Spread Chinese Culture in a Foreign Land——An interview with Yangzi, founder of the Israel Love and Hope Culture & Education Foundation

Over the last few years, China-Israel relations have maintained a good momentum of growth. Under the framework of the China-Israel Innovative Comprehensive Partnership, the two countries have achieved mutual benefits and strengthened cooperation in economic and trade, agriculture, health, and culture. The steady improvement of mutual trust between the two peoples is an important building block of these achievements. Chinese people and students and overseas Chinese in Israel have been acting as a bridge between China and Israel. The fine conduct and morale they have displayed made more people in Israel willing to know China. Recently, the founder of the Israel Love and Hope Culture & Education Foundation, Yangzi, shared her story.

Yangzi has been working and living in Israel for nearly 14 years since she first arrived in early 2007. To strengthen the connection between the peoples of China and Israel, in 2019, Yangzi registered the nonprofit Israel Love and Hope Culture & Education Foundation, and began to host performances, exhibitions, lectures, and summer camps with overseas Chinese, Israelis, and student volunteers in Israel. These activities aimed to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between two peoples. In addition, the foundation established multiple scholarships to help students from both countries working and studying abroad through direct cooperation between colleges so as to play a positive role in promoting exchanges and friendship between the peoples of China and Israel.

She said, in recent years, more and more people in Israel begin to embrace China and Chinese culture. As a witness to this, she is particularly impressed when the foundation held the New Year’ Concert themed “Walking in the Light” in Nazareth on December 28, 2019. More than 200 people showed up despite an unexpected rain.

Since the start of 2020, the Covid-19 has raged across the globe. Israel has also been haunted by the virus for almost 10 months. In the long battle, Chinese people in Israel and overseas Chinese came together in solidarity and won support and praises from local people through all their efforts. Since late February, Israel has been under lockdown or semi-lockdown. The foundation has tried to help people in Israel boost their confidence by sharing encouraging stories and videos of Chinese people successfully containing the virus. They all believe that the people of Israel will soon overcome the virus and return to their normal lives as well. Currently, the foundation is working with Chinese and Israeli singers to shoot a musical video to further support Israeli society.

There are many Chinese people like Yangzi who contributed in Israeli during the Covid-19 response. Many of them have posted their experiences and latest updates on social media. At the same time, they also spontaneously formed volunteer groups to deliver food and medicine to the elderly, disabled, and sick in Israel. Their spirit of perseverance and determination was greatly appreciated by the Israeli society.

Contributed by Wang Jiong, Guangming Daily reporter at Tel Aviv

Translated by Ren Meiqi