By Philip Jay

As director of The Jewish-American Hall of Fame, over the past 40 years, Mel Wacks has overseen the creation of what is now one of the longest series of art medals in the world. The organisation is a not-for-profit establishment and all the proceeds of the sale of the medals go towards the organisation.

One of Wack’s proudest accomplishments is the creation of the official medals commemorating “350 Years of Jewish Life in America” in 2004. An example was presented to President George W. Bush at a gala Washington dinner, in which Bush concluded his remarks by saying “All of America is grateful to the Jewish people for the treasures you have given us over the past 350 years.”

While visiting his daughter and her family in Hong Kong, as a birthday present, she gave him the book The Jews in Kaifeng by Chan Sui-jeung, published by the Jewish Historical Society of Hong Kong.

Wacks was fascinated and did further research at the library of the Hong Kong Jewish Community Centre. Brenda Yi, the librarian, provided him with additional resources and that is when he had the idea, to create a medallic tribute to over 1,000 years of Jewish life in China. Jewish Times Asia first featured Mel Wacks and his minicrusade in the February 2007 issue.

Artist Jamie Franki—who designed the new United States Jefferson Nickel in 2005—was commissioned to create this medal. Franki based his design on the drawings of Father Jean Domenge, made when visiting Kaifeng in 1722. Domenge’s drawing of the synagogue was used to construct a model at the Beth Hatefutsoth Museum of the Diaspora in Tel Aviv, and is depicted on the medal.

A maximum of just 488 bronze, 188 silver and 88 goldplated silver medals are being issued later this year, each individually serial numbered on the edge. The medal is an impressive 3-inches diameter, weighs a full half pound, and comes in a gift pouch with a Certificate of Authenticity. Prices will start at just US$88 for the bronze edition.

According to scholar Xin Xu (The Jews of Kaifeng, China), the first Jews settled in Kaifeng c. 960-1126, and the first synagogue was built in 1163. It is estimated that by the late thirteenth century there were about 2,000 Jews in Kaifeng. The medal features a quote from the 1489 stele in Chinese and English: “the emperor said preserve your ancestral customs.”

The medal combines the Chinese yin-yang symbol (representing the two complimentary forces that make up all aspects of life—heaven and earth, male and female, light and dark) with the Star of David.

The Star of David brings the story of the Jews in China to modern times, when nearly 20,000 European Jews found a safe haven in Shanghai during World War II. The three Hebrew letters within the star spell Shemesh (sun) as appeared on a plaque from the Kaifeng Synagogue, above the Shema prayer.

_{(Issue February 2010)}