SHANGHAI — Chinese officials allowed Jews to use the venerable Ohel Rachel synagogue to celebrate the Jewish New Year last week.

More than 150 worshipers flocked to the 79-year-old synagogue for prayers and High Holiday observances led by Rabbi Shalom Greenberg, rabbi of Shanghai's Jewish community and emissary of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

For the first time in nearly 50 years the community was given permission to open the building for one of the two days of the holiday. Government officials sanctioned the building's use as a venue to commemorate the "cultural event" of the Jewish New Year.

"Judaism is still not a recognized religion in China," said Rabbi Greenberg. "We received the use of the building for 24 hours and are grateful for the positive beginning. We hope that as time goes on, we will be able to use the synagogue more often."

The ivy-covered Ohel Rachel synagogue was built in 1920 by Sir Victor Sassoon in memory of his wife, Rachel. An imposing building, the synagogue can easily hold up to 700 people in its cavernous sanctuary. Marble pillars flank a walk-in ark (which once held hand-written Torah scrolls) and wide balconies overlook the sanctuary.

The synagogue was once a center of life for the 30,000 Jews who found refuge in Shanghai during this century — first when fleeing the 1905 pogroms of Russia, and then from Nazi persecution during World War II.

After the war, and during the tightening of communist rule, most of Shanghai's Jews left for Israel or Western countries and Ohel Rachel remained empty under strict sanctions prohibiting religious observance. The last community prayer service was held there was in 1952.

In recent years Shanghai has witnessed an influx of Jews to Shanghai. A city of 8,000,000, Shanghai has close to 200 Jews today. Most are expatriates working for multinational companies or on diplomatic assignments. The loosening of trade regulations in China has also attracted foreign nationals involved in entrepreneurial pursuits and many among them are Jews.

Chabad-Lubavitch has a long history in Shanghai. The city's last official rabbi was the highly respected Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi, a prominent Lubavitcher Chasid, who selflessly tended to the physical and spiritual needs of the thousands of refugees who escaped here at the end of World War II.

Over the years the community was visited by Lubavitch rabbinical students as part of the movement's "Summer Peace Corps," in which young emissaries travel to places around the globe and reach out to Jews who might be living without the benefit of a Jewish community infrastructure. The young rabbis would meet with Jewish residents here, setting up classes and discussion groups.

Starting in 1996 the rabbis returned here to conduct the city's first-ever public Passover seders and High Holiday services since World War II. One rabbinical pair was the talk of Shanghai when it treated the city to its first post-war sukkah.

In the fall of 1998 Chabad-Lubavitch set up a permanent presence in Shanghai when Rabbi Shalom and Mrs. Dina Greenberg moved here to administer to the growing Jewish community.

Since Rosh Hashanah of last year the Greenbergs have been hosting Shabbat and holiday observances at their home and in various social halls here. (The rest of the High Holiday services this year were also held at a hotel.)

But the move to the synagogue this year added to the momentum of their efforts here. "It means a lot to the community," explained Mrs. Greenberg. "We've all been looking forward to this for a long time."

In the days before Rosh Hashanah the Greenbergs and community volunteers worked to fill the empty synagogue with rented chairs. The rabbis' e-mail and mail lists helped tip off community members in time to make the proper arrangements.

Cantor Shalom Ber Hazan, a native of Rome, flew in from New York to lead the services. To accommodate the various traditions of the participants, Hazan wove both Ashkenazic and Sephardic tunes into his prayer rendition.

Despite the 90 degree heat — the building has no air conditioning - the congregation remained focused on their history-making service. Rabbi Greenberg began his speech by reciting the blessing of "Blessed are You, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion."

Community President Bruce Feuer thanked the Chinese authorities, the Israeli, American and Canadian consulates, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Mr. David Buxbaum and Mr. Seth Kaplan for their long-time efforts to regain use of the synagogue.

"Simply stated," Cantor Hazan summed up the occasion, "this was the most moving experience in my life."