Ethnography of Jewish Experience

Reflections on Once: Daniela Castejon

castejod — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:27:40 +0000

One of the first predominately Jewish areas we visited in Argentina was El Once, named after the 11 de Septiembre railroad station. During the years from 1907 to 1925 it became one of the most important Jewish neighborhoods in the city. Most of Once consists of fabric shops, one after another with rolls of difference textures and colors outside for display. While the Jewish community in Once continues to thrive, today there exist many people of other religious orientations and ethnicities as well. For example, I recall that one group had the opportunity to interview a Jehovah witness.

Eugene F. Sofer describes the Jewish community of Once as secular. This seemed accurate though recently many have noticed a shift among the Jewish community, leaning more toward Orthodox. Nevertheless, as a very commercial district within Buenos Aires, many of the stores remain open during Sabbath. In fact, initially nothing in Once seemed distinctly Jewish. It was not until later in the afternoon that you saw orthodox men and women wearing kippas and long skirts walking through the streets. But there are synagogues and kosher restaurants throughout the area and of course, the AMIA building, one of the largest Jewish organizations in Argentina. We had the opportunity to interview the president of AMIA, as well as the secretary of El gran synagogue Paso. One of the interviews I found most interesting was that of Samuel aka Lito, the owner of a small shop in Once. His family emigrated from Poland and Lithuania, and came as colonist working in agriculture.

Lito grew up very secular, not having received any formal Jewish education since his home town no longer had a large Jewish community when he was growing up. Today, he continues to identify as secular, describing the rest of his family under similar terms. His three children have all received formal Jewish education, can speak Hebrew and are very involved in the Jewish community in Buenos Aires, belonging and attending many clubs and camps. For Lito, it is the conservation of Jewish tradition and practices that are important, not necessarily a connection to the religious. Though it was important for him to give a Jewish education to his children.

When questioned about anti-Semitism in Once, he stated that there is always anti Semitism. Though now he rarely experiences it and finds is less common. He commented that he has many friends of other religions and has not encountered any problems. The bombing of AMIA was a tragedy that touched him both spiritually and physically since he was able to feel it when it took place. He noted that the Jewish community has changed since that event. Other changes that he commented on include the shift toward Orthodoxy among the Jewish community in Once. The synagogue that he attends is getting a new rabbi and thus there will be many changes such as separate seating for men and women during services. This is an idea that Samuel was initially strongly against, describing the synagogue’s previous atmosphere as “light” though later he decides that it will not be much of a problem and that he will continue to attend. What Samuel is experiencing reflects very much what is happening in the community in Once. While for the colonist who first came to Argentina, it seemed like a place of freedom, those living today who have witnessed or felt the effects of tragedies like the bombing of AMIA see Argentina as very anti-Semitic. While second and third generations like Samuel generally considered themselves as secular, a stark contrast with the beliefs of the first Jewish colonists, the generation after them is returning to the religious. While Samuel’s own children are not an example of this, the change occurring within the synagogue he attends reflects this. While there is some resistance, Samuel seems content in continuing his own current Jewish lifestyle among the ever growing orthodox community.

Sarah Brown on JIA

rose — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:41:53 +0000

Sarah Brown-Campello

Macabi 1/9/10

Interview with Natalio Furmanski

Macabi is a Jewish country club located roughly one hour by bus from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Macabi is owned by all who possess property there, and each have the same type of house and amount of land. It is possible to be part of this country club and not own a house as well. There are dorm-style rooms available for rent inside the community attached to one of the largest buildings in the club. The club offers fútbol, tennis, a large gym, indoor and outdoor basketball, a few restaurants, a large Olympic size swimming pool, numerous activities for all age groups, and space. The community is gated and walled off from the rest of the town in which Macabi is located in. There is security at all times of the day, keeping watch for the safety of the members.

On Saturday, Janurary 9^th, Dickinson interviewed Natalio Furmanski in spanish. He is a Jewish middle-aged athletic man who has been a member of Macabi his whole life. He “grew up” during his vacations at Macabi, and is raising his young family there in the same way. He kept referring back to the wonderful memories and friends he has made at Macabi. As a child, he made all his friends at Macabi, and at his Jewish school, hence all his friends, including now, are Jewish. Jewish organizations have always been important to him, and because he is very involved within them, his friends are predominately Jewish, although this is not his intention.

Natalio Furmanski described the importance of Macabi as socialistic Jewish institution. Everyone is given the chance to be a part of Macabi. Homes can be purchased within the gated Macabi Country Club community. However, each house is the same size, and they are all close together. The size encourages people to live outside their homes, and intermingle with the other members of the community. Natalio states that Macabi is important because it offers the Jewish people a safe place to be among their fellow Jews in a fun environment. This intermingling is very important in the community and is a reoccurring theme throughout the activities and structure that Macabi offers. Natalio stated that the community board strongly discourages gardens so that the moment someone walks out of their home, they may converse with their neighbor. The asados, or outside grills that are built onto the side of the house to cook Argentine meat, also reflect this mentality as they face the asado of the house next to theirs. This means that at dinnertime, two families may be cooking at the same time and eating close by, furthering this desired social interaction. However, if one lacks monetary funds, one can still be a member of Macabi. Macabi has dormitory rooms that sleep up to six people, enough room for most families and a possible friend. He mentioned that while someone at Macabi may have a huge mansion in the city of Buenos Aires, they will have the same size house as everyone else in Macabi. This system leads to few noticeable class distinctions. The manner of dress is also very informal at Macabi, feeding into the idea of an informal social environment. While Natalio Furmanski was told he was doing a formal interview, he was dressed in an athletic black shirt and khaki shorts, fitting in with the rest of the community. This encouraged socializing and informal atmosphere is meant to develop a stronger, more unified Jewish community.

While Natalio spoke of how open the community is, he did mention how everyone was predominantly Jewish. Of the five thousand members of the Macabi country club, seventy percent of them come from an all-Jewish background, whether religious or not. The remaining thirty percent are of mixed marriages, but in most cases, the children are raised Jewish. The importance of having an all-Jewish country club is seen by Natalio’s passion in talking about Macabi. Macabi offers many ways for the Jewish people there to mingle and meet. Activities for all ages are available, from child-day care and games, to tennis matches and Jewish folk dancing. This makes sure that for all ages in life, one can be surround by members of their Jewish community.

Natalio Furmanski did not speak much about religion in Macabi, rather just the secular aspects of having people who are alike and share the same values around each other. On campus, there are few religious symbols or relics. The only religious symbol I observed was the star of David around the pool used as decoration. Other than that, anything “Jewish” was largely secular. Keeping Kosher did not seem like a large priority of the community, as the three restaurants I observed served ham and cheese sandwiches, a popular meal for Argentines. The color scheme is largely white and blue, which recalls Israeli colors, and there was some Hebrew on some signs. The bus to Macabi was also full on Saturday morning, which is still Shabbat, leading me to believe the majority of the community is not largely orthodox or too conservative in any way. The purpose of this community, seem to be more culturally centered, than religiously.

Natalio’s interview was long and passionate. He obviously believes in the importance of the Macabi’s community to the Jewish people, as he has chosen to work here and be the director after being a member of the community his whole life. He is raising his family there, and at one point in the interview, he asked us to stop taping because he was having an emotional moment. Natalio’s interview brought light to the importance a secular Jewish place can have in the larger context of the Jewish community.

Argentina Musings – Kathryn Rother

rotherk — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:08:12 +0000

During the fall semester at Dickinson, as part of our preparation for this trip to Buenos Aires the research team took a class taught by Professor Shalom Staub entitled, “Ethnography of Jewish Experience.” In this class we focused on boundaries between Jews and the communities in which they live. What we only began to scratch the surface on was the topic of boundaries within the Jewish community itself. Here in Argentina the dynamics are fascinating and ever-changing. There are divisions between Orthodox and Reform (or what they call here Conservative), Sephardi and Ashkenazi, rich and poor. Yet the community remains together as Jews.
On the second day of our trip in Buenos Aires we ventured to the Camargo Temple, and orthodox Sephardic establishment. To a trained eye it became obvious almost immediately upon entering that we were not in your average Ashkenazi shul. The El Paso Temple, which we had visited the day before, was a model of European grandeur with gold decorations and very elaborate carvings on columns lining the sanctuary. Camargo had a very different feel. Many of the patterns were more geometric in design except for the stained glass windows depicting the twelve tribes of Israel. The most striking difference came with the Torot. Both shuls had a good number of them (33 at El Paso and 14 at Camargo) but their appearances were completely different. In Paso the Torot were dressed in maroon and gold cloth covers, elaborately embroidered. At Camargo there was a greater variety. A number of the Torah scrolls were dressed in white with silver embroidery and had very elaborate crowns. There were two or three other scrolls that were stored in the more traditional Sephardic silver cases. In a synagogue the Torah is one of the most holy objects. It is more or less the reason to have a synagogue. Jews can gather anywhere to pray but with the synagogue they have an established place to store the community’s holy objects (including the torah scrolls which are especially heavy and hard to transport).
Despite these clear physical differences in places of worship there tends to be a sense that Sefardim and Ashkenazim are all part of the larger Jewish community. While talking to young university students at Macabi (a Jewish retreat facility) the girls commented that it never even occurred to them to ask their friends if they were Sephardi or Ashkenazi. Rabbi Sacca of Camargo Temple phrased it very nicely. He spoke of the more physical customs: food, dress, decorations of the synagogue, as the “clothing” of Judaism. Everyone dresses their Judaism in a way that makes them comfortable with what is underneath, with the essence of it. If we view different strains of Judaism this way there is no way to feel a separation amongst the Jewish community. As human beings we may judge people by the clothes they wear and use them as keys to see what is underneath, but we never question the essence of the human being because of how they choose to cover themselves.
When talking to the students at Hillel one of them made a remark which unfortunately rings just as true. Gaston’s commented that the biggest divisions among Jews come from arguments over who is a Jew. Is it a question of birth? A question of self-identification? And if it’s either of those or something else how does the community regulate it?
Among the people that we talked to in Argentina the definitions varied greatly. At Macabi, which is a secular Jewish establishment (you can order ham and cheese at any of the restaurants and it runs the majority of its activities on Saturday), the general attitude seemed to define Jews as anyone who defines himself as Jewish. There were no questions asked when people rented a bungalow or signed up for sports teams. Moving along the spectrum, Hillel uses the Israeli Law of Return’s standards to define who can participate in their programming. The Law of Return basically states that if any one of your grandparents was Jewish, so are you. There are groups in Argentina (such as Chabad or Menorah (the youth group associated with the Camargo Temple) that go with the more traditional halachic definition of your mother needing to be Jewish.
The Argentinean Jewish community speaks well about the plurality and unity of the community. Everyone we’ve talked to seems to say that the community works well together and that divisions are only really noticed when it comes time to pray. Yet from an outsider’s perspective it is easy to see that this is not true. A person who keeps kosher would not be able to spend time at Macabi because the facilities would not accommodate their dietary restrictions. There are many more orthodox organizations that would not consider people who only have a Jewish father to be Jewish and exclude this group of people from their activities. The people at Hillel stated about the Jewish attitude about Israel, “to a non-Jew we feel we must always represent Israel in a positive light and be supportive, but amongst the Jewish community we can criticize Israel’s actions as much as we like.” This attitude is the same for the Argentina Jewish community and the divisions among it. To outsiders the community wishes to appear unified and loving, as a big Jewish Argentinean family. But when it comes down to the reality, amongst the community there is a lot of bitterness and arguments about how one should express their Judaism and even who should be counted in the Jewish community.

Observations from Argentina: Terri

soifert — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:10:36 +0000

On Friday night, January 8, 2010, Professor Staub, Kat, Hannah, and I attended an Orthodox Sephardic synagogue for Friday night Shabbat services. The synagogue, Camargo, is in the Jewish neighborhood of Villa Crespo in Buenos Aires. Villa Crespo has multiple synagogues, along with multiple kosher restaurants. Camargo is unique because it was created as a Sephardic synagogue, catering towards the Jewish population from Turkey, Spain, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. Camargo hit a peak in 1956, declined in the 70’s, but has found new energy in their new, young, rabbi and in their active youth. By having a Jewish day school, Shalom Alechim, and a youth movement that has participants ages 12-18, Menorah, the youth have created a new force within the community. Menorah sponsors trips along with social activities. A young man in the congregation, Ezra, became active in Camargo and became more relgious because of his involvement in Menorah. The hazan of the congregation, Rodrigo, explained to the group that the youth bring the adults to the congregation. Camargo, once primarily a Sephardic congregation, today has both Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews.
Services on Friday night began around 7:15, before sunset. When we arrived, Hannah, Kat, and I went to the women’s side, while Professor Staub joined the men on their respective side. Separating the men from the women was a mahidtza; the bottom portion was wood while the upper half was a sheer white curtain. The women were able to see the general outline of the men through the curtain. Services were held in the Beit Midrash or library, not the main sanctuary because it is summer in Buenos Aries and many people were away on vacation. The women’s side had about ten chairs set up, while the men could sit easily fifty or sixty.
We joined services in the middle of the afternoon service, which would lead directly into the Shabbat evening service. When we entered the Beit Midrash, there was one younger woman on the women’s side, who was wearing a skirt covering her knees, a shirt covering her elbows, and wig to cover her head because she was married. She was very kind to us, helping us find our place in the service. As we started the Evening Shabbat service, more men and women came. By the end of the Shabbat service there was eight women total. There was one other woman who dressed as modestly as the first woman, wearing clothes to cover her knees and elbows along with a wig. However, the older women who came did not dress as modestly as the younger women, they showed their elbows, and one wore pants. Every time a new woman entered, she kissed everyone and wished them a “Shabbat Shalom,” even us, the students, who she did not know.
The hazan, Rodrigo led the service, as the rabbi followed along, sitting in front of the men beside the ark. Many of the prayers were said slowly and as a group. I did not recognize many of the tunes we sung, however the words of the prayers were the same, since the whole service was in Hebrew. The men chanted loudly with passion, and the women chanted along, but quietly. Like the pattern on the women’s side, the older men were not dressed as religiously as the younger men. The older men wore slacks, a short sleeve shirt, and usually a kippah. The younger men wore suits with kippot, some with black hats, and some had tzittzit. Wearing a black hat is distinctive of an Ashkenazi Orthodox Jew, meaning that the presence of black hats was proof of the mix community of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews at Camargo. The younger generation davined more distinctly, obviously swaying back and forth. It was evident that the younger generation had more orthodox tendencies than the older generation in their dress and in the way they prayed. If this is because of the youth organizations at Camargo, like Menorah, I am not sure.
Towards the end of the service the rabbi gave a midrash, about the importance of what a name means, and everyone paid close attention, nodding their heads together in agreement or laughing at a joke. The midrash was in Spanish, however Kay summarized it for us on the walk home. The service ended with a closing song, and then we left the synagogue. Before we left both the rabbi and Rodrigo invited us for a meal. The Shabbat experience at Carmago was warm. We were greeted as if we had been part of the community for years. The service was proof of the energy and religious fervor among the youth at Camargo. They will be the future of the community, and can be proof of a growing Orthodox Jewish community in Buenos Aires.

Observations from Argentina

hoffmanl — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:03:56 +0000

After interviewing a handful of young adults in the Jewish community of Buenos Aires, we have become aware of a trend toward orthodoxy prevalent among the younger generation. Uncovered through testimonies from both religious leaders and Jews in their early twenties, a pattern has been recognized in what seems to be an effort to revitalize the practice orthodoxy in a community that has been slowly drifting from the more religious aspects of Judaism. Similarly to the United States, Argentina is a country of immigrants and their descendants, many of who are from European countries and the Middle East. Though there is a greater Ashkenazi presence in the Jewish community in Argentina, the Sephardic community is represented as well, with separate temples and community organizations. As the generations drifted from their countries of origin, the Jewish tradition began to shift away from religious ritual toward secular and social tendencies. Over the past decade, however, the suggested movement toward orthodoxy for some young Jews illustrates the distinction between those who define their Jewish identity by their religious efforts, versus those who are simply “just Jewish”.

Natalie, a 20-year-old Jew living in El Once, Buenos Aires, describes the growing orthodox community as expanding right before her eyes, literally. Having lived in the same apartment her whole life, Natalie has witnessed first hand the changing religious climate. In the past 5 years, a new (and relatively large) orthodox temple was built across from her building, and, not long after, many of the surrounding restaurants began offering Kosher menus. Historically, El Once is a particularly Jewish area of Buenos Aires, though residents of the greater city have explained that now many Jews commute in to the area for work rather than live there as well. Natalie and her family, however, live in what she considers an “all-Jewish” building, and she has noted the increase of Orthodox residents. Furthermore, she expressed a distinct separation between them and the rest of the community. In her opinion, the Orthodox community rarely, if ever, blends with the conservative, secular, or non-Jewish communities surrounding them.

For Natalie, and other young Jews, this movement is more than just an observation, it is an intensely personal experience. We have heard a few stories from younger Jews who have, as they put it, “lost friends to the Orthodox community.” Sabrina Toker, another 20-year-old interviewee, described her friend’s experience with the conversion. Like Sabrina, who we met at the Jewish social club “Macabi,” she was raised by Jewish parents and celebrated her Judaism through “Jewish socializing,” and a Jewish family atmosphere. Though it was unclear exactly how or why she chose to convert, the Sabrina explained that within a year the friend had married and had a child. Sabrina was visually agitated by this and expressed her confusion and hurt toward her friend, who seemed to have changed from what the she described as “a normal girl,” to covering herself and raising a family by age 20.

Though the reactions from their peers seem aggressive, those who have chosen to practice in the orthodox tradition have done so for their own reasons. Ezra, a 24 year-old interviewee living in El Once, offered his personal insight into the trend. His conversion to Orthodoxy began after he attended a trip to Israel, advertised by an unnamed Jewish organization. He describes the process as being “gradual,” and “slow”. With his first trip to Israel acting as the catalyst (he has been four times in total), he then began to study Judaism with a greater interest. He describes his ultimate transformation to be purely spiritual, and commented many times about “feeling” Judaism and “finding meaning in everything he does”. Additionally, Ezra has found a love for this community, a place to share his thoughts, his practices, even his meals. While his parents have remained conservative, they have learned to support his choice, a choice Ezra defines as “his happiness”.

Though the perspectives of these young Jews offer little to each other, they help to color the big picture, and support a theory of growing Orthodoxy among the younger generation. Through Ezra, we catch glimpses of the appeal such a decision has: a sense of community, a deeper spirituality, security through an alternative understanding of the world; while through testimonies such as Natalie’s and Sabrina’s, we learn about the societal frustrations from Jewish peers who could never imagine such a lifestyle. Though the trend itself remains to be understood, these interviews bring us closer to one of the many worlds inside the Jewish community of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Dickinson students at work on the Jewish Immigration to Argentina Mosaic

Shalom Staub — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:24:48 +0000

Dickinson students, Denise del Gaudio and Lily Hoffman, interviewing Hilda Krawieki at the Macabi Club near Buenos Aires, 1/10/10

Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since January 6, 2010, 8 Dickinson students, along with numerous Argentinean students who are part of ORT’s Oral History Project, have been visiting neighborhoods, shops, synagogues, libraries and other cultural institutions, and also conducting oral interviews with a wide range of Jewish community members: young and old, religious and secular, Ashkenazic and Sephardic… The group spent 2 days at the Macabi social/sports club’s “camp” in San Miguel, Buenos Aires, and is currently traveling for 3 days to several Jewish colonies in Entre Rios, to the northwest of Buenos Aires: Villaguay, Dominguez, Villa Clara, and Concordia. Next, we will be traveling to Carlos Casares, a Jewish colony to the southwest of Buenos Aires.

Oral History at ORT

Shalom Staub — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:26:01 +0000

For those of you Spanish speakers out there, check out the blog and the web site for Oral History Project on Argentine Jewish Immigration at the ORT School in Buenos Aires, directed by our colleague and friend, Laura Benadiba:

Blog: http://historiaoralort.blogspot.com/

Website: http://campus.almagro.ort.edu.ar/cienciassociales/historiaoral

Oral History and Ethnography of Argentinean Jewish Experience

Shalom Staub — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:14:11 +0000

The course blog will now extend the data collection phase for the oral history and ethnography project on Argentinean Jewish experience. Prof. Susan Rose and Prof. Shalom Staub, with 8 students, are now in Buenos Aires to partner with Laura Benadiba, oral historian and teacher at the ORT School, who created an oral history project on Argentine Jewish immigration 19 years ago.

Visit this site for updates on our interviews, photos, etc. in the coming days.

Steinborn Blog Post 6

steinboz — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:31:42 +0000

Throughout the semester this class has dealt with issues surrounding Jewish Identity and boundaries, issues that have resonated with me. These issues have resonated with me because when I entered college I was determined to be active in Hillel and I attempted to recreate the connection I felt with my Jewish community at home with my new Jewish Dickinson community. However, I soon realized that it would be impossible for me to connect with my Jewish Identity in the same way I did at home, in high school, and in college at Dickinson.

This duality in my Jewish Identity isn’t something unique to my experience at Dickinson, I realized. It is important to note that it is not that there are places where I identify with my Judaism and places that I do not, it is just that it definitely is connected to who I am with. I bring this up because the people you are with definitely affect the way you feel. In high school, being a member of a conservative youth group (USY), most of my good friends that I made during high school were also members of USY. So I have come to the realization that because I was Jewish, I made friends with them and although it is not necessarily the only thing that we have in common it is definitely a binding factor. It was our common background that allowed us to meet one another, not for any other reason.

Now in college I am a member of the Hillel on campus, technically, but I am not extremely involved. At Dickinson I have made many more non-Jewish friends; and in juxtaposition to my Jewish friends from home my Jewish Dickinson friends are just friends that happen to be Jewish. Now I guess my connection between my friendships and this class would have to be that I have realized the existence of boundaries within the communities I am apart of. I can also say with certainty that I have realized more about my own personal Jewish identity after learning about why/how people form their identities.

Renee Tepper #6: Look Back

Shalom Staub — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:39:14 +0000

There were so many interesting readings and class discussions/ experiences that I could cover in this blog post, but I think a good way to wrap everything up and reflect on the semester as a whole is to look back at the essay I wrote at the beginning of the year and compare what I have learned to what I was expecting to take away from this course. As I already mentioned in class, I really nailed the concept of Judaism as more than just a religious identity from the start, however that is not all that I will take away from this course.

I decided at the beginning of the course that I would know I had had a successful learning experience if I came away from the class with a better understanding of several things. The first was I wanted to gain a new understanding of the cultures, traditions and life experiences of the Jewish people throughout the world. An example of a tradition that I was unfamiliar with prior to this class was the wedding tradition involving henna. This practice is not a traditional American custom and was very interesting to learn about. I never knew that henna symbolized the hope for a bride’s fertility, while at the same time serving as a reminder to the bride and groom to maintain family purity and abstain from sex during the woman’s menstruation. I was also fascinated by some of the customs and traditions we learned about that occur for Jews in Muslim Libya. For example, I knew that breaking glass was customary at Jewish weddings, however I didn’t know that breaking an egg at a wedding symbolized the bride’s virginity. It was very interesting learning about the plethora of traditions that occur as a part of Jewish life outside the United States.

The other criteria I decided to use as a measurement of how successful this class was would be if I enjoyed my time learning and immersing myself in the material we were studying. I think I can safely say this criteria was met. I greatly enjoyed learning about Jews around the world as well as those in America, and all the while learning more about myself as a Jewish woman and my Jewish identity. This course really got me thinking in and outside the classroom. Overall, I think this class was a very successful learning experience and I truly enjoyed it!