Argentine Minister Voices Understanding of Jewish Community Position

The new Argentine Government wishes to give every religion full freedom to profess its faith, Dr. Mario Amadeo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Religions, told a Jewish delegation today. The interview marked the first formal contact between the new regime and the DAIA, the Jewish representative organization in Argentina.

Dr. Moise Goldmann, president of DAIA, described the organization’s representative character and pointed out that the Jewish institutions are interested in cultural, religious and educational problems without political implications, which each citizen is free to decide for himself. He stressed that the Jewish community in Argentina has spiritual ties with the Jews in other lands and expressed solidarity with the State of Israel.

Dr. Armadeo expressed agreement with the concept of the Jewish position set forth by Dr. Goldmann and commented that “only in an atmosphere of freedom, as the new government practices it, all communities, without distinction of race or religion, Argentine or not, have and will have the complete possibility to develop their community life, cooperating harmoniously with all sectors of the Argentine people in the study and solution of great problems.”

As a Catholic, Dr. Amadeo said, he could identify himself totally with the feeling of solidarity of Argentine Jewry with their brethren throughout the world. He expressed understanding of the Jewish community’s attachment to Israel, the cradle of its history. Dr. Amadeo also voiced warm friendship towards Israel and noted that two members of his family, his father and uncle, were members of the Argentine Pro-Palestine Committee.

The Argentine Government has asked Israel’s agreement to designation of Dr. Gregorio Topolevsky as ambassador to Israel. Dr. Topolevsky, a distinguished Jewish physician, was a member of the revolutionary command which overthrew Juan D. Peron. He is a leader of the Radical Party.