F&B to name just a few,” added Sharon.

During 1996 Sharon was in-tensely involved with the Israel Business Association. As its name suggest, it had engaged solely in promoting Israel-Sin-gapore related business activity but became dormant a few years later.

JBF will be completely self-funded on a non-profit basis and membership is complimentary for the first year.

For further details, you can visit www.jbforum.org

Last November, 29 educa-tors from Macau, Shanghai, Shangdong, Nanjing and Kai-feng, Xian, and Zhengzhou came to Israel to take part in the second Chinese seminar for educators at Yad Vashem’s International School for Holo-caust Studies.

MA and Doctoral students, university department heads and professors as well as par-ticipants from the Nanjing Mas-sacre Memorial Museum, all came for in-depth study of the Holocaust and how to teach it in the classroom. The group also had an opportunity to tour the country and experience a singu-lar communal Shabbat.

“By participating in the seminar, I deeply recognise the importance of Holocaust education. I think the essential goal of Holocaust education is ‘to remember the past, to live the present, to trust the future,” commented Abba Kovner one of the Chinese educators.

The special two-week semi-nar was comprised of academic lectures and presentations. Among the seven survivors that

met with the group at Yad Vash-em were two ‘Schindler Jews’ who shared their experiences in the Emile Factory in Krakow and the best friend of Anne Frank spoke extensively of their friendship as young children.

Last year a similar seminar inaugurated Yad Vashem’s ongo-ing activity in China; and since then Yad Vashem experts have been to China to hold seminars there as well. The seminar is sponsored by the Adelson Fam-ily Charitable Foundation. Dr. Miriam Adelson is Chairperson of the Council for the Promotion

of Israel-China Relations.

Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies conducts dozens of seminars annually for educators from around the world, and produces educational material in many languages.

The first seminar for Chi-nese educators at Yad Vashem was held in October 2010 at-tended by a group of 22 Chi-nese professors and teachers was also led by Professor Glenn Timmermans, from the Depart-ment of English at the Univer-sity of Macau.

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Israeli girl discharged after being arrested in India

SIGNAL meet Chinese dignitaries

UN Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony

Andrew Po Fung Liu performing Shindlers List

Jeremy Amias

The Bombay High Court has discharged an Israeli national, arrested at Mumbai Airport on 27 October, 2011 after two live cartridges were found in her backpack, noting that it was not a “conscious possession”.

Nurit Toker, was on holiday, on her way to Kathmandu. She spent four days in the police custody before the magistrate’s court granted her bail.

According to Toker, she had been given an M-16 assault rifle during her compulsory military service in Israel which ended in October. “After completing the service, she decided to take a vacation. She had returned the rifle, but forgot to remove the cartridges from her back-pack,” said her counsel, advocate Ni-teen Pradhan.

During the probe, she pro-duced a report from the Israeli Embassy, supporting her claim that cartridges were left in the

backpack by mistake.On receipt of the report, the

investigating officer applied to magistrate for withdrawal of the case, but the lower court re-jected it and issued a summons to her.

The division bench of Jus-tices A M Khanwilkar and RG Ketkar, in the ruling held that from the material collected by police and the Embassy report, “It is amply clear that posses-sion of two live cartridges was a result of some mistake. It was not a case of conscious posses-sion.” Discharging her from the case, High Court directed that her passport be returned.

Sino-Israel Global Network for Academic Leadership (SIGNAL), headed by Carice Witte, Founder and Execu-tive Director, met with a del-egation of Chinese dignitaries from the prestigious China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS). The centre is headed by Dr. Yu Hongjun, who is also Deputy Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

The meeting follows direct-ly upon the heels of SIGNAL’s first official trip to China, in October of last year.

During the 17-day trip, which was planned in cel-ebration of the inauguration of SIGNAL’s Israel Studies Programme at Sichuan Inter-national Studies University, SIGNAL met with a host of re-search institutions and universi-ties across China, including the CCCWS.

What followed was a mu-tually expressed interest in advancing Sino-Israel relations and suggestions for collabora-tive efforts to that effect in the future. The recent meeting in Israel reflects the desire and will from both sides to strength-en Israel-China ties through academic leadership.

SIGNAL was formed in 2011 for the purpose of enhanc-ing China and Israel’s strate-gic, diplomatic, cultural and economic relationship through academia.

CCCWS was founded in 2010. Its main fields of research include international relations, party politics, political systems in foreign countries, China’s strategy for foreign affairs, socialist theories, social and political trends of thought and comparative studies in develop-ment modes. It actively con-ducts exchanges and academic discussions.

Regional News

Memorial Prayer recited Dr Stephen Smith

This year’s UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony held in Hong Kong at the Jewish Commu-nity Centre was organised by the Holocaust and Tolerance Resource Centre (HKHTC). This is a newly established organisation dedicated to pro-moting education and aware-ness of the Holocaust in Asia.

The event was held on 31 January and attended by many from the Jewish community and the wider Hong Kong commu-nity. As well as many foreign diplomats including the Con-sul General of Israel to Hong Kong, Amikam Levy, spiritual leaders from Hong Kong were also present.

To accompany the ceremo-ny, a special photograph exhibi-tion was on display inside The Garden Room showing Holo-caust worldwide memorials.

Keynote speaker was Dr Stephen Smith, Executive Direc-tor of the UJC Shoah Founda-tion Institute located in the US, which is the site of archives of Holocaust survivor testimonies

established in 1994. He is also the founder of the UK Holocaust Centre and the Aegis Trust for Genocide Protection. Dr Smith spoke about his own life and his visits to Yad Vashem in Israel. A son of a Methodist minister he learnt about the Holocaust and decided he needed to make a positive response.

Some short videos were shown of the work of the USC Shoah Foundation including tes-timonies from Holocaust survi-vors and some relating to Jewish refugee families in China.

The programme included an address by Jeremy Amias, Director of HKHTC, lighting of

the memorial candles, a poem read by Sheri Dorfman, Without Jews by Jakob Glatstein read by Annke Patria and a testimo-nial by Sylvain Gilbert, Holo-caust survivor and Hong Kong resident.

Musica l per formances included violinist Andrew Po Fung Liu who played the theme of Shindlers List and Israeli singer Liat Graf, who performed in Hebrew Rikma Enoshit (One Human texture). Mumbai Airport

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Business News

Looking to be local niche in logistics

Taiwan and Israel sign MOUs

Economic cooperation be-tween Taiwan and Israel has been further reinforced after a recent signing of two memo-randums of understanding (MOUs) on cooperation in the fields of water technologies following WATEC 2011 and small to medium sized busi-nesses (SMBs) in both coun-tries.

According to Israel Eco-nomic and Cultural Office (IS-ECO) in Taipei, the two MOUs were signed in Tel Aviv, Israel, by Taiwan Representative in Israel, Liang-jen Chang and Israel Representative in Taiwan, Simona Helperin. Details were officially announced end of last year.

The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Sharon Kedmi, Director General of Is-rael Ministry of Industry Trade

and Labor and Taiwanese Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Jung-Chiou Hwang.

The two MOUs lay a broad platform that will boost busi-ness cooperation between the two parties by complementing each other both theoretically and practically.

Vice Minister Hwang said that Taiwan and Israel’s trade volume increased 36% in 2010 compared with 2009, and that Israel is now the 7th largest trade partner in the Middle East region to Taiwan.

As of the end of September 2011, Taiwanese companies ac-cumulated investments in Israel totaled US$39.1 million in 26 investment projects. Major Tai-wanese investors in Israel are high-tech firms, including Mac-ronix, Winbond, TSMC, Teco and Tecom.

Having a feel for the logis-tics industry, Marco Hazan is quickly learning that there is market opportunities for all types of shipment services.

Working as a Logistics Di-rector in Hong Kong for a multi-national retail outlet from his native country of Chile, Hazan certainly needed to understand and develop his knowledge in logistic integration, understand-ing the total end-to-end global supply chain service - buying, purchasing, freight forwarding, shipping contracts.

He left his previous role and has established a logistics firm. Today he is Founder and Managing Director of BOHK Logistics, a 4PL logistic inte-grator company based in Hong Kong and managing operations for clients in North and South America, Asia-Pacific, Australia and Europe.

With a good network of contacts, Hazan is assisting his clients with many outsourcing logistical services for small im-porters as well larger companies looking for cost saving oppor-tunities by allowing BOHK to deal with their shipment sup-plies especially those who do not have any presence in Asia.

Hazan has a varied client base but is more familiar with the requirements in clothing and garments, electronics and build-ing materials.

“Things are always moving in Hong Kong – it is definitely a logistic hub – you have to stand out from the many firms that are operating,” said Hazan.

Marco Hazan

not committed to any particular service agent or shipper,” Hazan concluded.

On a personal note Hazan has been recently elected as the first Chairman of The Chilean Business Association of Hong Kong and Macau, the representa-tive body of the Chilean private business community. Separately he is on the board of UIA Hong Kong and on UIA’s International Young Leadership board.

It also helps if you speak a few languages, Hazan is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, English and conversant in Hebrew.

The company specialises in boutique logistics services. One popular service is vendor man-agement, which involves coor-dinating the shipping and deliv-ery for clients who source from Asia to stores around the world.

“We save our customers time by representing them when dealing with queries and paper-work. Otherwise, they risk wast-ing at least one business day be-cause of the different time zones over a paperwork question,” added Hazan.

“Nowadays there’s not a huge value in just being a mid-dle man. It’s easy to find your own suppliers with a computer and Internet connection,” he said.

The challenge and value the industry can offer is coordinat-ing the various sourcing that customers make and getting it to the destination on time. That, he says, involves understanding the customers’ business.

“I am a one stop solution

Agreements signed at WATECIsrael signed water agree-ments with Taiwan, Kenya and the UK, at WATEC 2011 conference, held in November in Tel Aviv. The agreements will increase water-technology cooperation between Israel and the three countries.

For Taiwan, the water agree-ment encompasses the fields of resource management, water pu-rification, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse, and irriga-tion. In addition exchange of ex-

perts and scholars, exchange of technologies and data, and joint seminars will be implemented.

Under the agreement with Kenya, Israel would assist the East African country in the areas of water-management technol-ogy, drip irrigation and waste-water treatment. Overall, Israeli water technology companies transactions are estimated to ex-ceed US$2 billion in 2011.

In all about 90 countries at-tend during the event.


Business News

New Industrial Incubator established by PTL Group

www.gadco.hk

A new initiative was recently launched in China to assist Israeli and other foreign com-panies to compete with local Chinese companies inside the domestic market and in the global arena. It is spearhead-ed by PTL group, which is a group of Chinese and foreign managed companies that spe-cialise in providing manage-ment solutions for developing industrial activity in China.

The Industrial Division of PTL Group has established the Changzhou Industrial Incuba-tion Initiative (CI3), a tailor made production and assembly facility.

CI3 comprises a 13,000 square metre industrial zone to facilitate both Israeli and for-eign companies anxious to start business in China.

Changzhou is approximate-ly 45 minutes travel time from Shanghai and considered an at-tractive town for joint ventures. The Incubator is designed for middle- size companies in-volved in global operations, and seeking to penetrate the Chinese

market.

CI3 has the support from the local Chinese government, part of the funding comes from WEZ (Wujin Economic Zone) in the city of Changzhou. The fund has an annual budget of US$150 million designated to help Israeli and foreign compa-nies to start operations in their area.

Zvi Shalgo, CEO of PTL Group and Chairman said, “Whereas in the past it was suf-ficient to engage in conventional sales and marketing, the trends have now changed as the Chinese market itself undergoes change.”

“Companies exporting to China now face a stiff and grow-ing competition from Chinese private companies, many hardly known but likely to become over the next few years vintage and quality players. These very Chinese companies, particularly those engaged in industrial ar-eas, already compete effectively with foreign companies, within and outside the Chinese mar-kets. The Chinese government encourages local production,

enhanced quality and competi-tive price levels,” he added.

Jackie Eldan, Consul Gen-eral of Israel to Shanghai said “this is the first Israeli Park” in a zone fully built for the benefit of Israeli companies.

The Incubator focuses on advanced technologies in such diverse areas as electro-mechanic, advanced chip pro-cessing and seeks to encourage such industries as targeted by the Five Year development Plan of China. Other areas include, water technology, medical auto-

DAC delegation visits Israeli Diamond CenterA delegation of high level officials in the Diamond Ad-ministration of China (DAC) visited in January the Israeli Diamond Industry (IDI) to seek cooperation and guid-ance in developing their dia-mond centre in Shanghai.

This follows a recent Shenyang, China delegation visit to Israel’s Diamond Ex-change (IDE) last year to seek

assistance and guidance to build an exchange facility.

The DAC group met with Udi Sheintal, Managing Direc-tor, of the Israel Diamond Man-ufacturers Association, Motti Besser, Managing Director, IDE, Shmuel Mordechai, Israel Diamond Controller, and Nis-sim Palomo, IDI Chief Market-ing Officer.

The delegation visited the

exchange trading hall, the largest in the world, toured the Technology Center, and the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum.

Delegation leader Zhang Bin said that the delegation decided to visit Israel because they had learned of the “out-standing performance” of the IDI and to learn how the local diamond industry functions.

motive, robotics, and renewable energy.

Other advantages of the In-cubator: its ability to engage in independent production in Chi-na without necessarily a local partner, and minimising expo-sure to industrial piracy and pro-tection of IP (intellectual prop-erty). The first companies that are about to be served are those engaged in medical equipment’ production of sets in robotics and automation and equipment for the food industry.

Zvi Shalgo


Qoros to set new standards for Chinese manufactured cars

Business News

Jordan Belfort

The Wolf of Wall Street comes to town

Jordan Belfort, author, entre-preneur, speaker, dubbed the The Wolf of Wall Street will be providing his unique insights into corporate training and wealth building strategies in an event to be held in Hong Kong at the Grand Hyatt Ho-tel 28-29 February.

In the 1990s Belfort built one of the most successful sales teams in Wall Street history. As the owner of Stratton Oak-mont, Belfort employed over 1,000 stockbrokers, raised over US$1.5 billion and started more than 30 US-million-dollar com-panies from scratch.

Belfort established the Straight Line System which al-lows him to take virtually any company or individual, regard-less of race, age, sex, education-al background or social status, and empower them to create massive wealth, abundance, and entrepreneurial success, without sacrificing integrity or ethics.

With over 25 years in the most competitive business envi-ronments in the world, he soared to the highest financial heights-earning over US$50 million a

year and then sunk to the lowest lows. Taking invaluable lessons from the mistakes he made and the prices he paid.

“Getting rich is easy once you know how, for sure it re-quires a lot of hard work but even more it requires strategies that I teach. Once they know these they cannot but help to get rich,” he told Jewish Times Asia.

Belfort currently resides in LA, California, and grew up in New York and has deep Jewish roots. He is the son of Jewish

parents raised in a kosher home and proud of his heritage and identity. Although not too obser-vant his mother is president of a synagogue.

“Jewish people are no dif-ferent from anyone else - only education is the difference, that makes us strive to improve our opportunities in life,” Belfort commented.

“We expect to work hard and improve and that we get from our parents generation - both my parents are accountants,” he added.

“I know where I have come from and for my children to know is more important,” Bel-fort concluded.

Jordan’s two international bestselling memoirs, The Wolf of Wall Street and Catching the Wolf of Wall Street, have been published in over forty coun-tries and translated into eighteen languages.

His life story is currently being turned into a major mo-tion picture, with Leonardo Di-Caprio to star and Martin Scors-ese set to direct.

The 50/50 independent joint venture between Chery Au-tomobile and Israel Corpora-tion Ltd recently announced the official launch of China’s newest car brand – Qoros.

The company aims to be one of the first Chinese auto manu-facturers to meet 2013 Euro NCAP 5-star and international quality levels for the release of its first model, in 2013. It also will compete in the vast and ever-growing China market.

Chairman and Chief Ex-ecutive Officer Guo Qian said, “Qoros is committed to achiev-ing international recognition, bringing enjoyment to drivers through quality products, elegant design solutions and personalised services.”

The company was origi-nally registered under the name Chery Quantum Auto Co., Ltd. in 2007.

Vice Chairman Volker Stein-wascher said, “As a new com-pany, Qoros has been able to attract a wealth of international talent that is leveraging the-global auto industry experience

to create an entirely new brand that offers an original product to consumers.”

The Qoros team is working to create distinctive internation-al designs and includes former chief designer for BMW Mini Gert Hildebrand.

With an initial production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year from its Changshu facility, the company expects to expand quickly in its first few years as new car demand from China’s urban consumers increases.

Israel Corporation Ltd is a global industrial holding com-pany headquartered in Israel. Founded in 1968, the company is active in the chemical, energy, automotive, and shipping indus-tries.

Violin

Sayaka Shoji

Music Director/Conductor

Yip Wing-sie

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall

Tickets available at all URBTIX outlets2111 5999 | www.URBTIX.hkProgramme Enquiries2836 3336 | www.HKSL.org Hong Kong Sinfonietta reserves the right to change the programme and artists

Programme

Ravel La Valse (Poème Chorégraphique)

Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor, Op 47Sibelius The Swan of TuonelaRavel La Valse (Choreographer: Yuri Ng)

25.2.2012（Sat）8:00pm

26.2.2012（Sun）4:00pm

HK City Hall Concert Hall$340 $220 $140

A programme of the 40th Hong Kong Arts Festival (2012)

25 Feb performance sponsored by

Artist Associate/Stage Direction/Visual Design

Yuri NgDance Artists

Tina Hua, Huang LeiAppearing through the courtesy of Hong Kong Dance Company

and dancers from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

© J

ulie

n M

igno

t

© Y

vonn

e Ch

an

Guo Qian with Qoros


Art and Culture

“Israel Day” to thank relations Fortunee exhibits new show in Beijing

A special “Israel Day” event was held in Nanjing, the capi-tal of Jiangsu Province on 24 November 2011. In atten-dance was Israel’s Ambassa-dor to China, Amos Nadai and Consul General of Israel to Shanghai, Jackie Eldan, and the Vice governor of Jiangsu Province Xu Nanping.

In addition five mayors from Jiangsu Province, official representatives from Chinese departments and CEOs of 30 Is-raeli companies active in Jiangsu Province. In all there were more than 200 guests invited.

The event consisted of busi-ness forums, musical perfor-mances and a dinner reception. On the business forum, Israeli company executives that at-tended included Ephraim Ulmer, CEO, Galtronics, and Amir Gal-Or and Founder and Managing Partner of Infinity who both gave presentations and shared their experiences of doing business in China.

A highlight was a piano con-cert performed by well-known Israeli pianist Dorel Golan. It was then followed by a Classic Chinese music performance by

Last years marathon runners

Hutong

Dorel Golan

Zheng & Pipa Band.

Relating to the business fo-rums, Consul General Jackie Eldan said that, “the Consulate General of Israel in Shanghai wishes to dedicate this day as a special tribute to Jiangsu prov-ince, recognising our special re-lations and mutual achievements in the last three years.”

The relationship between Is-

Franco-Israeli artist Noel Fortunee will be display-ing her solo works in a new show in a Beijing gallery. Is-rael’s embassy in Beijing is sponsoring the event and the exhibition as part of a series marking the 20th Anniver-sary of China-Israel diplo-matic relations.

The exhibition is entitled Splendid with no regrets and is being held from 11 February – 5 March at the Babù Space gallery. Fortunee exhibited a similar solo exhibition in Bei-jing in 2008.

Still coping with the muta-tions experienced by the mod-ern urban landscapes, Noël’s new works depict a frenetic Beijing juggling with cin-der blocks and girders. The concept of transparency was central in her earliest works produced in China. Her repre-

sentation of unaccomplished skyscrapers and their thousand reflections were a testimony of the increasing use of transpar-ent materials in modern archi-tecture - a true revolution in a city like Beijing where opacity means a lot. The new set of works mainly tries to recreate the energy inherent to this aes-thetic transformation guided by desire as well as necessity.

rael and Jiangsu has experienced a big leap during the past three years. There have been three consecutive Party Secretaries from Jiangsu Province visiting-Israel and Party Secretary Luo Zhijun just visited Israel in July 2011, which was his first visit abroad since taking office.

Israel and Jiangsu province identify with each other as natu-ral and complimentary partners especially in the field of science and technology. In 2008, a Re-search & Development agree-ment was signed between Israel and Jiangsu province, and it was transformed into a permanent fund for R&D cooperation be-tween Jiangsu province and Is-raeli companies in technology and investment.

Up until now, there have been more than 30 successful matching of projects since the agreement came into force in 2009.

Jerusalem Marathon race of nations Runners from across the globe have already registered for the second annual Jerusalem Marathon, taking place on 16 March. To date, entrants from as far as Indonesia, Trinidad & Tobago, Singapore, China, North and South America, Europe, and of course from around Israel, have registered for the marathon.

In addition, several leading charities are set to benefit as runners seek sponsorship and donations for their participation.

The 2012 Jerusalem Mara-thon includes a full marathon route, a half marathon and a 10km run. Organisers expect to have over 1,000 participants arriving from abroad, with an estimated 600 taking part in the full, 42 km track.

The marathon takes runners on a route that tests not only the most experienced of run-ners, but also on a unique path through history; through the city holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims around the globe.

Participants will run on the cobblestones of the holy and an-cient city, through the beautiful neighbourhoods of Jerusalem,

and through the modern city centre.

The Jerusalem Develop-ment Authority, together with the Tourism Ministry and El Al airlines, has created a detailed tourist package for both do-mestic and foreign participants and their families. The package includes discounts and promo-tions for city hotels, restaurants, museums and attractions.


Chinese artists assist Ice Festival

Art and Culture

Larry Weinstein

Inside Hana’s Suitcase screened in Beijing

A rare opportunity for a Chi-nese audience to attend a spe-cial event organised by Inter-national Documentary Forum (iDOCS) provides a forum and a chance to talk to the master producers and direc-tors behind the cameras. The forum has screened more than 20 films from overseas coun-tries. The event took place last year from 12-16 December.

Zheng Qiong, the initiator of iDOCS and also the festival director, sticks to one simple principle in her choices - that all films should reflect the themes of “love and wisdom”, in addi-tion to being aesthetically wor-thy. Each story will be a focus

George and Hana

on individual life with rich and riveting details.

Larry Weinstein, Director, Inside Hana’s Suitcase, was in-vited to attend. Weinstein’s other films made earlier Mozartballs (2006) and Beethoven’s Hair (2005) were also shown. In ad-dition two Chinese universities in Beijing organised a special screening where Weinstein also had an opportunity to talk about them. The earlier films also has a prominent Holocaust theme that led directly to the making of Inside Hana’s Suitcase.

Inside Hana’s Suitcase is a personal favourite of Zheng’s, the film looks at the search by Fumiko Ishioka at the Tokyo Holocaust Museum to discover the war-shattered life of Hana Brady, whose name was rough-ly painted on a battered suitcase that was delivered to Ishioka.

iDOCS is the first indepen-dent documentary film festival with official permit in China, held annually in Beijing, and is a non-profit cultural exchange activity launched successfully in 2009.

Thousands of tourists and Is-raelis are expected to visit the first International Ice Festival in Israel, which will take place from 6 March - 30 April, at the old Jerusalem Train com-pound.

The festival will showcase colourful and artistic ice sculp-tures, skating rinks and a variety of activities and experiences for families. The festival arena in-cludes a unique sculptures site and an additional skating area.

Thirty-five Chinese ice art-ists will visit Israel to sculpt and build the exhibits. Visitors will receive warm coats on en-tering the giant complex, which will operate at a temperature of -10 degrees, and include the ice sculpture exhibition.

Ice sculptures

Ice walk

The festival will be divided into four sections. The unique sites of Jerusalem, including the Tower of David and the Mon-tefiore Flour Mill. Animal and childhood stories characters presented in ice sculptures from children’s fairytales. Walk in-side stories such as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and more. Children will even be able to enjoy unique ice slides.

For the older generation an Ice Bar area, including ice sculptures by Jerusalem artists.

Visitors will also be able to walk through the ice version of Jaffa Gate.


Celebration of LifeMuriel, The Lady Kadoorie

1915 - 2011

Muriel, The Lady Kadoorie, was a w o m a n o f g re a t c h a r m

and devotion. Born Muriel Gubbay in Hong Kong in 1915 to the famous Gubbay family, she was the only daughter of David Sassoon Gubbay who was a distinguished Hebrew scholar and an authority on comparative religions.

A prominent member of the Jewish Community, Da-vid Gubbay led the Ohel Leah Synagogue’s voluntary choir and sang at the opening of the Synagogue in 1902. His love for music had a great influence on young Muriel who would be-come an accomplished pianist.

Muriel met Lawrence Ka-doorie through her grandmother who befriended Lawrence’s mother, Lady Laura Kadoorie when she first arrived in Hong Kong in the late 1800s. After an endearing courtship, Muriel and Lawrence married in Novem-ber 1938. A short honeymoon was spent in Indo-China and the couple soon returned to build their family in Hong Kong. They had two children, Rita and Michael.

When World War 11 broke out, Rita was 18 months old and Michael 6 months. The family was first interned in Stanley In-ternment Camp in Hong Kong, then Cha Pei Civilian Camp in Shanghai. The war years were hard, and Muriel had at heart her beloved children. She later reflected: “your first thought was to look after your babies,

thropy encompassed her support for higher education.

In 1998, she funded the Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building at the University of Hong Kong in her husband’s memory. Lady Kadoorie was conferred the Degree of Doc-tor of Laws, Honoris Causa, by the University of Hong Kong in 1999.

The Rt. Hon. The Lord Ka-doorie died in 1993, leaving Lady Kadoorie a widow. She remained at the family home in Kadoorie Avenue and passed away peacefully on 5th Decem-ber 2011, aged 96. Muriel, The Lady Kadoorie was surrounded by the loving support of her two children and their families.

She will be deeply missed by her children, Rita and Mi-chael and their spouses, Ronald and Betty, together with their grandchildren, Andrew, Debo-rah, Natalie, Bettina and Philip, and great grandchildren, Milo, Misha and Esme.

to do everything you possibly could and try and live as nor-mally as possible.”

Lawrence was the first P.O.W. to return to Hong Kong after the war in 1945. Muriel stayed on in Shanghai with the children at Marble Hall, the Ka-doorie Family’s home and the centre of all Allied activities in Shanghai in the immediate post-war years.

During this time, she enter-tained foreign diplomats, the British Red Cross, Generals and

soldiers with piano recitals and arranged entertainment for the wives. She joined Lawrence three months later when women were allowed back into Hong Kong.

During the ensuing refugee crisis, in which Jewish refugees passed through Hong Kong from China in transit to the rest of the world, she spent long hours with Lawrence ensuring the refugees were comfortably settled in The Peninsula Hotel, their temporary home, and at-tended to their baggage at the godown.

An active philanthropist, Muriel was particularly keen to further the prospects of young girls in Hong Kong; and in ear-lier years this extended to teach-ing the piano to young girls in Kowloon and later to her pa-tronage of the Girl Guides and Brownies. She was the Patron of the China Coast Community and visited the residents regu-larly. A keen music lover, she was a strong supporter of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Or-chestra, the Asia Youth Orches-tra and the Chopin Society.

She took a personal and keen interest in the Kadoorie Farm and Kadoorie Agricul-tural Aid Association, and was very much enthused by their or-ganic produce. Muriel’s philan-

“...The Kadoorie name is well-known in Hong Kong: there is Kadoorie Avenue, where incidentally Lady Kadoorie lived, and the Ka-doorie Farm and Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Associa-tion, the University Kadoorie Agricultural Research Cen-tre, the facilities of which were initially donated by the Kadoories.

Lady Kadoorie took a personal and genuine interest in the Farm and her enthusi-asm for organic produce of the Farm was obvious. The Kadoories were initially mo-tivated by a desire to help indi-gent farmers. Lady Kadoorie’s grandson, Andrew McAulay, manages the project. Lady Ka-doorie was clearly an advocate of environmental reform and concerned about the increasing pollution of our city.

Lady Kadoorie was aware of those who suffered finan-cial need. Lord Kadoorie was approached by the Dean of St John’s Cathedral to donate funds for the establishment of the China Coast Community, which would provide a home for many who might otherwise be homeless.

She took a personal inter-est in the home and visited it regularly. She is also a duti-

ful and hardworking Trustee of the Kadoorie Charitable Foundations, which engages in multifarious works of relief and philanthropy, including 14 projects in Mainland China.

Lady Kadoorie had two areas which interested her par-ticularly: music and children. An accomplished pianist when younger, she was a keen lover of music, and talked knowl-edgeably and with warmth about individual performanc-es.

She was also patron of the Hong Kong Soong Ching Ling Children Palace. She certainly did not trumpet forth her good works, far from it; indeed such is her modesty that she down-played all the good work she had done.

Although Lady Kadoorie had travelled a great deal, she considered Hong Kong, her birthplace, her home, and has devoted time and energy to lo-cal causes.

In her humility Lady Ka-doorie insisted she was just an “ordinary” person; in fact the scope of the family phi-lanthropy has raised her out of the commonplace into the rare. She has lit up the lives of the less fortunate with her many acts of kindness and of love.”

Lady Kadoorie was given a Honorary Degree in 1999 by the Hong Kong University. Here are some extracts from a Professor Chan, who wrote and delivered the following citations, (adapted):


Akko in the Byzantine period,” Syon concluded.

The stamp is engraved with a seven-branched menorah atop a narrow base, and the top of the branches forms a horizontal line. A number of Greek letters are engraved around a circle and dot on the end of the handle.

Dr. Leah Di Segni, of the Hebrew University of Jerusa-lem suggested this is probably the name Launtius. This name was common among Jews of the period and also appears on

another Jewish bread stamp of unknown provenance. Accord-ing to Dr. Syon and Gilad Jaffe, “This is probably the name of the baker from Horbat Uza.”

Horbat Uza is a small rural settlement where clues were previously found that allude to it being a Jewish settlement: a clay coffin, a Shabbat lamp and jars with menorah patterns painted on them were discov-ered there.

Supplied by Israel Antiquities Authority

A stamp with the temple menorah uncovered

A 1,500 year old stamp bearing an image of the seven-branched Temple Menorah

was discovered near the city of Akko.

The tiny stamp was used in the 6th century to identify baked products and it probably be-longed to a bakery that supplied kosher bread to the Jews of Akko in the Byzantine period.

The excavations are being conducted at Horbat Uza east of Akko on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The find belongs to a group of stamps referred to as “bread stamps” because they were usually used to stamp baked goods.

According to Gilad Jaffe and Dr. Danny Syon, the directors of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “A number of stamps bearing an image of a menorah are known from different collections. The Temple Menorah, being a Jew-ish symbol par excellence, in-dicates the stamps belonged to

Jews, unlike Christian bread stamps with the cross pattern which were much more com-mon in the Byzantine period.”

“The stamp is important because it proves that a Jewish community existed in the settle-ment of Uza in the Christian-Byzantine period. The presence of a Jewish settlement so close

to Akko – a region that was definitely Christian at this time – constitutes an innovation in archaeological research,” the excavators added.

“Due to the geographical proximity of Horbat Uza to Akko, we can speculate that the settlement supplied kosher baked goods to the Jews of

The Menorah Stamp

Excavation site


Legal Issues

Most people have heard about class actions in, usually, the United States, in one form or other. Thousands of people suing, for example, tobacco companies, drug companies and oil companies for the same thing. There have been massive claims and awards for class actions.

They are a means of en-abling a large number of people who have suffered the same legal wrong to sue collectively as a group thereby lowering the costs of the litigation. In that sense they are considered to bring justice within the reach of ordinary people.

However, class actions are also perceived as having a num-ber of downsides in that, for

Class Actions in Hong Kong?

example, they encourage litiga-tion, and the “manufacture” of “creative” claims by unscrupu-lous lawyers to earn a fast buck by way of a handsome reward fee.

Clearly a need for the intro-duction of class actions has been seen in Hong Kong, because the Law Reform Commission pub-lished a paper on the subject in 2009 in which they included a recommendation that “there is a good case for the introduction of a comprehensive regime for multi-party litigation so as to enable efficient, well-defined and workable access to justice.”

They were of the view that a good case had been made out for consideration to be given to the establishment of a general procedural framework for class actions while cautioning against the undue promotion of litiga-tion thereby.

The type of cases which

they considered may be suitable for class action proceedings in Hong Kong were real estate development cases, such as pur-chasers’ claims against develop-ers for late delivery of vacant possession or poor workman-ship, and claims against com-puter companies for hardware or software failure.

In the more conservative le-gal environment of Hong Kong as opposed to that of the United States, there have, predictably, been objections raised by the professions to the recommenda-tions of the Law Reform Com-mission.

As far the solicitors’ body in Hong Kong, The Law Society, is concerned, the difficulty they foresee, as put forward in their Submissions in response, is that lawyers in Hong Kong will be unwilling to take on the addi-tional burden of prosecuting a class action, with the concomi-

tant requirements of advertising for the class etc., unless there is some financial incentive for lawyers, and this runs straight into the Law Society’s primary concern that lawyers should not have a financial interest in their clients’ litigation.

The barristers, too, are against the wholesale introduc-tion of change, the Hong Kong Bar Association having indi-cated in their response that only a gradual expansion of the ex-isting rules should be contem-plated.

Clearly the fact that there has, as yet, been no legislative follow up to this paper is a mea-sure of the difficulties involved in bringing such a substantial reform into the Hong Kong Le-gal System.

However, with the increas-ing level of public awareness and sophistication, and public reaction to perceived wrongs

Supplied by By Jeremy Levy, Partner, Robertsons, Solicitors

on all sorts of issues from the “mis-selling” of financial prod-ucts such as accumulators, mis-leading information given by property developers as to the nature and size of properties be-ing acquired, and growing envi-ronmental and health concerns arising from overbuilding and pollution, the demand for the introduction of class actions is likely to increase.

What might we be looking forward to in Hong Kong? In the US there have been 12 class action settlements over US$1 billion and many in the hun-dreds of millions.

In the Enron settlement, eli-gible shareholders were award-ed around US$7.2 billion, with a class of about 1.5 million in-dividuals and entities. It was ruled by the US Judge that the law firm that ran massive Enron shareholder litigation for more than 6 years will get US$688 million plus interest. This rep-resented a fee award percentage of 9.52%.

Could be this be the shape of things to come in Hong Kong?

For further enquiries or any other legal issues please email: [email protected]


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Maccabi World Union (HK Chapter) Ltd. Hong Kong – Macau - China

Hon. Chairman Hon. Judge Michael Hartmann

Chairman Rafael Aharoni

Vice-chairman & TreasurerJeremy Levy

Vice-chairman Yariv Yaakobi

Secretary Dr. Naomi Rodrig

Board of Directors Rafael Aharoni Yair Berrebi Gil Inbar Kobi Itzchaki Yaron Gil Lamy Jeremy Levy Dr. Naomi Rodrig Erez Weiss Yariv Yaakobi

Supporters Dr. Judith Diestel Edwin Epstein Rabbi Shimon Freundlich - Beijing Yaron Geiger Dan Hoffmann Michel Jospe Moty Kafry Isaac Kamhin Eitan Livne Mark C. Michelson Daniel Moldovan Robert L. Meyer Avraham Nagar Elan Oved – Shanghai Bernie Pomeranc - Shengzhen Caterina Rajchenberg Shay Razon Andre Rofe Joe Teichmann

Two years ago, we celebrated the 18th World Maccabiah Games

*World’s 3rd Largest International Sports Event*

The Maccabi spirit is working wonders all over the Jewish world. MWU has enjoyed a year of excellent mass events infused with Jewish and Zionist motivation, all working towards the Maccabi answer to the difficult times that we live in. Six years ago, the 17th Maccabiah Games took place on 11th July 2005 in Israel was absolute success, especially when China, Hong Kong and Macedonia participated in the games for the first time since 1932. We, Hong Kong brought some medals back.

With 8,500 athletes competing, including 5,000 from abroad, the Maccabiah Games was a celebration of sports and Zionism. Competitors from 55 countries gathered to celebrate solidarity between our people.

Today, we are looking forward to the 19th Maccabiah Games in 2013. With the larger team from Hong Kong, Macau, China which will participate in the games. Hope you can all join in July 2013. Please start saving your money for the trip to Israel. I promise you will have the best time of your life.

On behalf of the Macabi World Union, Macabi Hong Kong – the Board of Directors and myself, I wish you all a splendid evening. Enjoy yourself and God Bless!

Yours truly

Rafael Aharoni Chairman Macabi Hong Kong

Thank you. We couldn’t have come this far without you.

Room 712 East Ocean Centre, 98 Granville Road, TST East, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Tel. (852) 23121111 E-mail : [email protected] Fax. (852) 23116999

Reflecting our responsibility for trees

Tu Bishvat falls on 15 Shevat. Although a minor festival, it has a great importance

and relevance, reminding us of the importance of trees. With increased awareness in the secular world of the need to preserve and protect nature.

This is something deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition. With each prayer over the seven species we are reminded that we come from a tradition that respects the earth and has been commanded to care for it.

There is a wealth of Judaic scholarship devoted to the rela-tionship between man and earth and the responsibility of Jews to take action to protect nature. This responsibility, on Tu Bish-vat, is historically linked to the Land of Israel but is now recog-nised as a global responsibility.

Modern day observance is commonly marked by com-munal efforts to plant trees in Israel. Jewish children through-out the world enthusiastically

collect money to support the project.

Outside Israel, activities are planned by communities to spend the day visiting parks/forests for planting trees/shrubs to get into the spirit of the fes-tival and get closer to nature. A time to reflect on our relation-ship with and responsibility to the earth and the importance of trees.

It is also a customary to eat

different varieties of fruits on the holiday and to recite the ap-propriate blessings. Commonly, fruits from the Land of Israel are consumed. Highlighted are the seven species, which is contained in the Torah in the Book of Deuteronomy. A land with flowing streams and un-derground springs gushing out in valley and mountains. It is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates- a land of oil-[olives] and honey- [dates].

Tu Bishvat Seders have also become more commonly prac-ticed and has its roots in Kab-balism. Wine and the fruits are enjoyed and blessings are re-cited.

Traditionally, as in the Pesach Seder, four cups of wine are consumed. These four cups however, take on symbolic im-portance unique to the celebra-tion of Tu Bishvat. The cups of wine are red, rose, pink and white. For the kabbalists, each of these components served as powerful symbolic acts.

Tu’ Bishvat

Tu Bishvat events with the JNF-KKL in Israel between 5-9 February, 2012.

The Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL) has been at the forefront of making Israel’s desserts bloom for 110 years.

Tu Bishvat, the Jewish new-year for trees, has become a special day in the JNF calen-dar with events arranged for all ages across the country. This year, being their 110th anniver-sary, JNF-KKL has put togeth-er an exceptional Tu Bishvat programme including plant-

ing an oak forest, JNF video archives, a moonlight hike and a fully accessible plant-ing experience. The highlight will be the family fun in Beit Keshet Forest, to help plant a new oak forest. The cinamatic journey through 110 years of JNF-KKL history at cinemas in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Sderot.

In addition a Tu Bishvat Eve Moonlight Walking Tour and Seder in Ilanot forest in the Sharon on 7 February/14 Shevat.


CAMBODIAChabad Jewish CenterHouse # 32, Street 228, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Tel: (855) 85 807 205 www.jewishcambodia.com

CHINABeijing Chabad House and Community centre: Fang Yuan Xi Lu, next to the south gate of Si De Park, Beijing, PR China Tel: (8610) 8470 8238 ext. 210, (86) 13910740109www.chabadbeijing.com

Chabad of Ya Bao Lu: Jian Guo Men Diplomatic Bldg, Building 3,2/F, 223 Chaoyangmennei Street, Beijing, PR ChinaTeL: (86) 1352 2016 427 Email: [email protected]

Kehillat Beijing (Reform): Capital Club Athletic Center, 3/F., Ballroom, Capital Man-sion, 6 Xinyuan Nanlu Chaoyang District, Beijing, PR China Tel: (86) 10 6467 2225 www.sinogogue.org

GuangzhouGuangzhou Chabad: 31 He Ping Lu, Overseas Village, Guangzhou, China Tel: (86) 137 1050 5049 www.chabadgz.org

ShanghaiShanghai Chabad (Shanghai Jewish Center): Shang-Mira Garden Villa #1, 1720 Hong Qiao Road, Shanghai, 200336, PR ChinaTel: (86) 21 6278 0225 www.chinajewish.org

Chabad of Pudong: Vila # 69, 2255 Luoshan Road, Shanghai, 200135, PR China Tel: (86) 21 5878 2008 www.chinajewish.org

Sephardi Shanghai Center: Building B. Apt. 3 (Room 103), 1000 Gubei Road, Shanghai, PR China 201103Tel: (86) 21 6208 8327 Mobile: (86) 15900808733Email: [email protected], [email protected]

ShenzhenShenzhen Chabad: No.4, Block A, Guishan Xiaozhu Yanshan Road, Industrial Area, Shekou Nanshan District, Shenzhen, PR ChinaTel: (86) 755 8207 0712 www.chabadshenzhen.org

HONG KONG Jewish Community Centre: One Robinson Place, 70 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2801 5440 www.jcc.org.hk

Chabad of Hong Kong: 1/F Hoover Court, 7-9 Macdonell Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2523 9770 www.chabadhk.org

Ohel Leah Synagogue: 70 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2589 2621 www.ohelleah.org

United Jewish Congregation (Reform): Jewish Community Centre, One Robinson Place, 70 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2523 2985 www.ujc.org.hk

Shuva Israel (Orthodox): 2/F Fortune House, 61 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2851 6300 www.shuva-israel.com

KowloonKehilat Zion (Orthodox): Unit 105, 1/F, Wing on Plaza, 62 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon Tel: (852) 2368 0061 www.kehilat-zion.org

Chabad of Kowloon: 11 Hart Avenue, 2/F, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tel: (852) 2366 5770 Email: [email protected]

INDIA (MUMBAI) Magen David Synagogue: 340 Sir J.J. Rd, Byculla, Mumbai Tel: (91) 22 23006675

Kenesseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, 43 Dr V.B. Gandhi Marg, Fort, MumbaiTel: (91) 22 22831502 / 22839617

Kurla Bene Israel: 275 C.S.T. Rd, Jewish Colony, Kurla (W) Mumbai, IndiaTel: (91) 22 511-2132

JAPAN KobeOhel Shelomoh Synagogue and Community Center: 4-12-12, Kitano-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650, Japan Tel: (81) 78 221 7236 www.jcckobe.org

TokyoTokyo Chabad: 1-5-23 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo Japan 108-0073 Tel: (813) 5789 2846 www.chabad.jp

JCC Japan: Tokyo Jewish Community Centre, 8-8 Hiroo 3-Chome, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo 150 0012, Japan Tel: (813) 3400 2559 www.jccjapan.or.jp

NEPAL Chabad House: GHA-2-516-4 Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: (977) 980 324 1294 [email protected]

PHILIPPINES Beth Yaacov Synagogue: 110 H.V. de la Costa cnr, Tordesillas West, Salcedo Village, Makati City, Metro Manila 1227, The Philippines Tel: (632) 815 0265 www.jewishphilippines.org

SINGAPORE Chesed-El Synagogue: 2 Oxley Rise, Singapore 238693

Jacob Ballas Community Centre & Maghain Aboth Synagogue: 24-26 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187950Tel: (65) 6337 2189 www.singaporejews.org

United Hebrew Congregation (Reform): email:[email protected]

SOUTH KOREAChabad: 744-18 Hannam-Dong, Yongsan-Gu, Seoul 140-893, South KoreaTel: (82) 107 730 3770 www.jewishkorea.com

TAIWAN Taipei Jewish Center: 2/F No. 8, Lane 180, Songde Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City 110, Taiwan Tel: (886) 9 2392 3770

Taipei Jewish Community: 16 Min Tsu East Road, Second Floor, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC Tel: (886) 2 2591 3565 email:[email protected]

THAILAND Jewish Association of Thailand: 121 Soi Sai Nam Thip 2, Sukhumvit Soi 22, Bangkok, Thailand Tel: (662) 663 0244 www.jewishthailand.com

Chabad of Thailand: 96 Rambutttri St. Banglamphu, 102000 Bangkok, Thailand Tel: (662) 629 2770 www.chabadthailand.com

Bet Sefer Chabad: 221 Sukhumvit Soi 20, Bangkok, 10110 ThailandTel: (662) 258 3434

Chabad of Phuket 52/32 Ratch U-thit Song Roy Pee Rd. (opposite Patong Post Office), Second row of town houses, Patong, Katu District, Phuket 83150

Chiang Mai189/15 Chang-Clan Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand, On street of Night Bazaar, 100 Meters before The Empress hotel Tel: (66) 81 870 2249

VIETNAM Chabad: 5A (villa) Nguyen Dinh Chieu St., Dakao ward, District 1,Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam Tel: (84) 90 9166770 www.JewishVietnam.com

JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN ASIA

Candlelighting times are taken from Chabad.org.Candlelighting times are taken from Chabad.org.

February Parashas

4 February 2012 / 11 Shevat 5772: BESHALACH/ SHABBAT SHIRA

The Shabbat upon which Beshalach is read is traditionally called “Shabbat Shira” because it contains the beautiful song that was sung by Moses and the Children of Israel after the crossed the Red Sea and saw the final vanquishing of the Egyptian army who were caught by the returning waters that had just parted to allow the Israelites to pass through on dry land. The song is not one of victory, but of faith that G-d will protect us from our enemies. Miriam led the women in a separate song, which was different from that of the men, in that it was accompanied by musical instruments. The women had shown greater faith in G-d’s power than the men to save them by carrying with them their musical instruments into freedom.

11 February 2012 / 18 Shevat 5772: YITROBefore the Torah reveals to us one of the most important events recorded in the Torah – the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai, the Torah records the reunion be-tween Moses and his father-in-law Yitro (after whom this Shabbat Torah reading is named). Yitro blessed G-d on His saving of the Children of Israel for Egyptian bondage and sits down with Moses to eat bread. (From this has arisen the tradition in many especially Sephardi communities to have a special Seuda [meal] on this Shabbat).

Yitro advises Moses that it is not good to sit in judgment alone over his people and suggests Moses should appoint elders to help in this important task. The Chil-dren of Israel arrive at Mount Sinai and prepare to receive the Torah with thunder, lightning and the sound of the Shofar. Moses goes up to Mount Sinai and receives the Torah, which symbolised by the 10 Commandments. Moses is commanded to build an altar that has not been fashioned with weapons of war.

18 February 2012 / 25 Shevat 5772: MISHPATIM / MEVARECHIM HACHODESH

This is the first of four Special Shabbatot preceding Pesach. Shabbat Mishpatim contains various civil laws, starting with the law of the Hebrew slave. Jewish civil law differs from many ancient legal systems in that it begins by addressing the rights of the lowest of any society – the slave. The slave who was forced to sell himself into slavery or was sold by a Beth Din because he could not repay the value of property he had stolen, had to be released in his seventh year.

25 February 2012 / 2 Adar: TERUMAGod commands Moses to take a contribution from the Children of Israel to build the Mishkan, the tented Tabernacle. The Mishkan was to house the Ten Command-ments in the Aron HaKodesh - Holy Ark (which was at the heart of the Mishkan), and act as a physical sign of God’s presence. The word “take” is used rather than “give” to show that the giving of such contributions and of charity is beneficial to the donor. The parasha also includes each of the different materials used in the construction of the Mishkan is described in details as are its different parts. The Mishkan was a portable structure and therefore had to be built to accompany the Children of Israel in their journey through the wilderness. The main parts of the Mishkan were: The Aron HaKodesh, the Table, the Menorah, the Tent of Meeting, the Copper Alter that was placed in the courtyard, and the Courtyard itself.

HOLIDAYS/ FASTS/ ROSH CHODESH

Tu’Bishvat:8 February 2012 (15 Shevat 5772)

Rosh Chodesh:23 February 2012 (30 Shevat 5772)24 February (1 Adar 5772)

Candle Lighting TimesCountries 3 February 10 February 17 February 24 February

Bangkok 6:01 6:03 6:05 6:07 Beijing 5:17 5:25 5:33 5:41 Guangzhou 5:57 6:02 6:06 6:09 Hong Kong 5:55 5:59 6:03 6:06 Katmandu 5:27 5:33 5:38 5:42 Kobe 5:12 5:19 5:25 5:32 Manila 5:38 5:40 5:43 5:45 Mumbai 6:15 6:18 6:21 6:24 Perth 7:00 6:54 6:48 6:41 Shanghai 5:12 5:18 5:24 5:30 Singapore 7:02 7:03 7:03 7:03 Seoul 5:39 5:47 5:54 6:02 Taipei 5:21 5:26 5:30 5:35 Tokyo 4:51 4:59 5:06 5:12


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February 2012 • Volume 6 • Issue 9 • Shevat / Adar 5772

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Transcript of February 2012 • Volume 6 • Issue 9 • Shevat / Adar 5772