National Public Radio By Louisa Lim June 16th 2006


Smart Shanghai July 28th 2006


New York Magazine spetember 2005 : The Ten-Point Escape plan - Shanghai (item 6).

My Friday tour in shanghai was the highlight of my shanghai visit....The digging up of a grave(as seen in the video) from the river resonates in my mind. What a project....
You truly give each group your all.....I felt like we were your friends and you were showing us around....not a tour leader leading another group....
.Suzanne Rockman, NYC
January 2009

Hi Dvir,
We're about to board for Melbourne but I wanted to say what an astonishing experience the tour was. Thank you so much. Remember
Regards, Karen and Owen, January 2009

This was a fantastic tour which I will definitely recommend to my family and friends back home. Thanks for such a passionate and thorough portrayal of the Jewish history in Shanghai. This was a tour which I will always remember. Good luck and all the best in your mission to reclaim the Jewish tombstones of Shanghai. Yours is a sacred project which I hope will get support and come to fruition soon.
Natty Yagudin Toronto, Canada January 2009

Dvir,
Just a note to let you know the Syracuse group on your tour this past Sunday had nothing but positive comments. This certainly was a highlight of our trip to China.
Bob Zucker, NY, November 2008

Dear Dvir. Just a few lines to let you know how very much we enjoyed our very informative and enjoyable few hours spent with you in Shanghai. You were an excellent guide and we only wished we could have spent more time with you. We shall certainly recommend you to anyone who is going to visit Shanghai.
Barbara and Malcolm Solomons - Manchester UK, November 2008.

Thanks so much for an absolutely wonderful tour!
You are both smart and articulate...pulling in info with humor.
Your style is engaging, and both Daniel and I appreciated it enormously!
Carol Isaak, October, 2008

 

Dear Dvir:
I have returned to New York City and NYU’s campus at Washington Square, and I want to thank you for sharing your immense talents and experience with our group last week. You were amazing!
With this trip, we sought to provide our trustees and major donors with an experience that would engage seasoned travelers and first-time visitors alike. You enabled us to do just that. We were truly fortunate to have such a renowned specialist—and warm and engaging person!—to give us a glimpse of the Shanghai Jewish Refugee experiance. This was not a tour we had previously planned, and it was a surprise for many of our guests. We all enjoyed it immensely, thanks in large part to your insightful commentary.
Best wishes, Debra, NYU, June 2008

Thanks Dvir for an extremely interesting and personal tour of Jewish Shanghai.

We understand why so many Melbournians regard your experience as the highlight of their visit

Wayne and Anita Friedman, Melbourne Australia, June 2008



Dvir
I want to thank you for the best tour I have ever had.  It was so enlightening...and I really wish you all the best in your endeavors with the lost headstones.
Your tour really touched my heart.  I will definitely recommend you to all my clients travelling to Shanghai.
Jodi,
November 01, 2007

 

I did the Shanghai Jewish tour yesterday. It's a must do for anyone with any culture/historical interest. Dvir is so well researched, well spoken, and with a sense of humor.
This is information that no tour guide would know about. In fact no one here under a certain age would know about this history.
Ciao for now,
Mardi
October 17, 2007

 

I cannot even begin telling you how much we all enjoyed your tour today.  It is interesting to learn about your experiences here and your endeavors to work with those that have GUAN XI to find a site for the memorial headstones of those that lived and died here in Shanghai are very admirable.   I am personally impressed with what you have done since you have been here so far.   What a mission!  


HuiYing Fu and friends on tour
June 15, 2007

 


We cannot do justice to this tour in so few pages…

If you want the fuller story, we highly recommend taking Dvir Bar-Gal’s Shanghai Jewish tour, a five hour plunge into Shanghai’s hidden history.
With an encyclopedic knowledge of both Shanghai and Jewish history, Bar-Gal give an entertaining and informative tour, in English or Hebrew.  His narrative breathes life into the buildings, and inspires passion for the preservation of an important part of the city’s history.

David Tylor,  Hint List, Shanghai Guide 
Dec. 2006

 

 

SEEING SHANGHAI WITH THE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY THAT YOU PROVIDED WAS PARTICULARLY MEANINGFUL, NOT JUST AS A JEW, BUT ALSO MORE GENERALLY TO HELP
US UNDERSTAND HOW THE CHINESE PEOPLE LIVE.    YOUR TOUR GOT US OFF TO A
DEEPLY RICH START THAT CARRIED THROUGH WITH OUR ENTIRE JOURNEY, GIVING US AN APPRECIATION OF THE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF FUNCTIONING (SOCIALLY, POLITICALLY, ETHICALLY, AND NATIONALLY) OF THE CHINESE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.  WE ARE TRULY APPRECIATIVE.  YOUR TOUR WAS A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TRIP.

LORI AND JACK ALLEN 
May/8th/2007

Bigger than the a Great wall…

When I planned my trip to China, I naturally thought that the Great Wall
would be the highlight of the holiday. However, the morning I spent learning
about a piece of lost history that too few know about, and experiencing
China up close and personal as few tourists can, touched me with more
emotion that I can express. Dvir's tour was truly the highlight of my trip.

Bettina Sherick, 
January/7th/2007


Dear Dvir,
I just want to thank you for the wonderful tour. It was well planned and
logically structured: at first, you gave a talk in the lobby, then you took
us for the tour itself, then we met the Chinese old man, and finally you
showed the film. The whole tour was not only exiting but also thought-
provoking.

The way you designed the tour makes every participant look at himself in
the context of Jewish history; I truly believe that this is the best result
any Jewish tour guide can achieve.

Your tour definetely was the highlight of our trip to China.
I also want to thank you very much for your work on planning the Jewish
memorial. You are doing a great mitzvah. I wish you all the best and believe
that your project will be implemented soon.

Sincerely,
Inna Strizhevsky

January 8th 2006 


The Economist City Guide Shanghai :" The best way to learn about Shanghai's Jewish history is to take a tour. Dvir Bar-Gal".



January 2005, THAT'S SHANGHAI MAGAZINE review as the best walking tour of Jewish Shanghai.

(
View jpg-copy).


Hi,
I am an American Jew and my family has been living in Singapore for almost 4
years. It has been recommended by several of our Jewish expatriot friends
that the most exciting part of their trip to Shanghai had been the Jewish
tour...
2005/9/10



Dear Dvir,
Thanks for the tour you took us on last week. All 8 of us enjoyed it
thoroughly.You are an amazing guy with a wealth of knowledge of the area you
took us thru. Good luck with your tombstone project and we will send many
more tourists your way.
Thanks again,
Warmest regards,
Judy Leach
2005/9/10



I was one of the people that was on your afternoon tour, Monday, July 18th. I am the one who lives in Shanghai and does a little theater here in Shanghai. My three friends from Los Angeles were with me. I am not sure you remember us. You are one very busy person and I realize you cannot remember everyone on your popular tours.  
You were terrific in your presentation of the Jews in Shanghai. We all enjoyed it very much. I enjoy history and you helped me put many of the odd little pieces together that I have read and heard in lectures on Shanghai. Your tour is very informative and very well done. Thank you very much for letting us join your group.
2005-7-18


Shalom Dvir,
Thank you so much for the amazing and moving tour of jewish Shanghai.We wish you best of luck with your important reserach and will highly recommend your tour to our friends going to Shanghai.
Best regards,
Odeya and Gabriel
2005-6-28


JUST GOT HOME A FEW DAYS AGO AND I HAD TO LET YOU KNOW HOW MUCH DR, AND MRS. BRIZEL AND I ENJOYED THE DAY WITH YOU. YOU ARE FABULOUS AND YOU CAN BE SURE IF I HAVE ANY CLIENTS GOING TO SHANGHAI YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME.
I FOUND YOU TO BE BOTH VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND LOTS OF FUN!!!!
 AGAIN THANK YOU FOR A MEMORABLE DAY IN SHANGHAI.
REGARDS,
SANDY
2005-5-12


Hi Dvir,
My wife and I just want to send you a big THANKYOU note for the wonderful and enjoyable tour we had with you recently. We found it very informative and you present it so well. Your enthusiasm comes thru.
 Thanks once again.
 Rgds
Robert
2005-4-5


Thanks again for the tour. It was a highlight for Farah and my vacation.
2005-3-30


Hello Dvir
I would like to say thank you again for the tour that you made for us on
Sunday two weeks ago (with Eva and our son). It was very enjoyable and
fascinating to understand more about the fabric of this town and the fact
that it has somehow always been a place for newcomers with small or big
projects; which makes it somewhat ironic that we should now try to conserve
some of the old things from the being sucked away by greedy developers, or
perhaps well-intentioned city planners.
any way, I hope I will have another chance to join one of your tours
(perhaps next time with my sister who will come to Shanghai 16 or 17th of
February).
Warm regards
Philip
2005-1-16


We wanted to thank you for a most wonderful and informative tour this past Saturday morning. You are a precious keeper of the past history of the Jewish people in this part of the world and a valuable resource for Shanghai.
As I have toud you before we parted last Sat., I want to book another tour for Tues., Dec. 30. We would have three people. I have also asked my Shanghainese friend who has translated for me during my dancing with the Chinese ladies. She is most excited and speaks English well.  I will have my Singaporean friend visiting as well. We would like to begin in the morning. 
Thank you again, and look forward to hearing from you
2004-11-22


Dvir,
We wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed the tour today, and
we will recommend it to friends and family that visit Shanghai. It
was certainly the highlight of our Shanghai visit, and we appreciated
all of the insights to the local culture that you provided.
2004-8-15


hello dvir,
i am the israeli woman who took your tour together with my husband on 9.5.04. it was a wonderful experience which i have recommended highly to many of our friends in beijng. we also spoke to the people in the kehilla about your tour the friday night of our return to beijing.
 with thanks and regards,
Sheila
2004-5-30


I want to thank you for the excellent tour you led. Richard and I
appreciated the time you took to structure a really comprehensive picture of
what Shanghai was like when my family and I lived there.
I have since been told by my dopey brother that he knew the address: 310
McGregor Road and that that is where my father's tailor shop was; we lived
in the back of the store. He didn't think it was necessary to tell me this
before I went, but I'm still glad to know. Maybe on one of your next visits
there you will see what has replaced it.
We will be sure to recommend you to any one we know who is going to visit
Shanghai. Your tour was one of the highlights.
Best regards, Judy
2004-5-23


       Our tour from the Silver Shadow on April 16 of the Shanghai Jewish
Ghetto and Jewish sites of Shanghai was the highlight of our cruise. You made
the story of the 2 5,000 Jews who were interred in Shanghai come alive and
meaningfully to all of us.
I hope that you are able to continue this mitzvah with others. Thank you for
what you do. I hope your gallery goes well. Give our regards and thanks to Mr.
Wang.
Shalom Aleichem, Rabbi Bernard
2004-5-11


I just wanted to thank you for your attention to all the guests we sent to you.
They really enjoyed the tours and highly recommend you.
I am so sorry we could not meet, but maybe next time.
Thank you once again
Cinthya Pavan
Shore Excursion Staff
Crystal Harmony
2004-5-10


Dear Dvir
We are back home in Cape Town.
We want to thank you very much for the wonderful tour you gave us of
Shanghai! We had alot of fun, and it was great to meet you! Thank you for
spending all that extra time with us!
We are planning to come back to Shanghai later this year, so we will phone
you when we get there, and we can see you again!
Hope you are well
Best wishes
Terri
2004-5-5


 We are back in Cleveland, Ohio where I am one of the rabbis at Park
Synagogue. We flew home from Beijing via Hong Kong.
Your tour of the Shanghai Ghetto was one of the outstanding highlights
of our cruise for Barbara and I as well as those with us. You do a real
mitzvah in taking us and Jews around to see these Jewish sites of Shanghai.
All our best to you. Todah rabbah for all that you did and contended
with. I hope to see you again soon.
Shalom, Rabbi Bernard
2004-4-27


Hello Dvir,
 We would like to thank you for a wonderful tour. We learned much - not only about jewish history in Shanghai but about China and the city in general. We should have asked you to provide the general city tour - the guide provided by the tour agency was not very good.
 We admire the good work you are doing in gathering material about the Shanghai jewish community amd the tombstone project. We will spread the word about your work.
  Best regards,
Nan and the family.
2004-4-18


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