44 Friday, October 28, 1977
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
South American Visitor Describes Jewish Life in Bolivia
\\\
Actively Jewish, with
practically no assimilation
or intermarriage is how
Marek Kronenberg of La
Paz, Bolivia, describes his
South American home town.
Kronenberg was the house
guest of his in-laws, Dr. and
Mrs. Daniel Burman, of
Southfield, for the High
Holy Days.
A native of Plonsk,
Poland (David Ben-Gurion's
place of birth), Kronenberg
has been a resident of La
Paz for 30 years, following
his liberation from Auschw-
itz and a short stay in Ger-
. 01.0741._
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Kronenberg reports that
the Jewish community of La
Paz is seriously dedicated to
Zionism and Israel, with an
active Bnai Brith, WIZO,
Maccabi, and other groups,
under the roof organization
of the Comite Centeral
Judio de Bolivia. There is
also an active Hebrew club
with its own cultural activi-
ties, which include a theater
company. Every Shabat
there are services at the
synagogue, but weekday
services are held only on
special occasions, such as
yahrzeit or to accommodate
a mourner reciting daily
kadish.
Five years ago, according
to Kronenberg, the elderly
rabbi of La Paz moved to a
home for the aged in Israel,
and the community was
without the services of a
rabbi until this summer.
They finally succeeded,
after actively soliciting can-
didates, in hiring a young
Israeli who will not only
serve as a rabbi, but as sho-
het and mohel as well.
Kronenberg says there is
no anti-Semitism in Bolivia,
even though since the 1938
constitution, Roman Cathol-
icism- is the official state
religion. There is, in fact no
assimilation either, and
Kronenberg says he can
recall only four or five
intermarriages in La Paz
during his residence there.
La Paz has 200-220 Jewish
families, and there are
about 50-75 Jewish families
in two other provinces of
Bolivia, Cochabamba and
Santa Cruz.
The La Paz community
turing
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maintains its own Jewish
school, the Colegio Boli-
viano Israelito, with kinder-
garten, primary and second-
ary grades. The student
body, however, is mixed,
and Gentile students attend
as well.
In spite of its active cul-
tural life, the Bolivian •Jew-
ish community is not grow-
ing. Many of the young
people settle in Israel, as it
is customary for Jewish
parents to send their chil-
dren for studies there after
completion of secondary
school. Other young Jews,
who have taken professional
studies outside of Bolivia,
usually leave to pursue
careers in other countries.
Of those Jews who remain,
most are engaged in com-
merce, in manufacturing,
textiles, and as merchants.
Bolivia has been a
freindly place for Jews,
Kronenberg says. The first
Jews to live in Bolivia were
Marranos from Spain, - but in
the early 1900s a group of
Russian Jews came to settle
the land. The Nazi period
preceeding World War II
brought the greatest num-
ber of immigrants, but
many of them left, because
of economic problems and
the country's climate and
high altitude.
Aside from its friendly
treatment of its own Jews,
I
Bolivia has maintained good
relations with Israel, being
among the supporters of the
1947 UN resolution on the
partition of Palestine. In the
infamous "Zionism-Rac-
ism" UN resolution of 1975,
Bolivia abstained from vot-
ing. Bolivia and Israel also
engage in a variety of
exchange and assistance
programs.
During Kronenberg's stay
in Detroit, he also visted his
-
Sunday Gathering
for Moadon Ivri
Moadon Ivri, the Hebrew
Club, will have a panel dis-
cussion on "Religion, State-
hood and Politics in Israel,"
3 p.m. Sunday at the 10 Mile
Jewish Community Center
branch.
Panelists include Rabbi
Shaul Broner of Akiva Day
School, Colman Reisman,
chairman of the Moadon;
and Avraham Fleisher, who
will act as moderator.
The public is invited.
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By appointment 645-0015
Men's Clubs I
ADAT SHALOM MEN'S
CLUB will hold the first in a
series of Sunday morning
breakfast forums 11 a.m.
Sunday in the synagogue
youth lounge. Sherwyn J.
'Labovitz, a senior account
executive will speak on
"Investing for Tax-Free
Income." Mel Stumacher
will chair the program.
Breakfast will be served.
All are invited.
* * *
SHAAREY ZEDEK
MEN'S CLUB will present
its musical-comedy show by
the Mighty Men's Club Art
Players following a 7:30
p.m. dinner Nov. 12 in the
synagogue. Bill Carroll,
David Hermelin and Joe
Rose are in charge of writ-
ing; producing and directing
the show. There is a charge.
For information, call the
synagogue, 357-5544.
granddaughters, Gabriella
and Nina, children of Dr.
and Mrs. Matthew Burman
of Southfield. He attended
services at Cong. Bnai
David.
.
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