Jews played a significant role in shanghais development through 1949 many wealthy and successful entrepreneurs lived in the city and ran thriving businesses from 1933 to 1941 shanghai accepted over 30 000 jewish refugees fleeing the holocaust in europe in the designated area for stateless refugees of shanghai about 20 000 jewish refugees lived harmoniously with local citizens overcoming numerous difficulties together by the time the second world war ended in 1945 most of the jewish re