Argentina and Palestine

Now there is nothing to worry about. Argentina has announced it recognizes Palestine as an independent country ( Brazil did this a few days ago ) based on the pre 1967 borders.
How wonderful!

This laconic seemingly simple statement has more meaning that one may think. It ostensibly says that Israel needs to unilaterally expel 500,000 people from different parts of Israel including about 200,000 form its own capital Jerusalem. This of course cannot and will not happen under any constellation no matter what. That being the case what does this really mean?

The fact that this third world country with a very deep history of hatred to Jews and deep- history of embracing Nazis after WW2 is practicing Jew hatred again. The fact that the foreign minister of Argentina is Jewish is completely irrelevant to all this. He is a fig leaf as Argentina’s government is backing the slow destruction of the Jewish state.

As I have visited in the country of late and see the immense poverty there it is astounding that this is what is on the agenda of the Argentinean government. Israel bashing.

This backword corrupt country who could not even defend itself when attacked by Britain a few years ago is a joke. A bad joke.

Israel should reassess its diplomatic ties with this third world country.

Shabbat in the Once

Spending my second Shabbat here in Argentina will be another very interesting experience. The mixture of Sephardic Jews and Lubavitz out reach Chaseedeem in this rather bustling non- stop Beunos Aires is amazing. The Sephardic Jews mainly of Jewish Syrian descent have numerous shuls in Argentina and seem to be the dominant Jewish group here. The Lubavitcher Chaseedeem sent by their leader Rabbi Menachem Mendel Scneerson are here for outreach to Jews. It seems every shul is either lubavitch or Sefaradi and they seem packed.
Most outsiders do not really want to live in Argentina, that seems abundantly clear. Its fragile economy and history of political upheaval makes life rather unpredictable. The two extreme terrorist attacks on the Israeli embssy and Jewish community building gives a backdrop to the all Jewish happenings in Beunos Aires. The Jews were and seem to be a soft target and Police can be seen at most Jewish sites especially Lubavitz Chassidic sites in the Once.

My Grandparents are buried here and I accompanied my mother to see those graves for a last time. It was a very moving experience.


Its an experience that I will not forget.