The town of Mosesville in Sante Fe Province, which was founded 85 years ago by 130 Jewish families from Russia, was the scene of three days of celebration of the centennial of the Argentine Immigration and Colonization Law. It was this law that made possible 15 years later the immigration of the Jewish families under Baron Maurice de Hirsch’s Jewish Colonization Association.
Dr. Abel Barrioneuvo, national immigration director, represented the Argentine government at the event organized by the Federation of Argentine Jewish Communities. Israeli Ambassador Ram Mirgad, who had been declared an official guest of Sante Fe Province, was greeted by 40 mounted gauchos carrying Israeli and Argentine flags.
The Jewish colonists of Mosesville have prospered. About 1500 of the town’s 4000 residents are Jewish and all five members of the municipal council are Jewish. The town has a high school-seminary for Jewish teachers. Mosesville also has four synagogues and one Catholic church.
Father Francisco Scotto, the church’s priest, declared at a luncheon for 600 people during the celebrations; “Shalom in Sante Fe. Shalom in Buenos Aires, Shalom in Jerusalem. I love your country Israel, which the Jews taught me to love.” At a major public meeting, Barrioneuvo declared “I wish to embrace all of you, on behalf of the Republic which is grateful to all its pioneers. Mosesville represents the perfect union between the Argentine nation with those who arrived offering their hopes.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
