'
THETETROIT JEWISHNEWS' ;
'Friday; lily 13, 1984 21
Rabbi Marshall Meyer
built a thriving
congregation while
fighting the fascists
and some Jews
over the desaparecidos.
family received almost daily death
being a publicity seeker and of hiding
'
threats during this period.)
behind an American passport.
"So we formed the Jewish
"I myself am at complete odds
Movement for Human Rights, and,
with the DAIA's idea of silent diplo-
five days before the election, decided
macy when dealing with a fascist
to hold a demonstration against
military dictatorship. I was against
anti-Semitism; The DATA opposed
their politics of•shtadlanut. You
this, and spent $16,000 putting ads in
know, in a military dictatorship like
American papers against us.. They
Argentina had, it was to the detri-
said, it would be used as a pretext by
ment of the Jewish community to
have a single address. If you could • the military government to cancel
the election. But instead, within 24
put the DAIA in your pocket, you
hours, the streets were clean of these
were able to control Argentine
signs.
Jewry.
"They said Timerman lied —but
"Just before the October
no
one
from the DMA was able to get
presidential election, anti-Semitic
into the prisons, the way I did, so how
slogans such as 'Be patriotic, kill a
do they know?. I'm very honored by
Jew,' were daubed all over Buenos
the way the military government
Aires. Many Jews felt there would be
considered me an enemy — thig can
a pogroms if the Peronistas won. There
hardly be considered true for most of
6'4 had been so much' anti-Semitic vio-
the leaders of the DMA."
lence, and . bombing of synagogues,
Rabbi Marshall Meyer had gone to Argentina with the hope of staying one or two years.
Rabbi Meyer was also incensed
'
that
'it
was
in
any
case
the
closest
He stayed 25 and saw and protested against anti-Semitism and violations of human
by
charges
that he could afford to be
thing to a pogrom we have had in
rights.
brave because he was a U.S. citizen.
recent years." (Rabbi Meyer and his
"The easiest thing to say about an
activist is that he had a life insurance
out immediately, I'd go out in a box."
lers of all leftists," said Rabbi Meyer.
policy. My life and that of my wife
Rabbi
Meyer
then
discussed
the
Ironically, many of them had them-
and children were threatened for
selves been ultra-leftists before: • case of Jacobo Timerman, the con-
years. The passport was only good for
who
Opinion;
troversial editor of La
"Many of the • generals who became
getting on a plane. French nuns,
is currently in Nicaragua writing a
powerful in the •post-1976 period
Irish priests, Swedes were killed —
andinista
regime.
book on-the Sandinista'
were also active in the Triple A."
killers don't look at your passport.
"I visited Timerman all during
The last years of Isabel Peron's
Besides, any one of the members of
the
period
of
his
imprisonment.
He
regime were marked by financial
the DAIA could have obtained an Js-
•
was tortured mercilessly, but, de-
scandals, political chaos and an al-
raeli liassport, if they're such
spite a broken eardrum and other in-
most total decline in public order. "So
Zionists."
juries, he is at least alive. I can say
the military once again took poWer,
The Falklands war — which, in-
de-
unequivocally that his book,' in
and put Isabel Peron in jail. Ninety-
cidentally, saw the installation of
scribing the jail conditions, is if any-
five percent of the people at the time
two graduates of Rabbi Meyer's sem-
thing decidedly •underwritten-And I
were happy with the military
inary, Baruch Plavnick and Felipe
speak as one who has visited many
takeover. They wanted order." In-
Yaffe, as the first Jewish chaplains in
prisons and has been behind many
stead, Argentina was to enter one of
Argentina's armed forces
prison walls in Argentina. Anyone
the worst periods in its history. Juan
-triggered the eventual downfall of
who says he's exaggerated the anti-
Peron himself had been an admirer of
the military junta. They left an in-
Semitism doesn't know anything.
Mussolini and Hitler, and the nation
credible economic, social and politi-
"The'
material"
already
un-
had been neutral, but with a benign
cal mess. Apart from their savagery,
covered by the presidential commis-
tilt towards the Axis powers during
it 'is estimated that at least $10 bil-
sion confirms that. He was tortured
World War II.. Now, all the 'anti-
lion
went into the pockets of the gen-
to within an inch of his life for being a •
Semitic forces that were deeply
erals.'"Like
vultures; they often took
Ad
Jew; he was a bloody 'heap.
rooted in the country's culture were
the
possessions,
everything, from the
horninem critiques of such a man
families
of
the
disappeared," ex-
given free reign.
make me nauseous. Timerman has
"Nobody that I know; with a
plained Meyer.. "The corruption was
been called in three times by
possible few exceptions, was arrested
incalculable, the land was wet with
President Alfonsin, who has begged
as a Jew — but once a Jew was found
innocent blood.".
his pardon. And by the way," Meyer
to be a Jew, he received a triple or
Marshall Meyer is an outspoken
was quick to add, "he still calls him-
quadruple measure of torture. This I
supporter of President Alfonsin, who,
self an Israeli citizen."
can state without reservation. There
he says, "had inherited a. cancerous
This brought up the question of .
was violent anti-Semitism in the
country." Argentina's long history of
the leadership of Argentine Jewry,
prisons, there were swastikas and
dictatorship makes Alfonsin's task
the DAIA, or Delegation of Argen-
pictures of Hitler on the walls. Once,
difficult — since 1930, not one civi-
tine Jewish Associationt, which has
while visiting a prison, I was called a
severely castigated Timerman. They
`son-of-a-bitch' by the prison director,
Continued on Page 22
have also accused Rabbi Meyer of
a general, and told that if I didn't get
`They said
Timerman, lied
but no one from
the DAIA was
able t get into the
prisons, the way I
did, so how do
they know?"
Marshall Meyer