Let’s explore Argentina’s Jewish stories together
From Jewish cowboys (gauchos) to fugitive Nazis, Argentina has a Jewish story to tell. Amidst this colorful and sometimes dark history, the Jewish presence in Buenos Aires is massive and vibrant, hosting social clubs, day schools, and synagogues, and fostering a deep commitment to Zionism. Join us as we discover what there is to cry for, and what there is to celebrate in the Jewish Argentinean Experience.
PROGRAM:
May 6 – The Jewish Experience in Argentina – Rabbi Sergio Bergman
May 13 – The Capture of Eichman in Argentina – Avner Avraham, former Israeli Mossad agent
May 20 – Jewish Gauchos (Argentinean cowboys) – Jessica Cymerman
May 27 – Tango’s Jewish connection – Jessica Cymerman
***BONUS: All registrants will receive access to Prof. Stephen Berk’s recorded program on Juan & Eva Peron
DETAILS:
- Four insider explorations uncovering Jewish Heritage in Argentina
- All sessions begin at 7:30 p.m. ET (Thursday Nights)
- Featuring LIVE moderated tours and chats, and post-talk Q&A with scholars each week
- Program Cost: $75 for ALL FOUR SESSIONS
- Sessions are recorded – view missed sessions via private link (youtube/google log-in required)
- Session size is limited – register now!
Deep Dive Details:
May 6: The Jewish Experience in Argentina – Rabbi Sergio Bergman
Get an inside look at Buenos Aires Jewish community from one of its most influential leaders – Rabbi Sergio Bergman. Rabbi Bergman is a politician, pharmacist, writer, and social activist and served as a cabinet member as Argentina’s Secretary of the Environment, as rabbi of the famed Libertad synagogue in Buenos Aires, and currently serves as President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. We’ll gain a greater understanding of Jewish daily life in Buenos Aires, home to nearly 200,000 Jews, the world’s seventh largest Jewish city population. 200,000.
May 13: The Capture of Eichman in Argentina – Avner Avraham, former Israeli Mossad agent
This May marks the 61st anniversary of the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichman. Join former Mossad agent and mission expert Avner Avraham, as he reveals the inside story and fascinating key elements of the amazing mission in Buenos Aires.
May 20: Jewish Gauchos (Argentinean cowboys) – Jessica Cymerman
Jewish cowboys? Giddy up! Uncover the Jewish gaucho story tracing roots back to the Argentinean Jewish Agriculture settlements in the late 1800s. Through photos, video and Jessica’s firsthand research, we’ll discover the story of Moises Ville (the first Jewish Agriculture colony – 1889) and other Jewish agricultural colonies, and gain an understanding of Jewish immigration into Argentina– bringing to life the life past and present.
May 27: Tango’s Jewish connection – Jessica Cymerman
Tango is Buenos Aires’ most famous musical and cultural form of expression. UNESCO declared tango music an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Discover the connection between Tango and Judaism in Argentina, and hear engaging stories connecting Tango with Europe and New York, as well as examples of the music that brings the dance alive!
ABOUT RABBI SERGIO BERGMAN
Rabbi Sergio Bergman currently serves as President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ). He was born in Buenos Aires in 1962, and received his rabbinical ordination in 1992 from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary Marshall Meyer of Buenos Aires and in 1993 from the Hebrew Union College of Jerusalem’s Israeli Rabbinic Program.
In 1994 he began his educational, social and religious work as a rabbi in Argentina – through the Judaica Foundation, with the creation of the Arlene Fern Community School, social solidarity projects, community development projects, earning a reputation as a builder and active protagonist of interreligious dialogue.
Since 2001, he also has served as Rabbi of the Congregacion Israelita de la Republica Argentina, the emblematic Temple of Libertad Street, the first synagogue of the Argentine Republic.
Between 2011 and 2013 he was Legislator of the City of Buenos Aires for PRO party, and from December of 2013, he served at the National Congress as National Deputy for the City of Buenos Aires, becoming the first Rabbi of the country elected to a representative office. With the assumption of Mauricio Macri as President of the Nation in 2015, Rabbi Bergman was appointed as Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of the Nation.
Between 2015 and 2019 as Minister of the Environment he was responsible for the creation of six new National Parks and the first Marine Protected Areas in Argentina.
In 2017 he was one of the founders of the Reform Rabbinical Seminary in Buenos Aires, the IIFRR. In 2019 he was named by Apolitical as one of the hundred most prominent people in the world’s fight against climate change.
He is the author of seven books, including one with a foreword by Pope Francis, and has received numerous awards nationally and internationally in recognition of his academic performance and ongoing social work.
He is married to Gabriela and has four children, Maia, Ionatan, Talia and Noah.
ABOUT JESSICA CYMERMAN
Jessica was born in Buenos Aires, holds a degree in tourism and did a postgraduate course in strategic tourism development, all in Buenos Aires. After studying sustainable tourism in The Netherlands, Jessica worked as a tourism consultant, developing tourism plans for several destinations in Argentina. She has also worked for the Ministries of Economy, Education and Tourism, developing several projects and tools related to tourism.
For the past 14 years, she’s been working as a tour guide in Buenos Aires city and the surrounding areas, specializing in Jewish Tours. She is known for her passion and engaging presentation, and loves to share her city, delighting groups and audiences with her take on the history, culture, customs, and way of life in Jewish Buenos Aires. Jessica has visited over 65 countries the world over.
Enjoy a sneak peek, see Jessica’s sixty-second sight about La Boca Futbol.
ABOUT AVNER AVRAHAM
Avner Avraham, Lieutenant Colonel, former Mossad agent. Mr. Avraham is world-renowned as a Mossad operations expert. He is a writer, lecturer, producer and curator of exhibitions and films. Avner worked as an advisor on the 2018 Hollywood movie “Operation Finale” filmed in Argentina, starring Ben Kingsley and Oscar Isaac (he also participated as an extra on the film).
He was a commander in the Israeli Defense Force, and commander of a detective unit in the Israeli Police. In addition, Avner edits and broadcasts a weekly radio show on Israeli radio related to art and culture.
