Tel-Chai Nation

The leading rabbi in Argentina was attacked in a way similar to the horrors European Jews have become accustomed to, and so was his wife:

The Chief Rabbi of Argentina, Rabbi Gabriel Davidovich, was violently attacked Monday at his home in Buenos Aires, Yediot Aharonot reported, citing local media.

According to the report, Rabbi Davidovich was attacked by unknown assailants who entered his home at around 2:00 a.m. and told him, "We know that you are the rabbi of the Jewish community."

The assailants stole money and personal effects and attacked his wife as well. As a result of the attack, the rabbi was hospitalized in a local hospital and is in serious condition.

The AMIA Jewish community center described the attack as “alarming” and called on local authorities to quickly investigate the assault.

Channel 13 News reported that the attack on Rabbi Davidovich and his wife is the second anti-Semitic incident in Argentina in two days. On Sunday, gravestones were desecrated in a Jewish cemetery in the northern city of San Luis.

The news coming from Argentina follows a string of anti-Semitic incidents in the United States and Europe.

Israel's president spoke with him afterwards:

President Reuven Rivlin spoke today to Chief Rabbi Gabriel Davidovich of Argentina, who is in the hospital following a violent anti-Semitic attack at his home.

“I am calling to find out how you are and to express my concern about the safety of the large Jewish community you lead,” said the president to the Rabbi, adding, “the State of Israel will do everything necessary to protect Jews wherever they choose to live and will take any steps to protect us from danger. We will not allow those who seek our harm us to pursue us.”

Well the best way to do that would be to finance security teams, who could also protect innocent non-Jews as well. Would Rivlin be willing to make such a call? For now, let's hope the rabbi recovers well.

Update: the prime minister's also spoken up:

The violent assault on Argentina’s chief rabbi overnight drew widespread condemnation in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, along with lawmakers and Jewish leaders, demanding that more action be taken to combat rising anti-Semitism worldwide.

[...] Netanyahu condemned the attack, saying in a brief statement Monday morning that “anti-Semitism must not be allowed to rear its head.”

“I strongly condemn the recent surge in anti-Semitic incidents and I call upon the international community to act,” Netanyahu said.

While the overseas community should act, so should the Jewish community itself.

Labels: anti-semitism, Israel, Latin America, misogyny