Move over Jerusalem! Jews have a new city where they can celebrate their B’nai Mitzvah--in Beijing, China. As of October 12, 1996—the historic day when Ari Lee became Beijing’s first Bar Mitzvah—Beijing can boast of the presence of a rabbi, cantor, klezmer band, and, of course, its own wall. A Great Wall, in fact.

Elyse Silverberg, Ari’s New York-born mother, married Michael Lee in 1980. They settled in Beijing, the capital city of his native China. Two years before the event, Elyse began preparing for her son’s Bar Mitzvah—no easy task in a city without a resident rabbi, cantor, or synagogue--and a mere 100 Jews, mostly expatriates.

Elyse first heard Robyn Helzner sing while visiting Hong Kong for a Hadassah International meeting in January 1996. At the time, Robyn was serving as the cantor for the United Jewish Congregation of Hong Kong. They met at one of the UJC’s Friday evening Shabbat services. In short order, Elyse asked Robyn to preside as cantor at Ari’s Bar Mitzvah and to sing at the freilach (celebration) on Saturday night.

Working her cellular phone to its limit, Elyse lined up Boston-area Rabbi Howard Kosovske, the former rabbi of the UJC in Hong Kong; organized the Capital Club staff, instructing them (with her mother’s help) on Jewish catering; and hired a Chinese jazz band to play at the Saturday evening reception. A benefactor who had previously worshipped with the nascent congregation, known as Kehillat Beijing, donated a Torah. The small congregation provides an important anchor for Jews living and working in the foreign, Chinese world. Elyse prepared explanations of the Bar Mitzvah ceremony in Chinese for inclusion in the prayer books.

Robyn arrived on the Monday before the simcha to a flurry of activity. Her first mission was to prepare the members of the jazz band, who, you can imagine were as familiar with hora and klezmer music as most of us are with Tuva throat singing. Nevertheless, Robyn selected a musical play list and Elyse provided the band leader "Lenny" with the appropriate sheet music.

By week’s end, Lenny and his mates were well rehearsed in klezmer, hora, and even Israeli folk dance music—even though Elyse cautioned Robyn that her "Chinese guests won’t dance."

The Yiddishkeit-starved community excitedly gathered for Shabbat services on Friday evening. When the opportunity came to connect through prayer and music, the 100 guests made the most of it. Not only did they participate joyously during the service, but about 60 guests—including Jews, Chinese, and Ari’s friends from his International School--stayed with Robyn to sing Jewish folk songs for over an hour at the kumsitz following the service.

The Jewish spirit was palpable at the Bar Mitzvah ceremony on Shabbat morning. Robyn said, "Even though we were in China, it was like a Bar Mitzvah anywhere. Ari performed beautifully. The ceremony was very emotional." Ari’s parents were kvelling--Elyse’s two years of labor had born fruit.

The reception that night brought Robyn new challenges. After leading the 160 guests in a moving Havdalah service (marking the end of Shabbat), Robyn fronted the band for a rousing hora set. Moreover, you can forget the notion that "Chinese don’t dance. Everybody danced. The family was lifted in chairs. Ari’s friends did the kazatske. And even when the band finished the last song—Hava Nagilah—the guests refused to return to their seats.

When she left the next day to officiate at a wedding in Hong Kong, her hosts and new friends asked Robyn the same question: When are you coming back?