Buenos Aires is one of the world's greatest Jewish centers, with an estimated Jewish population of over 250,000. The historical focus of the community are the neighborhoods of Once and Abasto. They developed that way in the beginning of the 20th century after immigration of both Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe escaping pogroms and Sephardic Jews who emigrated after the breakup of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I. While the communities have generally dispersed to the suburbs, replaced by other immigrants, the area is still home to kosher restaurants, Jewish businesses, and various synagogues. The Abasto Shopping Center food court also has the only Kosher McDonald's in the world outside of Israel. With subsequent generations, assimilation and intermarriage have also meant that few Buenos Aires Jews maintain traditions, except at holiday times.
In 1992, there was a bomb attack on Buenos Aires's Israeli Embassy, killing 29 people, and in 1994, an attack on the Jewish community group Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) killed 85 people. However, in spite of these attacks engineered by outsiders, most Argentine Jews feel little discrimination. Argentines of all faiths responded to the attacks by massive candlelight vigils. Visit AMIA's website at www.amia.org.ar for more information.
One company that leads Jewish tours of Buenos Aires is Travel Jewish (tel. 949/307-9231 in the U.S.; www.traveljewish.com; info@traveljewish.com), a company owned by Deborah Miller, an American who has lived in Buenos Aires. Travel Jewish can plan your trip, including flights and hotels, from beginning to end, or you can take their simple, Jewish-themed day tours once you are in Buenos Aires. Freelance guide Gabriel Blacher has also done Jewish tours of Buenos Aires for years. He can be reached at 15-5240-4915 or by e-mail at gblacher@hotmail.com.
