Newspaper Page Text
1
PAGE 4RH THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE October .1, 1986
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
NATIONAL WOMEN’S
COMMITTEE
Atlanta Chapter
laion nnio naw 1 ?
Atlanta Bureau
of
Jewish Education, Inc.
(An Affiliate of the
Atlanta Jewish Federation. Inc.)
Sunny Stern
President
Dr. Leon H. Spotts
Executive Director
Miriam Stadtler Rosenbaum
Assistant Director
Jev'ish Education
Director’s Council
Richard Becker. Chairman
Mexican Jewry's rich past
by Ben G. Frank
Enrique Beraha is a high otficial
of the Mexican Jewish commun
ity. As he sat in the lavish Jewish
sports center in Mexico City which
encompasses more than 20 acres,
he lamented the fact that Ameri
can Jews, know very little about
Latin American Jewry .
To counter this, he told me in an
interview, he was sending a mes
sage to American Jews:“Estaessu
casa.” (“this house is yours”), he
declared with a wave ot the hand
covering the expanse of this vast
Jewish center in Mexico City, pro
bably the largest city in both North
and South America, with approx
imately 15 million people and still
growing.
On a given Sunday. Jews from
all walks of life move about this
complex: sunbathe on manicured
lawns, swim in several pools, attend
lectures and classes: study and do
research in an up-to-date library;
go to hobby sessions like photo
graphy; or have a snack or meal at
the restaurant or snack bar located
at Boulevard Comacho 620 Here's
where you will meet Mexico's Jews.
Beraha. this writer believes, did
not make this offer out of hand
“We need to show what's going on
here.” he declared “V S Jews
simply know very little about Mex
ico City Jewry.”
Mexican Jews have a different
outlook on events than American
Jews. There are common threads,
but. for example. Mexican Jews
teel their role in politics is different
than their am:eos up north. Jews
here prefer not to be involved
directly in politics American Jews
more and more are runnme as
candidates and are active in the
I S electoral process. Mexican
Jews prefer to stay outside the sys
tem. to influence candidates, ves.
but not become pan of a system
where you really almost have to
have a Spanish name to be a suc
cessful candidate. 1 was told
About 40.000 Jews live in Mex
ico City, for it is the hub of Jewish
life in the country. And except for
the unusual outburst, Mexico Jewry
has a rich past in this country'
of about 70 million persons.
Jews were here from the begin
ning The first Jewish settlers were
Marranos. those descendants of
baptized Jews suspected of secret
adherence to Judaism. They and
others arrived with the conquista
dors early in the 16th century. In
the 16th and 17th centuries. Jews,
secretly or not, came here to live a
quiet life and surv ive economically.
Marranos and later Jews shunned
the Inquisitional Tribunal which
w as set up and w hich would remain
active for two centuries. But they
were not alway s successful. Indeed,
w e have records of tw o being burned
at the stake in 1528. It was not until
the beginning of the 19th century
that Jews were allowed to partici
pate in their religion in the open
Thus, despite the unsettled con
ditions in the countryside, a few
Jewish adventurers and itinerant
peddlers made their way to Mexico
in the early years of independence.
They were able to become citizens
only alter 1843 when President
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
repealed the law that limited citi
zens to Roman Catholics.
Sephardic Jews came in 1909
from Aleppo. By 1910. there were
10.000 Jews in the country, though
their synagogue was not built until
1931 It was not until pretty much
after the first World War. that the
buik of Ashkenazim arriv ed. Over
the last 50 years. Jews have served
as a catalytic agent in the economic
life of Mexico.
Jews pioneered in the industrial
development of the country espe
cially in the manufacturing of tex
tiles. electrical appliances, plastics,
metals and clothing Many were
also engaged in minor commercial
activities, some were tailors, shoe
makers and jewelers. About 10
percent were in the professions.
Next stop Acapulco. It's called
the Riviera of the Pacific—this
resort area of hotels, beaches and
cliff dwellers.
During the winter season, this
town of 20,000 swells to 200,000
and many of the latter are Ameri
can Jews who come here to enjoy
the sun and the beaches.
It’s not hard to find American
Jews here. They proudly wear
“Jewish stars,” or “Chai” medal
lions.
And it’s not difficult to locate
Mexican Jews, either, though there
are few living in this resort. Per
haps there are eight to 10 Jewish
families, the Ashkenazim. There
are another six Sephardic families.
They are counted separately because
Ashkenazim and Sephardim are
still not as close in Mexico as in
other countries. It is reported that
even in Mexico City, the past ten
sions between Ashkenazim and
Sephardim may not have been re
duced completely.
Walk down the main street in
Acapulco, the Costera Miguel
Aleman, and many of the jewelry
stores are owned by Jews. Signs
that say, “Yiddish and Hebrew
spoken here," pieces of jewelry
with the letters “Shalom” engraved
on them are all part of the scene.
Unlike their compatriots in Mex
ico City, Jews settled here not
because of the large community or
fine Jewish schools for w hich the Mex
ican Jewish community is well-
known. These Jews came here be
cause of Acapulco’s history and
glory, a glory w hich one can see in
its harbor, its sun and its good life.
It hardly ever rains in the winter
season.
Still, they want to remain Jews.
“Religion is in our heart and we
surviv e even if it means trav eling to
Mexico City frequently. And they
do. for it is only less than an hour
to the capital on Mexicana Air
lines." said Luiz Garfmkle.
Founded in the early 1500s by >
the Spanish. Acapulco soon became
the major port of entry for trade
from the Orient. Silks, porcelains
and ivories arrived here from Asia
They were then packed overland
Continued next page.
THE EPSTEIN SCHOOL
WISHES THE COMMUNITY
A YEAR FILLED WITH
BLESSINGS and JOY
Cheryl R. Finkel
Headmaster
Gary Snyder
President of the Board