Welcome to Astronomer in Shanghai! Thank you for following my blog and for your interest in my adventures in Shanghai! As covid-19 continues to plague the US, and you are (hopefully) wearing masks when you go outside and maintaining social distancing practices, I hope that my blog highlights that the world can recover from covid-19 (which is sadly far away in the US). Once things improve, I hope you’ll look forward to small interactions with friends and family. I’m sure you’ll find that these interactions will be both meaningful and enjoyable. In Shanghai, life has returned mostly to normal. Since outbreaks may still occur, it’s important that you wear masks and cooperate with social distancing guidelines so that things will improve.
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Life in Shanghai
I hope that this latest update continues to find you, your families, and your friends safe and healthy. Even though I’ll talk about Rosh Hashanah a lot in this entry, I hope that all of you who celebrated had a meaningful holiday, even if it was different from what you normally do. I also hope that all of you involved in education, either as teachers or parents, are finding success in the early part of the school year. For those of you who are doing it virtually, I hope that your more accustomed to the platforms you are using and are discovering new ways to engage with your students. For those of you teaching in person, I hope that you feel safe and that your schools are engaging in proper and adequate testing and safety measures.
I have to start this post with some commentary on recent political news. I’m sure you were all just as devastated as I was to learn of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing on Friday (Saturday morning my time). May her memory be a blessing. We’ve lost a pillar in legal world and perhaps one of, if not the greatest, modern champion for women’s rights . It’s truly a sad day for the US. Unfortunately, the passing of RBG coupled was coupled with both sadness and fear. Recent statements by William Barr, suggesting that protestors should be tried for sedition, our current president’s statements that we need “patriotic” education, and the insistence and total hypocrisy from Senator McConnell (who is his own unique and special brand of evil) that the supreme court justice position be filled immediately regardless of the fact that when Justice Scalia died in February of 2016, he claimed President Obama couldn’t fill the seat because it was an election year, make me truly scared for the future of the United States. We are shifting towards authoritarianism. I implore all of you to vote and to vote against the current occupants of the White House. Moreover, if you are teachers (particularly at the college level), you must insist that your students register to vote and vote! Here in Shanghai, I just received my NY absentee ballot, which I will print out on Monday and figure out how to mail back (it has to be mailed) this week. The only hope for the future of the US is if we come together and remember that we as Americans must be better and move on from this racist, sexist, homophobic, and immoral administration.
If you need any more reasoning to vote against the current administration, look at the covid-19 statistics. As the US crosses 6.7 million cases, with an unthinkable 200,000 people dead, what more reasoning could you need that the response to covid-19 has been mishandled and that the current administration doesn’t care about your safety and health. China and other countries such as New Zealand and South Korea have shown that covid-19 can be contained. Currently, in Shanghai, there are just 49 cases (all imported). Beijing has no cases. The recovery rate for Shanghai is 94.2%, while the recovery rate for China as a whole is 94.4%. So, here in Shanghai, while we remain cognizant of the fear of covid-19, we are able to return to our normal lives. We only need to wear masks on subways, buses, and taxis. Masks work and combined with contact tracing reduce the spread of covid-19.
In terms of Astronomy research, this was another productive week! I made great progress on my DES Stellar Mass-Halo Mass relation research! I’ve completed all the observational analysis for this study and am in the process of updating/finalizing the text. There’s just one last part we want to do with simulated data that I’m working on. However, this paper should be submitted to the DES collaboration by the beginning of October!!! 🙂 Very excited about that. I also spent a bit of time working on my Luminosity Function analysis. We’re still trying to figure out some of the nuances of the background measurements, but I think we’re making some interesting findings in the process! 🙂
For those of you curious about my work week, I’m going to be going in to the office 3x per week! I take the bus to campus, which allows me to read (either for fun or work), which is much nicer than just listening to podcasts on a crowded metro.
Above, you can see the temperature scanner that I have to walk through (that is me) when I enter campus. It’s pretty cool! Next to it is a photo of the campus seal. In general, it’s been nice to be back for a few days each week and has allowed me to more easily collaborate with my colleagues here!
In terms of weather, it is starting to cool down. Unlike in Saratoga, where cool down means the 30s (at night), in Shanghai, cool down means highs in the 70s with lows in the 60s. Which is great and definitely more comfortable! Unfortunately it rained almost every day this week, but I did get to go for a nice 5 mile run on Sunday!
Here are some cool photos from around Shanghai this week!
Jewish Life in Shanghai
This week, my weekend was dominated by Rosh Hashanah celebrations! L’Shana Tovah to all who celebrate! In Shanghai, we’re fortunate that we were able to celebrate together in person! Unfortunately, covid-19 prevented us from bringing in a rabbi to lead our services. So, we had to improvise. Thanks to the help of Rabbi Art Nemitoff, a Rabbi from Kansas City who has visited Shanghai many times in the past, we had access to videos he prepared for his own congregation (B’nai Jehuda) that included the key prayers, torah readings, shofar service and sermons. However, because we were celebrating in person, we decided to do additional prayers, songs, and activities, which I had the pleasure of leading! While this was a lot of work, and not something I ever thought I’d be doing or really want to have to do again, under such a unique set of circumstances it was a meaningful experience and thoroughly appreciated by the Kehilat Shanghai community.
On Friday night, we had about 100 people join our community for the Erev (evening) Rosh Hashanah services, including the new consulate general of Israel (who was very friendly and excited to join our community. I got to speak with him meet afterwards). Many of my friends from both the Kehilat and Moishe House communities came (you can see some of us enjoying dinner together thanks to photos from Hannah Maia), so it was wonderful to bring in the new year with many of my friends!
On Saturday, about 30 community members returned for more in person services, including our in person Shofar service, which you can see here! The kids were particularly excited to hear the shofar blast (though I’m not sure what the people staying at the hotel that we did our services in thought was happening :))!
Following the Rosh Hashanah services, I attended Moishe House’s Tashlich (which is a service that centers around the idea of casting off your sins from the past year) and lunch! Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate, so we weren’t able to go down to West Bund Park. Instead, we used the beautiful pond in the compound that the Moishe House is in. This was a nice way to reflect on my first year in China and what I want to do differently and improve on for next year.
This was my first Rosh Hashanah experience in Shanghai. I left for Shanghai in between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur last year (My 1 year China anniversary is in ~ 2 weeks). So, I experienced a lot of mixed emotions. Although it was lovely to be surrounded by my friends and community members here, it was bittersweet to not be home in Saratoga joining my family for services. I really missed spending Rosh Hashanah with my family. However, I’m lucky to have the fond memories of the always wonderful Temple Sinai services (evening, first and second days), the Sweets Party my Mom hosts filled with all the amazing food that she makes, and of course my Mom’s fantastic rugelach (made with my great-grandmothers recipe) filled with my Mom’s amazing raspberry jam. 🙂
Next week will be somewhat dominated by preparations for Yom Kippur, which begins on Sunday evening. I’m not sure if I’ll post my blog before or after Yom Kippur yet though. Even with Yom Kippur on the horizon, there will be a few more fun activities as well as what is hopefully another very productive week! I hope that all of you who are observing Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur find the days in between meaningful and are able to reflect on 5780 as we transition to 5781.
I hope that you enjoyed seeing and learning about my first Rosh Hashanah experience in Shanghai! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about Shanghai, SJTU, or covid-19, please let me know.
In peace,
Jesse
Dear Jesse,
Shana Tovah!!!
Wishing you a wonderful New Year,
sweet as apples and honey!
Looks and sounds lie a lovely celebration!!
Glad the temperature is more
comfortable !
Are there any movie theatres in Shanghai
that are open?? That be a fun experience!
Take good care!
XoxoPam
Hi Aunt Pam! Shana Tovah to you as well! There are movie theaters opened. I think Tenet is the only US film playing, which I want to see. I’ve just been too busy to have time to go. I’ll definitely let you know if I do!
Hi Jesse,
L’Shana Tovah! I’m glad to hear your services went well. It’s definitely different doing everything virtual (we set up camp in the living room in the pink chairs). The temple Sinai services were very nice, but I did miss chatting with family friends after services, so I’m glad you got to do things in person. It certainly looks like you had a big crowd on Friday! Are you doing a pre-fast dinner for Yom Kippur? Also, I’m sure the shofar blast was a startling alarm bell for someone in the hotel. It was definitely very startling and sad to hear about RBG. We found out minutes before the Friday night service began, so her loss was felt throughout the service. I’m really hoping that this is where Schumer will warm his stripes and figure out every possible way to delay any replacements for RBG. It’s completely ridiculous that Mitch McConnell imposed fake rules on Obama and now argue that they don’t apply. Did you see that RBG’s death did lead to $20 million in donations to democratic candidates? That’s at least good. Hopefully it’ll lead to voting, too! I’m glad to hear your projects are going well. Will you add another one once you submit your paper to DES? My paper should be re-sent to co-authors in the next few days. I just have some final edits to look at. I hope that you have a lovely and maybe a bit more relaxing week. Hopefully you can go running, too! I loved the picture of the giant spherical building. What is that? Stay safe and healthy, and if you don’t post before Yom Kippur, I hope that you have a safe and meaningful fast.
Love,
Emmet
Hi Emmet! L’Shana Tovah! I completely understand about missing the social aspects of the High Holidays, especially Rosh Hashanah. Kehilat does not do a pre-fast dinner (I think with traffic it’d require a lot of people to leave work or home 3 hours or so before services, which would be hard). I’ll just have to have a nice big pasta dinner myself. I completely agree that Schumer must do everything he can to delay a vote. It sounds like Collins and Murkowski are against voting for a nominee so hopefully a few other Republicans will realize what is right. I also hope that RBG’s passing galvanizes voters! Everyone must vote.
I probably won’t add another research project right away, I’ll probably just elevate another project to the front since I have 3-4 other projects currently. So glad to hear you’re almost done with your referee comments! It’d be great to have that accepted before you leave for China! I think the spherical building is a mall? It’s right by the other SJTU campus. I hope your week is also relaxing and productive!
Dear Jesse,
L’Shana Tova! It is hard to believe that you have been in China for almost a year and that I have not seen you in all that time, except for FaceTime–hooray for that! I think fondly of last Rosh Hashanah when we were all four together as a family. Reading about your fond memories of my annual Sweets Party made me smile.
I am so glad you have enjoyed the rugelach made from Grandma Bessie’s recipe. And it is special to make it with my homemade raspberry jam with berries from our own garden. Truly, I am so sad that the pandemic does not allow me to hold my annual Sweets Party this year. And I was touched that a few friends who always attend (Peri and Lollie and Rabbi Jonathan and Anna Sugarman) wrote to say how much they will miss the tradition. May the world heal, and may we all gather together to celebrate the new year next year in person! Maybe even in person together!
It gives me great joy to see you with a wonderful friend group in your Jewish community in Shanghai. The pond outside Moishe house is so beautiful, and as I throw my lint from my pocket into the pond in Congress Park today at our Temple Sinai Taschlich Ceremony, I will think of your lovely setting! How wonderful that you were able to lead your community in prayers and songs and readings to supplement the materials online that Rabbi Nemitoff sent to Kehilat Shanghai. Mazel Tov! And it is indeed wonderful, too, that you are making such progress on your DES paper and that you will be able to send it to the collaboration at the beginning of October. I am glad that your Luminosity research is going so well and that you are able to go into the office. I enjoyed seeing the seal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the date of 1896! And the measures China is taking with temperature checks certainly look impressive.
We certainly had a different Rosh Hashanah this year with online services. Rabbi Jonathan said that those who pass just before the High Holidays are particularly righteous, and that gives me a bit of comfort about the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. I thought you would be pleased to hear what our rabbi said about her.
I am glad we can attend a small Taschlich gathering with the Rabbis, socially distanced of course. I made rugelach and grape jelly this weekend, and Emmet made a lovely vegan apple cake that we enjoyed with my homemade apple sauce. We also had apples with local honey to celebrate the new year.
My wish for the new year is that we and our country will “wake up” to the sound of the shofar calling each of us to be our best selves. I am sending you and the world multifold blessings for a sweet year of health, peace, happiness, kindness, and love.
I love you and miss you,
Mom
Hi Mom! L’Shana Tovah! Thanks! It is nice to have such a supportive and fun group of friends here! It’s also great to finally make progress on my DES research! I think Rabbi Jonathan’s statement about RBG is 100% spot on. I’m glad to hear you still made rugelach! And grape jelly sounds yummy too! As does Emmet’s apple cake! I also hope that the shofar wakes up America!
Happy New Year Jesse! It’s awesome you’re getting close to submitting your DES paper! I’m also hoping to submit a paper in the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy Yom Kippur and have a good week!
Thanks Ryan! That’s great that you’ll be submitting a paper soon as well! I look forward to seeing it on the arXiv! I hope that you also have a good week! Hope we can catch up sometime soon!
L’shana Tovah, Jesse. This truly has been a unique Rosh Hashanah, one I hope will not be repeated. Our community did services on Zoom, but today a handful of us gathered outdoors in person for services. It was a glorious, sunny morning and wonderful to be with people (of course, socially distant and masked), and to hear the shofar in person. I’m very grateful for that experience.
Of course we too are both saddened and anxious following the death of RBG. Yesterday we were downtown and visited a beautiful wall mural of her that had been painted a year ago. There were flowers, candles and post-it messages, and many people stopping by. The crowds at the Supreme Court are much bigger. Now we need to keep moving, to prevent another Trump appointed judge from getting on the Court.
Sending you wishes for a healthy, successful year as you continue your adventures in China.
Love, Judy
Hi Aunt Judy! L’Shana Tovah! I’m glad to hear that you were able to do socially distanced services outside (it must be much warmer in Maryland than in Saratoga :)). I’m glad to hear that there seems to be public mourning over RBG’s passing. Hopefully that will galvanize people to vote and oppose another Trump nominee. I hope that you also have a healthy and successful year!
Shana Tova u’metuka (A sweet and happy New Year), Jesse. Totally agree with your comments about theb political situation in the US. Cannot believe that McConnell is now arguing that with less than two months to the election we MUST appoint a Justice to replace the RBG. Five years ago he was arguing that with a year to go before the elections it was unwarranted to allow Obama to put forward a candidate. We are already living in a neo-fascist universe where the diktats of Trump are being presented as the will of the people. We must, we MUST resist.
My Rosh Hashana experience was , for me , quite unique. I did not attend synagogue services but I am able to lead a service and so was able to lead my own service for myself. I also can blow shofar and so blew the 100 notes for Lisa and myself. and this afternoon, we walked to Congress park for our tashlich service and bumped into a number of people from Temple Sinai assembling for their tashlich service.
I make my own wine and so we had a bottle of Gewirztraminer I made last year for shabbat and the first day of RH and a bottle of Pinot Noir that I made earlier this year (these I made from kits, but I am hoping to make a sangiovese wine from a few cartons of grapes I am buying and this will be the first time I will be making wine from vineyard grapes (from California).
I hope you have a healthy, and successful year and I hope that we all experience a year of social justice and freedom from want and hunger and oppression.
Shana Tova Bernard! McConnell is such a hypocrite. Truly he is his own unique brand of evil and immorality. I 100% agree that we must resist and we must vote! I’m glad that you were able to celebrate Rosh Hashanah in your own way. The 100 notes on the shofar sounds impressive! I’m lucky if I can get 1 or 2 decent notes out. It sounds like your wines were a nice way to start the new year as well! I hope that you also have a healthy and successful year! Hopefully 5781 will be highlighted by social justice, freedom, and change!
L’Shana Tovah, Jesse!!! It sounds like you had a really nice time celebrating the holiday. We were able to “attend” services virtually – strange and beautiful! We really missed your mom’s sweets party though and of course seeing you and your family in person.
It’s wonderful to hear that your research is going well. Also, I am jealous of the weather where you are! We ran our fire place for the first time the other day. It’s fun at first, but it does get old after a while. We are all wishing you a very sweet, happy, and healthy New Year. Be well!
Hi Peri! It’s wonderful to hear from you. L’Shana Tovah!!! I’m glad you were able to attend the virtual services. Like you, I also missed my Mom’s Sweets Party! I think I’m actually jealous of your weather! I miss the cool crisp days of fall. It’s not hot, but it’s still warm most days. I hope that you, Kevin, Eli, and Ronan have a sweet, happy, and healthy new year as well!