"We see this year we are spending in Israel as providing
us with the tools to be better spiritual leaders who can
prepare Argentinean Jews for the future - whether it be
aliyah or remaining in Argentina," says Marcelo Polakoff,
35, from Buenos Aires who is currently studying in the rabbinical
school of the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
Polakoff is one of 10 rabbinical students from the Seminario
Rabinico Latino America, the rabbinical school of the Conservative
Movement in Buenos Aires, now studying at Schechter, a graduate
school of Jewish studies whose rabbinical school ordains
for the Masorti Movement in Israel. The Jewish Agency for
Israel is a major supporter of the Schechter's rabbinical
program.
And while one year of study in Israel is required of all
the Seminario's rabbinical students, this year's group of
10 represents an all-time high in the number of Argentinean
rabbinical students in Israel, up from an average of only
two or three in previous years.
"These students came despite the security situation
in Israel and the political and economic unrest in Argentina,"
notes Rabbi Shlomo Tucker, associate dean of the Schechter
rabbinical school. "Many came with their wives and
children."
With some 200,000 Jews, Argentina is home to the largest
Jewish community in Latin America. For the past several
months, the country has been in the midst of a severe economic
and political crisis that has financially wiped out the
greater portion of the country's middle class, and with
it, most of the assets of the Jewish community.
Polakoff, who had been to Israel previously, arrived at
Schechter in October 2001. He left his wife and two children
behind in Buenos Aires. "I came to Israel to deepen
my connection to the country and Judaism," he notes.
"But since I arrived, the situation has changed both
in Israel and Argentina. I feel that the knowledge and skills
I will be taking home with me from Israel will aid me in
helping the Argentinean Jewish community during this time
of crisis. I feel that I can help members of the community
who would like to make aliyah. Even in the midst of crisis,
there is no better place to be a Jew than Israel."
Alexandro Aruj, 31, another Argentinean rabbinical student
at Schechter, also left his family behind when he came to
Israel. "At first, my family worried about me. But
now, I worry a lot more about them than they do about me.
Every time the phone rings, I hear more and more about how
hard things are there. There is no future, no light at the
end of the tunnel in Argentina now, not only for the Jewish
community but for everyone. The most realistic future for
Argentinean Jews at this stage is aliyah."
Leonel Levy, 25, feels that this year in Israel has been
very important in that "I strengthened my identification
with the Jews of Israel - with our brothers and sisters
in this time of trouble. I also feel I have acquired important
academic and professional tools that will be of great assistance
to me in working with the Jewish community in Latin America.
After such a hard year in Israel, I feel that I can encourage
support of Israel and identify with political developments.
I feel I can go back and educate Jews about aliyah. I would
like to add that even though it was a very difficult year,
it was also a very beautiful one that my family and I would
not have missed for the world."
Daniel Dolinsky, 33, came to Schechter with his wife and
two kids. "I decided to bring the family because my
wife had never been to Israel before," he relates.
I also wanted my children to experience the country. Yes,
we had our fears but in October the situation was different.
Over Passover, that changed. But even so, we are still here
and I am glad we came as a family. My five-year-old daughter
goes to Israeli kindergarten and speaks fluent Hebrew. And
my wife is having a wonderful opportunity to get to know
Israel."
Dolinsky plans to return to Argentina to work as a community
rabbi at Or Hadash synagogue in Buenos Aires. "It is
hard to be in Israel and just as hard to look at what is
happening in Argentina. But we will return to help the community.
The position at Or Hadash was a lot of work when I first
accepted it, and now, even more so. In addition to spiritual
help, people are in dire need of concrete economic assistance.
The challenge is to find the ways to help all in need, whether
preparing people for aliyah or providing continued Jewish
life - education, synagogues, etc. - for those who choose
to remain."
