Peony

Seaside Book Group program February 17^th (Thursday) at 4 pm. 

Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88539251045?pwd=TTlqdkw0dXlaRThhQUxBdUZNemlGZz09

In connection with the book Peony by Pearl S. Buck that we will be discussing, we have a special speaker, Rabbi Anson Laytner, who will talk for the first half of the session on the history of the Kaifeng Jews in China.  His talk provides us with the opportunity to learn more about this small group of Jews who most likely traveled to China in the early middle ages and were assumed to be assimilated in the nineteenth century (as Buck describes in the book).  In 2017, Rabbi Laytner published a book on the Kaifeng Jews, and he is currently the president of the Sino-Judaic Institute which promotes understanding between Chinese and Jewish peoples by encouraging and developing their cooperation in matters of mutual historic and cultural interest.  Even if you have not read the book, you will definitely want to sign on and join us for this presentation.  After Rabbi Laytner concludes, Karen Wexler will lead a discussion of Peony.