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Jewish Refugees in Shanghai: A Little Known Story

As Nazi power spread in the 1930’s and Jews in Europe struggled to escape, many countries closed their borders to Jewish refugees. An exception was the international city of Shanghai, China, which required no visa. Thousands of Jews made their way across continents to shelter in Shanghai. Marvin Pinkert, director of the Jewish Museum of Maryland, explains how the early welcome the refugees received … withers after Japan, a Nazi ally, occupies Shanghai. And we meet Jack Jacob, a Pikesville resident who was born in Shanghai--and is now a world ping-pong champion.

For information about the exhibit "Jewish Refugees and Shanghai," and related programs, visit theJewish Museum of Maryland link.

To read more about Jack Jacobs, visit this link.

CORRECTION NOTE: During the interview, Mr. Pinkert refers to Michael Bloomberg as having been a refugee in Shanghai. The correct reference is Michael Blumenthal, who was Treasury Secretary during the Carter administration.

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.
Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'