(Washington, D.C., July 17, 2020)--B’nai B’rith is commemorating the 26th anniversary of the worst anti-Semitic attack in Argentina’s history. On July 18, 1994, terrorists drove a van loaded with explosives to a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA). The attack killed 85 civilians and wounded 300 others. Its perpetrators, widely thought to be Hezbollah linked to Iran, have not been brought to justice.

In a discussion with B'nai B'rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, Eduardo Kohn, BBI director of Latin American Affairs, said, “Latin America, especially South America, did not understand what was happening or even want to understand. In 1992, the reaction of Latin American countries, Latin American governments, was to say, there has been a bombing in Buenos Aires against the Israeli embassy, but this is…the import of the Middle East conflict. It was an attack on Argentina. It was an attack on the Jewish community. It was a clear anti-Semitic attack [targeting]…the center of the heart of Jewish community in Latin America, Argentina.”

Watch a virtual discussion with Mariaschin, Kohn and Special Advisor on Latin American Affairs Adriana Camisar by clicking the link here.

In the discussion, Camisar outlined some of the reasons that made terrorists target Argentina’s Jewish community. “At the time, our president was [Carlos] Menem, who had decided to have a closer relationship with the U.S., with Israel," Camisar said. "Nisman, who was the prosecutor of the AMIA case, thought that one of the reasons was that Menem had canceled a nuclear agreement with Iran, but there were other reasons. I remember he cited also the fact that Argentina had the largest Jewish community in South America. They knew that the borders of Argentina were very porous, very easy to cross. This is sad for me to say, but they also knew there was a lot of corruption in Argentina, so it was fertile ground to do something like this. And one other thing – there was a lot of anti-Semitism in the security and armed forces of Argentina, so maybe that made it easier, too.”
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B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org.

(Washington, D.C., Nov. 20, 2019)--Throughout November, B’nai B’rith International held commemorations across Latin America to remember Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass. In 1938, on Nov. 9 and 10, Nazis terrorized Jewish neighborhoods throughout Germany, Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia, killing almost 100 Jews, dragging 30,000 to concentration camps, vandalizing thousands of Jewish businesses and burning and destroying synagogues.

In Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Ecuador and Uruguay, B’nai B’rith held remembrance programs marking the 81st anniversary of Kristallnacht.

For the last 26 years, B’nai B’rith Argentina has organized Kristallnacht memorial ceremonies. This year’s event took place in the capital city, Buenos Aires, where Christians and Jews shared a solemn interfaith and remembrance event in the San Ildefonso Church. Vice President of B´nai B´rith Argentina Susana Chalon spoke on behalf of B´nai B´rith. Secretary of Human Rights of Argentina Claudio Avruj, political leaders and members of the Jewish Christian Confraternity attended.

The Christian College Rhena in São Paulo hosted the commemoration and debuted an exhibit entitled “Never forget the lessons of the Holocaust.” President of B´nai B´rith Brazil Abraham Goldstein was one of the keynote speakers.

B’nai B’rith Uruguay hosted more than 600 people on Nov. 12 for its memorial ceremony. The keynote speaker was Rector of the Catholic University in Uruguay Julio Fernandez, who delivered a memorable speech about the necessity of education to face horrors like the Holocaust. The central candle of the menorah was lit by the country’s two presidential candidates who face off in a runoff election on Nov. 24: Daniel Martinez of Frente Amplio and Luis Lacalle Pou of the Blanco Party. The event was attended by former President of Uruguay Julio Sanguinetti, the current president of the Supreme Court of Justice and members of the Supreme Court, senators, Cardinal Daniel Sturla, bishops, congressmen, ambassadors from 12 countries and political leaders from all parties.

B’nai B’rith Costa Rica held a remarkable Kristallnacht commemoration ceremony with a great keynote speaker: Elizabeth Odio Beniti, judge in the Inter American Court of Human Rights and former Costa Rican vice president.

B´nai B´rith Venezuela hosted its commemoration of the Night of Broken Glass in its hall in Caracas. The keynote speaker was EU Ambassador Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa.

Foreign Minister of Ecuador Jose Valencia hosted event attended by 200 people at the foreign ministry in Quito. The core issue of the commemoration was the presentation of the book by Oscar Vela about Antonio Muñoz Borrero, who saved tens of Jews while he was an Ecuadorian consul in Stockholm between 1935 and 1942.

B´nai B´rith Panama hosted an event before hundreds of attendees. The keynote speaker was Gabriel Ben Tasgal, Israeli university professor, Director of the Hasbara program Hatzad Hasheni, who coordinated with Director of the B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Alan Schneider a very recent successful mission of Latin American journalists and politicians to Israel.

In Santiago, Chile, there was a joint Jewish Christian commemoration and the keynote speaker was German Ambassador to Chile Christian Ellbach.

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

(Washington, D.C., July 15, 2019)--In the 25 years since the deadly terror attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires – the heart of the Jewish community in Argentina – no one has ever been brought to justice. In the latest B’nai B’rith International podcast, Special Advisor on Latin American Affairs Adriana Camisar joins CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin for a conversation on the attack that killed 85 and wounded more than 300.

Camisar and Mariaschin discuss the repeated miscarriages of justice that have pervaded the decades-long investigation into the bombing, which was perpetrated by terrorists linked to the government of Iran and Hezbollah.

They also discuss the murder of AMIA case Prosecutor Alberto Nisman in 2015, who became regarded as the last victim of the terrorist attack.

In addition to the history of the case, Mariaschin and Camisar discuss the current state of affairs: whether achieving justice for the bombing’s victims is a realistic possibility, how the media continue to cover the case, how the United States can assist diplomatically and other pressing issues.

To listen to the podcast, click here. ​

B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org

NYC Snowstorm Forces Postponement of U.S. Event

Every year on January 27 the world recognizes United Nations Holocaust Remembrance Day, a date selected marking the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the liberation and B’nai B’rith International was active throughout Latin America, commemorating this important day.

In Uruguay an exhibit on Anne Frank was created and inaugurated in Montevideo’s city hall, the capital and the country’s largest city. Uruguayan President José Mujica attended the event, addressing the audience and the entire nation in a speech broadcast on radio and television. Mujica’s remarks focused on the evils of the Shoah and the atrocities of genocide. Meanwhile, the General Assembly of Uruguay held a solemn session in which representatives of all parties addressed the legislature in commemoration of the Holocaust. B’nai B’rith, the overall Jewish community and the Ministry of Education also hosted an academic event titled “70 Years After Auschwitz was Closed” at Montevideo city hall.

With all the tensions swirling within Argentina following the death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman—the man responsible for investigating the 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building that killed 85 and wounded 300—Holocaust Remembrance Day in Buenos Aires was extremely emotional. Typically the commemoration ceremony is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice and the Undersecretary of Human Rights, but amid the questions surrounding Nisman’s death all Jewish organizations declined to attend. B’nai B’rith has formally declined an invitation for the past two years following Argentina’s signing of the “Memorandum of Understanding” with Iran, an agreement which purports to investigate the terror attack.

Instead, a Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony was held at the AMIA building. The commemoration was a crowded, emotional scene as Holocaust survivors were present and the AMIA president spoke on behalf of the Jewish organizations present. B’nai B’rith Argentina President Mario Wilhelm lit the fourth candle on the menorah on behalf of partisans and Jewish fighters who died while resisting the Nazis.

B’nai B’rith sponsored a Holocaust Remembrance Day program in Santiago, Chile as well, where it was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with ministers, ambassadors, civilian, religious and military authorities, survivors and their families in attendance.  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Heraldo Muñoz addressed the audience, highlighting the government’s commitment to protecting minorities in Chile and the urgent need to reject all types of discrimination pervasive in society.

Executive Vice President of the National Institute of Human Rights and winner of the Light and Memory Award Lorena Fries also spoke, as did B’nai B’rith Chile President Emma Finkelstein.

In her remarks, Finkelstein discussed the main threats to Israel, Jews around the world and to Chile. She acknowledged the success of the Anti-Discrimination Act that was enacted last year, but regretted the fact that anti-Semitism was not explicitly included as a means of discrimination. Finkelstein also called for a bill seeking to establish hate speech as a crime and for the Holocaust to be included in the official curriculum of the Ministry of Education. 

“On behalf of the Jewish community and as president of B’nai B’rith Chile,” Finkelstein said, “we know it is our obligation to raise our voice and condemn these actions that we hope will not be accepted by the international community. We owe it to the dead but, above all, we owe it to the living, to our children as well as to your children.”

In Brazil two ceremonies were held, including an interreligious ceremony with Christians and Muslims at the Congregação Israelita Paulista in São Paulo. The second ceremony was hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs at the Itamaraty Palace with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in attendance. 

Unfortunately, a snow storm in New York City forced the postponement of B’nai B’rith International’s annual Holocaust Remembrance Day program at the United Nations. This year’s program was to focus on Arturo Toscanini, one of the most renowned orchestral maestros of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Tuscanini was a staunch anti-fascist who publicly took a hard-line stance against the oppression and racism of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler and supported the establishment of the orchestra now known as the Israel Philharmonic in 1936 in solidarity with young Jewish musicians escaping Nazi persecution. The B’nai B’rith program was to be held in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations. The event will be rescheduled.

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International commends Argentine Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman for continuing to press for answers in 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building that killed 85 and wounded 300. In a shocking turn of events, yesterday Nisman filed a complaint against Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman alleging they offered Iran impunity before jointly creating the “Commission of Truth,” designed to find those responsible for the attack.  

When the “Commission of Truth” was first signed two years ago, B’nai B’rith was near-certain that no actual information would surface, let alone lead to the prosecution of the perpetrators. Iran, the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror, is widely acknowledged to be behind the AMIA attack. Officials from the top levels of the government were named in Nisman’s original report as being responsible for the bombing. Interpol issued arrest warrants for the attack, but no arrests have ever been made. Given Iran’s deplorable judicial track record and its refusal to turn over those previously implicated in the bombings, there was little doubt any serious “truth” would be produced.

But Nisman’s allegations that the president and foreign minister essentially shielded Iran from any blame in the attack before announcing the formation of the “Commission of Truth” are serious, and they raise questions about the suggestion that the Argentine government may have been naïve in this matter.

B’nai B’rith hopes that because of Nisman’s courage in getting to the bottom of this apparent obfuscation and deception, not only will his fellow countrymen, but the rest of Latin America and the world open its eyes to the evils of Iranian regime and those caught in its web of terror.