The conscience of the Latin American peoples would not permit neo-Nazi elements to instigate anti-Jewish excesses, Dr. Moises Goldman, of Buenos Aires, chairman of the South American executive of the World Jewish Congress, told Jewish leaders here today. Dr. Goldman and Rabbi F. Winter, of Montevideo, president of the WJC Committee in Uruguay, were guests at a luncheon in the World Jewish Congress headquarters.
Dr. Goldman said that occasionally conditions in South America present an opportunity for neo-Nazis to generate discord. But the bulk of the South American peoples, “desiring harmonious collaboration between all sections of the population for the advancement of their land of humanity,” rejected such elements.
There might be trouble in Latin American lands, even serious trouble, the WJC leader observed, “but there is no room for pogroms. Neither would the conscience of South America permit them, nor would they be tolerated by the organized Jewish communities.” The unity of Latin American Jewry, fostered by the World Jewish Congress which has affiliates in all Latin American lands, was a factor in the conviction that anti-Semitic elements would have no success.
Rabbi Winter, of Montevideo, who is the founder of the Uruguayan Conference of Christians and Jews, said that he had just visited Paraguay and, with the cooperation of leading Christians and Jews in Ascuncion, had established a Paraguayan Conference of Christians and Jews. There were now such organizations in four countries of Latin America–Argentina, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Dr. Moises Goldman said that one of the major problems that the WJC’s South American executive had to face was the creation of central, representative Jewish bodies in all countries. This task had successfully been tackled and central Jewish organizations were now in operation in almost every country. The two Latin American Jewish leaders were welcomed by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Jewish Congress.
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