Rabbi Shimon Freundlich of Beijing, China, the Chabad shaliach of the Jewish kehilla in Beijing since 2001, wrote an article that was published in the China Daily in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, which began in 1937 and officially ended on September 2, 1945. Rabbi Freundlich was also interviewed by local Chinese state media outlets, a rare occurrence of an outsider’s perspective being sought on a historical event, especially a representative of a religion that is not officially recognized in China. The interview was aired on stations throughout China on Tuesday. Read the article published in the China Daily below: To the good and brave people of China,  My name is Rabbi Shimon Freundlich, and I have had the privilege of serving as the Rabbi of the Beijing Jewish Community since September 3, 2001. When we first arrived with our two young daughters, we could not have foreseen the life we would build here. Over the years, our family has grown to six children and four grandchildren, all of whom have known China as their home. During these nearly twenty-four years, we have experienced firsthand not only the greatness of this country but also the warmth, kindness, and generosity of its people. Giving back in friendship, in service, and in shared purpose is part of who we are as a people, and it has created a bond with the Chinese people that is profound, inspiring, and life-affirming. I am writing this letter on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in its resistance against Japanese aggression during the Second World War. This commemoration reminds us of the courage, resilience, and sacrifices of the Chinese people during those dark years. First and foremost, I wish to honor and express my deep appreciation for the heroism and determination of the Chinese people in defending their country. I also wish to highlight China’s extraordinary role as a safe haven for Jewish refugees during the war, a generosity for which the Jewish people remain forever grateful. China played a pivotal role in the efforts that contributed to the conclusion of the Second World War. Through sustained resistance and steadfast determination, the nation significantly impacted the broader struggle that ultimately brought the conflict to an end. Official records indicate that more than 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians perished during the war, representing nearly 8 percent of China’s total population in 1928. When Beijing, then known as Peiping, fell to the Japanese army on July 29, 1937, more than 10,000 civilians were killed or went missing during the city’s capture. This event prompted the Chinese Kuomintang party and the Communist Party of China to cooperate in resisting Japanese aggression, marking the commencement of China’s nationwide resistance against invasion, Japanese imperialism, and the forces of global fascism during World War II. The Japanese invasion of Shanghai in August 1937 was followed by the Nanking (Nanjing) Massacre, infamously known as the “Rape of Nanking.” Over a seven-week reign of terror, Chinese soldiers and civilians were subjected to widespread looting, torture, beheadings, live burials, burning, and sexual violence. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 unarmed Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed, while an estimated 80,000 women were raped, at a rate of roughly 1,000 cases per night, with […]  | Read More The Yeshiva World