Antisemitism in Argentina is currently on an upswing and the
Jewish community is afraid that attacks on Jewish communal
and Israeli institutions are liable to recur.
These remarks were made last week by Minister Michael
Melchior at a meeting of the Knesset Aliya and Absorption
Committee. Melchior expressed concern over the increase in
antisemitism in Argentina; dissension within its Jewish
community; and the deep economic and social crises the
community is currently undergoing. Melchior, who visited
Argentina a month ago, noted that there was a significant
rise in assimilation within the community, and that the
Jewish educational system is eroding, as reflected in the
number of students enrolled in Jewish schools.
Minister Melchior reported to the Committee that out of
30,000 murdered or missing in Argentina in the beginning of
the eighties, 3000 were Jews. Menachem Begin, who was Prime
Minster of Israel at the time, took some extraordinary
measures and was able to save 300 Jews. The Committee said
that the Israeli Government must confront the Argentinean
authorities and demand that they locate the bodies of the
missing Jews so that they be accorded Jewish burials.
Minister Melchior said that he intends to approach the
Archbishop of Argentina and the President of Argentina on
this issue.
Committee Chairman MK Naomi Blumenthal (Likud) said that
although the Government has established a Ministry for
Diaspora Affairs headed by Melchior, he has not been granted
the means to fulfill his duties and to battle the increasing
antisemitism throughout the world. "The Israeli Government
must lead the battle against assimilation. The Government
must allot financial resources for the strengthening Jewish
education and the links with Israel in the Diaspora," she
said.
MK Rabbi S. Halpert called upon the Government to help the
Jewish educational institutions in Argentina to continue to
function. "Education is the only tool which will enable us to
grapple with assimilation," he said.
