Chronology

One of the first Jews to settle in this railroad town of Hengdaohezi in 1905 was E. M Shneerson (З.М.Шнеерсон). He established a pharmacy. By 1906 the Jewish presence grew and when the number reached ten, they decided to procure a Torah. Until that time they borrowed one from the Harbin Community.

In 1906 donations to the Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur fund were sufficient to order and buy a Torah from Russia.

With the arrival of the Torah premises were rented to serve as a permanent synagogue and a Shochet was hired from Russia.

The number of Jewish residents never exceeded 14

Pharmacist - 1
Traders (Businessmen) - 3
Shoe makers, Tailors, Watchmakers and Hairdressers, and others made up the rest

There were no communal activities other than the attendance to the synagogue . Documents such a birth certificates and others were issued in Harbin by the Jewish Community. No archival records were maintained and none exist.

The president of the community was  Mr. Tsihansky (г-н Цыханский) . He was a member of the Village Council (Поселкового совета). He was succeeded  by E Shneerson (З.Шнеерсон) who likewise served on the Village Council for ten years and was also a member of the management of the Mutual Credit Bank.

The Jewish presence decreased with Jews departing for Tianjin, Harbin and Shanghai. By 1929 the population dwindled to less than ten. A Minyan was usually formed by inviting Jewish railroad passengers to join the congregation (Hengdaohezi was a CER stop)

After severe and uprovoked attacks by hooligans (most likely White Russians), floods and fires, most of the Jews decided to leave. Amongst the last to depart was E Shneerson (З.Шнеерсон) who had substantial immovable property and the tailor Schwartz (Шварц.). At the time the data was collected in the thirties, E Shneerson (З.Шнеерсон) also departed Hengdaohezi. The fate of the tailor Schwartz is unknown. It is safe to assume that the Jewish presence in Hengdaohezi ended 1929-1930.

A Jewish school did not exist in Hengdaohezi. Students were sent to the Harbin Jewish School.