The program will be on Zoom as our speaker is in Taipei, Taiwan -- click here to join.

Unlike in Asian countries like Singapore, China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia where Jews have long historical connections, a Jewish community did not form on the island of Taiwan until the 1950s. Who are Taiwan's Jews and how has such a young community become so prolific, and what do the local people of Taiwan think about the Jews? Jordyn Haime, a freelance journalist and former Fulbright Taiwan research fellow, explored these questions in her 2021 research. This presentation will explore the life of a small and young expat Jewish community in one of the world's most geopolitically contentious countries and why some Taiwanese admire the Jewish people and the state of Israel.

Jordyn Haime is currently a Fulbright grantee studying the history of Jewish communities here, graciously hosted by the Taiwan Jewish Community and the National Chengchi University College of Communication. She grew up in Hudson, New Hampshire and her Jewish education began at Beth Abraham.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in Spring 2020 with a dual degree in journalism and international affairs and minors in Asian studies and Chinese studies, Jordyn dove straight into a career as a freelance journalist with the Granite State News Collaborative, where I covered the impact of COVID-19 in New Hampshire and justice issues. She has worked at New Hampshire Public Radio covering the pandemic as well.

As a student at UNH, Jordyn published pieces with New Hampshire Public Radio, Foster's Daily Democrat, UNH Today, The New Hampshire, the Lowell Sun and Howl Magazine. Outside of journalism, Jordyn has conducted academic research into various topics related to China, studied Mandarin Chinese both at UNH and through the state department's Critical Language Scholarship program, studied abroad in China. Jordyn held leadership positions in student organizations like Hillel and the Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention Program.