Buenos Aires, Argentina - day 1, part 2

About 1000 Jewish gauchos came here in 1860 and grew in 1880 with Jews from Germany. There were many Jewish farmers outside the city that came from Romania and the Ukraine. We learned about Moises Ville, funded by Baron de Hirsch a small town outside BA, that was founded in 1889 by 820 Eastern European and Russian Jews that were escaping pogroms. By 1896 there were more than 10,000 Jewish farmers here. These Jewish agricultural colonies were an unfortunate outgrowth of "corrupt dealings" where Jews that had bought other land to settle in BA Argentina were given nowhere to settle and forced to live in these communities about 400 miles away, give up their skilled trades and become farmers. These communities/colonies which eventually totaled over 40, with their homes, theaters, 7 Synagogues and Cemeteries and the history of Jews in Argentina, still exist and have applied as a UNESCO site.

From 1895 to 1911 the number of Jews in Argentina soared from 6,000 to about 120,000 people. In 1920, 80,000 jews moved here from Russia. There are 250,000 Jews in Argentina (80% in BA) although the numbers were up to 400,000 in the 1960. Many of the Jews are very much Zionists and left in the 70’s and early 80’s (and then again after the economic crises of 2001) as they were looking and immigrated to Europe and Israel. During difficult times the JDC is always there to provide funding as well as support and aid in many ways.
https://www.jdc.org/our-story/

There are 90 synagogues and 35 day school and 20 JCC’s in Argentina (almost all of them in Buenos Aires). About 40% of the Jews belong to Orthodox Congregations (30 Chabad), with 35% conservative and 10% Reform.

We visited the Anne Frank statue (by Jet Schepp) inaugurated in 2004, on international Human Rights Day, is a replica of the one in Amsterdam across from where she lived. The Mayor of BA, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta stated last year (when sadly the statue had been stolen but is not associated with antisemitism and then rediscovered) “This piece symbolizes the memory of the Holocaust and the Union between our countries, as well as the respect for human rights”. In addition to the statue and the Anne Frank House, which was inaugurated in 2009, is used to teach tolerance in a country which is home to the largest Jewish community in Latin America, Buenos Aires has a Holocaust Museum that was inaugurated in 2002.

Next, we visited the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral built in the 16th Century and San Martín’s resting place. One interesting exhibit is the crypt of ANTONIO CARDENAL QUARRACINO X'ARZOBISPO de BUENOS AIRES (died 2/28/98) visited by Pope John Paul II in 1982 and 1987 and Pope Benedict, and the home of Pope Francis as Cardinal and Archbishop. On 4/14/97, the Cardinal dedicated a plague to the Holocaust victims with authentic items he had been given to represent each of the camps. Beautiful tribute from a Cardinal who believed in religious freedom, cooperation, and peace among all beliefs (see photo). He also planted an Olive Tree outside the Cathedral on 3/30/2000 for Life and Peace.

Next, we visited the site of the attack on the Israeli embassy by a suicide bomber destroying the entire building on 3/17/1992. 29 civilians were killed in the attack and 242 additional civilians were injured. It was St Patricks day and those attending church right across the street were hurt and killed (we met the family of one of the victims at the memorial). On the 27th anniversary, a memorial, “And you shall tell your son” was built and placed on the site. Just a few days before we were there, it was damaged (see photo) but no one knows by who and why. Sadly, these events continue all over the world.

One of the worst events to happen here was on July 18, 1994, when a Lebanese terrorist detonated a bomb near the Jewish community building (see photo) 85 people were killed and 330 wounded. The other awful event on the Israeli Embassy was March 17, 1992. Sadly, after many year it was recently in the news when it was discovered it was a government plot and the day before Alberto Nisman, the Jewish prosecutor was to testify on his findings, he was found dead. Oy veh.

We stopped at the 160 year old Synagogue of Libertad Street was one of the few Reform/Liberal Congregations and is now Conservative. The BA Jewish Museum is located here too. We learned about Rabbi Bergman who began his career as a community leader at EmanuEl, the start of Argentina’s Reform Movement. In 2011, he became the first rabbi ever elected to public office in Argentina and served as representative of the City of Buenos Aires. In 2013, he was elected to represent the city at the nation’s congress and in 2015, President Mauricio Macri named him Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development and named one of the world’s 100 most influential leaders in the fight against climate change. He has authored seven books, is a distinguished speaker on issues of social justice and human rights, and a strong exponent of civil discourse. Rabbi Bergman was honored to be appointed President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism in June, 2020.

The PUENTE DELA MÜJER bridge was built from 100,000 recycled bottles by Spanish architect and sculptor Santiago Calatrava, opened on 12/20/21
December 20th, 2001. Does it look like two people in a TANGO stance? Everything is about tango culture and dance!Read more