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Anti-Semitism plagues
the streets of Argentina
by Lisa Redacted
Distribution of anti-Semitic
material is not an unusual sight on
the streets of Argentina.
David Geller, director of
European and Latin American
. affairs of the American Jewish
Committee, vividly set the scene in
speaking to a group at Temple
Sinai in Atlanta last week.
Geller said a recent issue of an
important Argentinian journal
contained an article written by
someone ???considered a friend of
the Argentinian Jew.??? Geller
quoted the writer: ???the Jews of
Argentina are stubborn and stiff
necked people and...if they would
give up Judaism everything would
be okay.???
Ironically, Geller pointed out,
this journal was not normally
considered an anti-Semitic
publication as are many of the
others on the street.
But anti-Semitism is not only
expressed through the written
word in Argentina.
In March, 1976, Peronists were
ousted and Argentina was left in
the middle of a civil war.
Left-wing terrorist guerrilla
groups fohght with the soldiers
and in Oie process ???left Argentina
economically and politically
unstable,??? Geller said.
This, Geller related, left {he
Argentinian treasury almost bare.
In an attempt to bring back
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Typical anti-Semitic material.
economic stability and break up
the guerrilla movement, the
military junta came into power.
???When this happened it was like
they unleashed Nazi-like groups. It
was as if the Skokie bunch was in
power but they were able to have
weapons and did not have to worry
about being arrested," Geller said.
When the military junta took
over many people who had been a
part of this left-wing guerrilla
movement were arrested, tortured
and even assassinated. There were
many university students and
teachers arrested, among them
many Jews. Swastikas were
painted on houses and others who
were accused of being involved
David Geller
with the leftists were tortured,
Geller said.
???One such person was the editor
of the prestigious Buenos Aires
daily, Jacobo Timerman. He was
arrested and tortured by the
military police and called an
???agent of Menachem Begin.???
???For awhile no one knew where
Timerman was. Later they found
he had been tortured and he???s still
in jail. He told his son that some
people had been tortured because
they were only suspected of being
Jewish. Many weren???t Jewish but
had to say they were in order for
the torturing to end,??? Geller said.
So how do the Jews in Argentina
live with this anti-Semitism?
???As a whole they don???t feel the
anti-Semitism is directed towards
them. They feel the campaign is
directed against individuals and
they can still publicly remain
Jews and leave Argentina if they
want. Many of them consider
themselves Argentinians before
Jews but the question is do the
Argentinians consider them so????
Geller asked rhetorically.
According to Geller, Jews in
Argentina do not find their biggest
problem anti-Semitism but
intermarriage and assimilation.
???The core of t heir problem is not
the fact that a Jewish boy falls in
love with a non-Jewish girl. The
core is that the Argentinian Jew
doesn't care enough about their
Jewishness. They have very little
Jewish education. In spite of
outward anti-Semitism, assimi
lation is the problem,??? Geller said.
So what does Geller think the
future holds for Jews in Argentina?
???It???s hard to say what is going to
happen. It???s obvious Jews are not
leaving Argentina in large
numbers but it is also obvious
there are many problems. I think
their future is still one big question
mark." ' *
Staff Photo: Lis* Geidbart
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