The Florence Melton Adult Education School began operating in Hong Kong last year with 33 students.

The programme, already in fifty communities around the world, made its first foray through Ohel Leah Synagogue which has sponsored the programmed locally. Ohel Leah’s Rabbi Oser said “I knew about Melton from Sydney where it draws across many communities. I contacted Melton because I thought Hong Kong was ready for this sort of learning initiative.”

The core curriculum is a two year programme that consists of thirty two hour classes per year. In the first year students studied the Purposes of Jewish Living and the Rhythm of Jewish Living and in the second year students are studying the Dramas of Jewish Living and the Ethics of Jewish Living. For many the course has been an eye opener. “This was the first time I have encountered sophisticated Jewish learning,” said one student. Another student, said, “The classroom dynamic between the various participants is something I really enjoyed. Each person brought their own perspective and experience to the texts we studied, which made for some interesting discussion and debate.”

Over half a century ago, more than 1000 European Jews arrived on Philippine soil to seek refuge and a new life, far away from the tyranny of Nazi oppression in Europe. Among these refugees were a young Max Weissler and his family.

This life-saving journey was made possible through the heroic actions of the President of the Philippines at the time, Manuel L Quezon. President Quezon firmly believed in the vision of doing what is right, much akin to the heroic vision of Oskar Schindler.

President Quezon declared an ‘Open Doors’ policy which facilitated the issue of 10,000 visas for Jewish refugees who were escaping the terror of the Holocaust during WWII.

Tragically, only 1,300 Jews were able to reach the Philippines and accept the generosity of President Quezon and the Filipino people and start a new life in the Philippines. As the war unfolded it became increasingly difficult for Jews to leave Europe and find a safe haven.

On 2 October 2012, the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv facilitated the first ever meeting between Manuel Quezon Avanceña, a grandson of President Quezon, and Max Weissler, now aged 76, who still lives in the Philippines and who is one of the few surviving Jewish refugees there.

This memorable and touching meeting was hosted by the Philippine Ambassador in Israel, Generoso Calonge. Ambassador Calonge was delighted to be a part of this, noting how Mr Weissler is always keen to recount his journey to the Philippines and the story of his family as they settled into life in Manila.

The Ambassador said, “He is a living testament to the heroic deed of President Manuel Quezon who did what other nations could not or did not do during the difficult ordeal of the Jews in Europe.”

At the meeting Mr Weissler recounted many of his adventures and fond memories of life in the Philippines and even showed off some of the Tagalog words and phrases that he could still remember, to the delight of President Quezon’s grandson.