Ester Benjamin Shifren, A Prominent Jewish Family’s Century in Shanghai and Internment in a WWII POW Camp

Program Description:
Ester Benjamin Shifren’s family lived in Shanghai for more than a century. They led privileged lives until WWII abruptly changed everything. As British subjects, they were stripped of all their worldly goods and interned for three years by the Japanese. After the war, families began immigrating to different parts of the world, sometimes never to meet loved ones again. She conducted extensive research into her family and their life amongst the multi-ethnic groups of the city known as “The Paris of the East.” Join Ester Benjamin Shifren, as she discusses her family’s century in Shanghai.

Biography:  International Speaker, author, artist, and musician.  Ms. Shifren was born in China to a British Jewish family that had flourished in Shanghai for five generations. They were interned for three years by the Japanese during World War II, and in the Communist era were forced to relocate to Hong Kong, and then Israel. She served in the IDF, married, and lived in South Africa for 36 years, and Canada for five years before moving to Los Angeles. Ms. Shifren has spoken extensively internationally to numerous groups about the history of the Jewish community and multi-ethnic groups that lived in Shanghai, the “Paris of the Orient.” In 2005 Ms. Shifren was a guest in a BBC One program, “We’ll Meet Again,” and lectured extensively at the Imperial War Museum, in London. Her book, “Hiding in a Cave of Trunks: A Prominent Jewish Family’s Century in Shanghai and Internment in a WWII POW Camp,” covers all aspects of her family’s century-long sojourn in China, and also details the culture and tribulations of the colorful multi ethnic groups who lived in Shanghai.

*There is ample free street parking on Sunday on surrounding streets.  Limited handicap parking is available in the rear of the synagogue.  If you need to park in the synagogue parking lot, please let us know RSVP. The entrance to the synagogue is from the alley behind the building. Ring the buzzer on the parking lot gate.