I will begin this article with a disclaimer: I am not a writer. And I’ll go one step further and admit that I have no idea how to start this article or how to title it. But despite all that, here I go – jumping in with both feet!
In early March, I joined 17 other Jewish women on a United Jewish Federation of Tidewater mission to the Jewish community of Buenos Aires, Argentina. I had no idea what to expect, but it didn’t take long to recognize two things simultaneously: The Jewish community in Buenos Aires is truly special; and the Jewish Federation of Tidewater is, too (especially it’s women!).
I’ve been on Federation missions before, with each one unique and memorable. Like my previous mission experiences, this mission’s itinerary allowed participants to see wonderful Jewish sites and hear from many impressive speakers. For the sake of sanity – yours and mine – I will not include every site we toured in this article. There is simply too much to say, so I’ll share some thoughts on a few of the places we saw and experienced.
We toured AMIA, the main Jewish institution in Buenos Aires (something like our own Federation as far as being an umbrella organization). AMIA assists the Jewish community in strengthening and perpetuating Jewish life in Argentina. Its priorities include social welfare, cultural issues, community funding, and management of Jewish cemeteries. Its highly secure campus (featuring a magnificent Agam sculpture in the courtyard and memorials to those who perished in the 1994 bombing there) also houses the offices of the Jewish Agency for Israel, where we met JAFI Shaliach, Eli Cohen, and several young adult alumni of JAFI’s Masa program. Today, these bright young people are working across the Buenos Aires Jewish community as teachers, rabbis, sports coaches, and schlichim – strengthening ties with Israel and the Jewish people. They serve as outstanding role models for the next generation and are well-prepared for community leadership.
At the amazing ORT school (ORT Belgrano), we saw how the students from elementary to high school-age engaged in cutting edge science and technology, coding, business administration, and music and TV production. The students were bright, energetic, and confident as they presented their projects. It was very impressive! We were surprised to learn that there are more than 30 Jewish day schools in Buenos Aires. This school has more than 8,000 students (about 30% of which are not Jewish – which speaks to the quality of the educational programming). We ended our ORT Belgrano visit at Shabbat Sing-along with the youngest students and watched the Abba and the Ima light Shabbat candles and say the brachot over the wine and the challah. It brought back a lot of nostalgic feelings for those of us who recalled participating in Shabbat Sing-along when our own kids attended SIA and Hebrew Academy.
Our visit at the LeDor VaDor Home for the elderly was incredibly moving and impressive. A state-of-the-art facility originally started with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), it is now self-sustaining. Visitors arrive and are immediately met with a spacious lobby flooded with natural light and soaring ceilings. LeDor VaDor features a beautiful synagogue, library, coffee shop/bakery, hair and nail salon, and even an optical department (whose available frames were incredibly stylish!). LeDor VaDor also provides physical and occupational therapy, with a full-service gym and expert rehab specialists. And yes, there is a waiting list to get in.
Other stand-out experiences included attending the Megillah reading on Purim at the Amijai Synagogue, where we returned later in the week to celebrate Shabbat with the congregation. Rabbi Alejandro Avrug proved to be everything his reputation has said he would be: smart, energetic, engaging, and even a bit opinionated. The Shabbat service was truly mesmerizing, and as we stood with 1,000 others to turn to the back of the sanctuary and welcome the Sabbath Queen, we felt truly part of the Argentinean Jewish community. All of this I saw with my own two eyes, heard with my own two ears, and experienced with my whole soul.
During Shabbat dinner with the rabbi and other community leaders, we learned that in addition to his 1,000-strong congregation on an average Friday night, Avijai recently purchased a house not far from the shul, to serve as a place for young Jewish adults to hold services and programming. This location draws 150 – 200 worshipers every Shabbat. Their services are run by a young assistant rabbi (who is studying under Rabbi Avrug), and apparently it is the “place to be” for young Jewish singles and couples on a Friday night.
Our trip was well-balanced. We had a terrific opportunity to “follow our Campaign dollars” to see where they are hard at work in places such as LeDor VaDor, ORT Belgrano and the JAFI Masa program (as well as others I haven’t described, such as the Jewish community medicine bank, Refuot, started by JDC and now run under the auspices of the Tzedaka Foundation. Refuot provides free prescription medicine across the entire country – to Jews and non- Jews, alike – to 50,000 patients).
To balance the site visits, we had wonderful Argentinean culture opportunities; we learned to Tango, we saw street art, we visited one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world (and peaked in on a live rehearsal of Swan Lake, what a treat!), and we even experienced a cooking class. Yay for corn empanadas!
I went to Argentina, and I did buy a t-shirt (it wasn’t for me). But I came back with so much more. I am glad to know our Federation dollars are hard at work helping our people not just at home in Tidewater and in the US. Again, not my first mission… but I am always proud and gratified to see that because of the work we do here at home and the dollars that we raise… we are connected with Jews around the world. Those in need are not forgotten. We are one people, stronger when we are united. We all just must help a little bit more.
Amy Zelenka, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater chief development officer and Mission planner, contributed to this article.
