Ve’ahavta

When the economy collapsed in Argentina in 2000, the population was devastated and the middle class was essentially wiped out. Argentina boasted a large, vibrant Jewish community of over 250,000 at the time, with thriving Jewish institutions, schools, and community life. Suddenly, many of Argentina’s Jews found themselves in desperate situations, and in need of welfare and humanitarian aid. Ve’ahavta decided it had to act.

Ve’ahavta developed Mano a Mano (hand in hand): the Canadian Coalition for Argentinean Jewry, a coalition of various Canadian Jewish institutions and synagogues. Together, we raised funds for Fundacion Tzedaka, a local social welfare agency based in Buenos Aires and supported in part by the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). We also provided large donations of pharmaceuticals for the community pharmacy, which fills monthly prescriptions for Jews living below the poverty line. The medications are distributed throughout 65 social welfare assistance centers set up throughout the country.

In December 2006, Ve’ahavta and Canadian Young Judaea partnered together to facilitate a team of 22 high school students to spend two weeks in Argentina to meet their Jewish contemporaries and provide volunteer services for programs run through Fundacion Tzedaka and the JDC. The team collectively transported $200,000 worth of pharmaceuticals for donation to Fundacion Tzedaka’s Central Pharmacy. The program was a great success.

So, we decided we couldn’t stop there! Our long-term goal in Argentina is to improve the capacity of the Argentinean Jewish community to rebuild infrastructure, community services and individual lives after the effects of the economic collapse of 2000, as well as to improve Canadian Jews’ understanding and connection to social, political, and economical crises affecting Jewish communities around the world, and to instill a life-long motivation to participate in Tikun Olam. We will realize this through the facilitation of ongoing individual short-term and long-term volunteer placements in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Cordoba, in partnership with the JDC.