The Israel-China Friendship Society held an evening lecture at the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv dedicated to one of the most important topics for understanding China's future: demography.

The event brought together an audience interested in China, society, culture, education, and the long-term changes shaping the country’s future. The discussion showed clearly that demography is not only a matter of numbers. It is also about families, social expectations, education choices, economic pressure, and national planning.

The main lecture was delivered by Adv. Gal Furer 高乐, Chairman of the Israel-China Friendship Society. His lecture explored China’s demographic transformation - from the reasons behind the One-Child Policy, through its long-term impact on Chinese society, and up to the future outlook of China’s population, family structure, and social development.

The evening also included a presentation by Ms. Maya Edri on the phenomenon of Chinese “parachute kids” - children who are sent abroad, mainly to western countries, to study
without their parents. This added a personal and human perspective to the broader demographic picture, showing how the One-Child Policy affected the personal decisions of families.

We were pleased to see strong interest from the audience, with many thoughtful questions and an open discussion. The conversation touched on policy, education, generational change, family life, and the possible implications of China’s demographic challenges in the coming decades.

The event also included light refreshments, which gave participants an opportunity to continue the conversation in a warm and informal atmosphere.
We thank our speakers, the audience, and the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv for hosting the event.

More lectures, cultural events, and activities of the Israel-China Friendship Society are coming soon!

The Israel-China Friendship Society held a special evening marking the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Fire Horse - and honoring this year’s scholarship recipients.

We were pleased to welcome Ambassador Xiao Junzheng and diplomats from the Chinese Embassy, together with Israeli guests, members of the Chinese community, and students from several universities across the country.

The evening brought together culture, tradition, and shared learning. Participants took part in activities including jiaozi (dumpling) making, Chinese painting and calligraphy, and mahjong, creating an atmosphere that was both festive and meaningful.

The program opened with opera singer Yekaterina Tseplev with her little daughter, who performed the well-known Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower” (“Mo Li Hua”), followed by a Shaolin-style performance by Gil Peri. Later in the evening, a group of scholarship recipients performed both “Gong Xi Fa Cai” and the Israeli classic “Lo Yehi,” offering a thoughtful expression of the cultural connection between the two societies.

During the event, scholarships were awarded to outstanding Israeli and Chinese students from the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, the University of Haifa, Ben-Gurion University, and Bar-Ilan University. Recognizing these students remains an important part of the Society’s work to encourage academic exchange and deeper mutual understanding.

The evening also offered an opportunity to reflect on the similarities between Jewish and Chinese traditions. Both cultures are shaped in part by lunar calendars, and both place strong emphasis on family, seasonal renewal, and the marking of new beginnings. In this sense, the Chinese Spring Festival carries themes that are deeply familiar in Jewish life as well.

We would like to thank everyone who helped make the evening possible, as well as all those who joined us for this special event.

We wish everyone a healthy and successful Year of the Fire Horse and look forward to another year of strength, energy, and continued friendship.

On January 2nd, members of the Israel-China Friendship Society took part in the Spring Festival Walking Event organized by the Chinese Embassy in Israel to welcome the Lunar New Year of 2026.

The event was held along the Yarkon River in Tel Aviv and brought together more than 170 participants, including embassy staff, representatives of Chinese companies, overseas Chinese residents, Chinese students, and ICFS members. The group walked an 8-kilometer route along the river, from the river mouth to the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv. The program continued with a shared Chinese lunch and a screening of a new Jackie Chan action film.

During the event, Ambassador Xiao Junzheng shared a message for the year ahead. He noted that 2026 marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and encouraged the Chinese community in Israel to “charge ahead like horses with courage, vitality, and energy,” referencing the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. He also emphasized the importance of cooperation and resilience, and expressed hope for continued growth in China-Israel exchanges and collaboration.

For our members, the day was a meaningful way to welcome the Spring Festival: combining physical activity with community connections, and strengthening ties between the people and institutions working across Israel and China.

On November 28th our Society hosted a day trip to the Chinese students from the Technion and the University of Haifa. We were also joined by friends from the Chinese Embassy and long-time members and supporters of the Israel-China Friendship Society. The day combined nature, history, and plenty of conversation - the kind that happens naturally when people share a full day together outside the classroom.

Morning hike in “Little Switzerland”

We began the morning with a short hike in the “Little Switzerland” area of mount Carmel. The route was easy and scenic, and it gave everyone space to talk without any formal agenda. Over breakfast on the trail, conversations moved quickly from exams and research to food, family life, and the small details that feel familiar - or surprisingly different - between Israel and China.

Muhraka Monastery and a view of the north

From there we drove to the Muhraka Monastery, traditionally associated with the prophet Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal. The rooftop viewpoint offered a full panorama of northern Israel, including Mt. Carmel, the Jezreel Valley, and the Galilee. For many students, it was a moment where geography became more concrete - not just names on a map, but a real sense of distance, landscape, and scale.

The Alexander Zaid monument: individuals and national stories

We then visited the Alexander Zaid monument near Beit She'arim, where the lower Galilee hills touch the Carmel Mountain. The statue of Zaid on horseback is overlooking the Jezreel Valley. Zaid is remembered as one of the early guards of the Galilee and as a symbol connected to the first Jewish communities in the north. The visit opened a conversation about how personal stories of responsibility and courage can shape a broader national narrative. For many participants, this was their first encounter with this chapter of the Israeli history.

Lunch: Druze hospitality and local food

Lunch was an open-air buffet featuring Druze food - fresh, simple, and generous. The trays emptied quickly, which is always the most honest review.

Beit She’arim: history underground

We ended the day at Beit She’arim, shifting from open views to underground history. Walking through burial caves and viewing decorated stone sarcophagi from the Mishna and Talmud periods, we discussed why this site became such a significant Jewish necropolis, and what it reveals about community, memory, and continuity over time.

We thank everyone who joined us. The curiosity, thoughtful questions, and easy laughter throughout the day are exactly what make these trips meaningful - and why we keep organizing them.

Thanks for all those who joined our Mid-Autumn Festival gathering, held in the Chinese Cultural Center in Tel Aviv. Alongside the celebration itself, the evening included a presentation on the history of Jews in China by ICFS Chairman, Gal Furer, 高乐, and Daniel Dorfman, 丹尼尔. Their talk added an important historical dimension to the event and connected the holiday to a broader story of cultural contact, migration, and community.

About the Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the most widely celebrated traditional holidays in China. It follows the lunar calendar and is marked on the night of the full moon. At its core, the festival is associated with reunion, gratitude, and the changing of the seasons. Its origins lie in ancient harvest and moon-related traditions that developed over time, particularly during the Tang and Song periods.

Today, many families celebrate by gathering for a festive meal, spending time outdoors under the full moon, and sharing stories connected to the holiday, including the well-known legend of Chang’e and Hou Yi. The festival is both seasonal and personal, centered on family, memory, and hope for the year ahead.

Customs and traditions

One of the most familiar symbols of the festival is the mooncake, a round pastry traditionally shared among family and friends. Mooncakes come in a variety of fillings, including lotus seed paste, red bean, mixed nuts, and sometimes salted egg yolk. They are often served with tea and form an important part of the holiday experience.

In many places, the evening also includes lanterns, neighborhood performances, small gatherings, and moon-viewing walks. The overall atmosphere is usually quiet, festive, and family-oriented.

Why we included the history of Jews in China

The theme of reunion across time and distance made the Mid-Autumn Festival a meaningful setting for a discussion of the long history of Jews in China. The presentation highlighted several key chapters in that story.

The first was the Jewish community of Kaifeng, which emerged roughly a thousand years ago through Silk Road connections and developed into a small but enduring community with its own synagogue and traditions.

The second focused on Baghdadi-Sephardi families in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, especially in Shanghai and Hong Kong, where they played a visible role in trade, education, philanthropy, and communal life.

The third looked at Russian-Jewish communities in northeastern China, particularly in Harbin, Tianjin, and later Shanghai, where railways and migration routes helped shape new centers of Jewish cultural and economic activity.

The fourth addressed Shanghai during the Second World War, when the city remained open to Jewish refugees at a time when many borders were closed. Around 18,000 to 20,000 Jews found refuge there and built schools, aid networks, and a strong communal presence in the Hongkou area.

The final part of the presentation considered the modern period, from the 1980s to the present, in which academic exchange, research, business, and cultural activity have continued to connect Israel and China.

A meaningful evening of culture and history

Bringing the festival together with these historical chapters gave the evening a deeper sense of meaning. It was not only a celebration of a traditional holiday, but also an opportunity to reflect on shared histories of hospitality, movement, and cultural connection.

We are grateful to everyone who took part and helped create a warm and thoughtful atmosphere. Events of this kind are an important part of the Society’s work to encourage understanding, exchange, and lasting friendship between Israelis and Chinese.

On May 18,  we went to the traditional annual trip with representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Israel. The embassy personnel was headed by Mr. Liu Song, the deputy ambassador, and included senior figures from various departments of the embassy. The other half of the participants included the members of our Israel-China Friendship Society and members of the Former Residents of China Association, including some descendants of the Jewish community from Harbin – a powerful reminder of the long and rich history between our peoples.

Our journey began in Amikam, a moshav founded in 1950 by Jews who came from Harbin, China. We enjoyed a light breakfast and visited the House of the Pioneers, where we learned the inspiring stories of the first settlers.

From there, we explored the Taninim Stream Nature Reserve, where nature and ancient engineering met, showing us how fresh water once flowed to Caesarea.

After a lovely lunch at the old port of Caesarea, we stepped into the past at Caesarea National Garden, walking through Roman ruins and seaside history.

Below are some pictures from the event