IndexAshkenazi Jews: Assimilation in Argentina and CubaContext of Ashkenazi JewsArgentine JewsCuban JewsComparison between Argentine and Cuban JewsConclusionAshkenazi Jews: Assimilation in Argentina and CubaAshkenazi Jews descend from ancient Turkey and were masters of trade. In the 1920s and 1930s they sailed to Curaçao, a Caribbean island, to escape European pogroms. However, they were not the only Jews on that island, the Sephardic Jews were an elite class of merchants. The Jewish people were always on the move, whether for trade or to escape political intolerance. Argentina and Cuba were one of the few countries to accept Ashkenazi Jews as refugees. There is a possibility that Ashkenazi Jews did not keep their Jewish identity intact due to integration and possible intermarriage. This research will discuss how their identity formation progressed as they remained in Argentina and Cuba and whether they were fully accepted by the host country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Background of the Ashkenazi Jews According to Abraham-Van Der Mark, the Ashkenazi Jews were starting to leave Curaçao because they were starting to become a trading minority. Furthermore, their overall socioeconomic conditions were declining. “Most of the early settlers died of old age, and due to political insecurity and economic decline, many Ashkenazi left the island in the 1980s, to settle elsewhere…” (Abraham-Van Der Mark, p. 257) . To survive, the Ashkenazi Jews had to leave the island. However, Sephardic Jews were integrated into society, into which they were accepted by white elites. They were able to prosper thanks to trade which made them known as the “Rothschilds of the Caribbean”. Sephardic Jews dominated the competition for wealth and resources, however, the trade monopoly forced them to flee to Argentina and Cuba. Argentine Jews South American countries such as Argentina accepted Ashkenazi Jews, who sought better opportunities and futures for their children. Over time they assimilated into Argentine culture. They chose to become part of Argentine culture, rather than create Jewish religious institutions (Horowitz, p.202). Ashkenazi Jews reinvented themselves in the new culture and were able to shed the pervasive stigma of being a minority. “Jews entering an advanced industrial society are self-conscious and very concerned about any undue delay in mixing” (Horowitz, p. 204). Ashkenazi Jews were willing to assimilate quickly in Argentina. Jewish institutions such as synagogues kept everyone together and created community, as well as keeping religious faith alive. They protected themselves by creating an enclave to protect themselves from anti-Semitism in Argentina. The native elites had different ideologies than the Ashkenazi Jews. “In this context, Jewish immigration followed a different course; from the beginning it did not “melt” and indeed, as time passed, the strangeness did not diminish despite the changing degree of external pressure” (Dulfano, p.123). Argentina was not tolerant towards the Jewish community. Ashkenazi Jews brought their skills and knowledge to Argentina. “…The Jewish community still enjoyed the freedom to pursue economic and educational goals which led to a rapid rise up the economic ladder and the subsequent homogenization of the community into an almost unique socio-economic middle class” (Dulfano, p.123). The Jewish community focused on becoming the middle class by strengthening its internal networks. Over time, the communityJewish began to absorb Argentine culture. Jewish women played a critical role in assimilation, because they showed service and made sure their children were educated. "The study of Jewish women draws attention to the dense networks of associations in small towns and colonies, which forged bonds between women, assisted the poor, improved children's education, and maintained the quality of local services" (Deutsch, p . 53) Ashkenazi women also took it upon themselves to expand their networks in order to create resources for anyone in need. Their philanthropy intertwined the Ashkenazi Jewish community Argentines were able to navigate the hostile environment of anti-Semitism. Ashkenazi women were very philanthropic in responding to fascism in Argentina. The Junta de la Victoria wanted to make a difference in Argentina by not tolerating fascism fascism abroad and to prevent its spread in Argentina” (Deutsch, p.64). Ashkenazi Jews were trying to escape anti-Semitism in Europe. The Jewish community also brought together different ethnic communities to help soothe prejudices between the Jewish and Argentine people. Deutsch mentioned an event that celebrates diversity showing that they are all interconnected by the love of Argentina. “As the magazine observed, “young people no longer understand the old distinctions of origin”; most were "born in Argentina, sharing the same tastes and the same language" (Deutsch, p. 59). Within the second generation, Ashkenazi Jews embraced their Argentine heritage. Liebman claims that second-generation Ashkenazi Jews lose touch with their Jewish heritage. Over time, their political opinions change towards the government. “Therefore the majority of young Jews are at the extremes of the political spectrum where rapid change is sought” (Liebman, p. 316). political system because they could not participate in the decision-making process. Argentina only allowed Jews to take part in economic opportunities that allowed for social mobility. Ashkenazi Jews were prevented from being fully involved in Argentine society regarding the political, cultural, and intellectual arenas. Argentina was trying to preserve its nationalistic culture, unintentionally imitating anti-Semitism due to the progression of the Dirty Wars that occurred during 1976-1983. The Dirty Wars were also known as the National Reorganization Process. This also had a negative impact on Argentine Jewish communities. The Jewish community was particularly affected by the Dirty Wars because many valued members of the Jewish community began to disappear. Levit's Terrorism, Democracy and the Jews of Argentina talks about the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo who were politically active in putting an end to the dictatorship of Juan Peron. Their goal was to raise public awareness of the Argentine government. According to Levit, the Jewish population was disproportionately affected by the Dirty Wars. “While Jews make up less than 1% of the total population, estimates reflect that Jews made up 15% of the victims killed by the military junta” (Levit, p. 27). A vulnerable population like the Ashkenazi Jewish population had suffered the brunt of the Dirty Wars and fascist ideologies similar to those in Europe. The Dirty Wars were a catalyst for Argentine Jews staying close to their roots and not fully integrating into society. Cuban Jews Unlike Argentina, Cuba was progressive towards the protection of religious minorities such as Jews. However, the Ashkenazi Jews had toface difficulties in assimilating to Cuban culture. Cuban Jews developed two identities: Jewish and Cuban. Strug and La Porte discuss how the Cuban Jewish community was protected “…under post-revolutionary Cuba the religious were protected and were not victims of violence” (Strug & LaPorte, p.8). According to Levitz, identity is clearly constructed and identification is a collection of affiliations. Although Cuba was a safe haven, Jews had to retain their identities. For example, Cuban Jews feared identifying with the communist party. Prejudice prevented Cuban Jews from receiving a college education or stable jobs. “One interviewee said: “My father was a revolutionary and being Jewish was kind of taboo. In those days when you looked for work you didn't mention a religion." (Strug & LaPorte, p.9) This demonstrated that Cuban Jews could not fully identify as Jews because this would limit their opportunities. The Jewish community could not fully embrace its religious identity by eliminating aspects associated with Judaism. For example, they wore the Star of David necklace instead of eating chicken. One of the respondents they chose to interview said: “In Cuba you can't really be religious. It wasn't that they put you in prison, but the reality was that there was a strong prejudice against anyone who practiced a religion. So people abandoned religious practice.” (Strug and LaPorte, p.9). Although Cuban Jews were not religiously persecuted, they were not allowed to practice religious activities in public. The Jewish community survived the political turmoil by intermarrying with non-Jewish Cubans. Intermarriage was seen as a threat to the Jewish community but was necessary to be fully accepted by society. “Interviewees explained that while in the Jewish world mixed marriages are seen as a threat, in Cuba mixed marriages are the norm, mainly for practical reasons; one interviewee noted that “the supply of available spouses is limited.” (Strug & LaPorte, p. 12). The Jewish community integrated into Cuban society because its community was declining in population and influence. This led to two cultures merging together and creating a unique identity. “We found that mixed marriages, which are seen by most Jewish leaders and organizations as a threat, are welcomed and even embraced in Cuba, as long as the non-Jewish spouse converts according to halakhah” (Strug & LaPorte, p . 15). Halakha means being considered Jewish before converting, however intermarriage was not the only way to have a strong Jewish community. Strug and LaPorte mention how Jewish leaders are trying to incorporate young non-Jewish Cubans as well and this is a tactic used to attract more members. “Our interviewees indicated that Jewish leaders both in Cuba and abroad were determined to develop strategies to cultivate the Jewish identity of Cuban Jews, placing great emphasis on youth involvement” (Strug & LaPorte, p.15) . Ruth Behar's work describes how she had to create her own identity which became known as “Juban”. She was expelled from Cuba, despite being born in the country. His family was forced to come to the United States. He created his own identity by combining his Cuban descent with his Jewish heritage. When she came to the United States, she tried to adjust to her identity. His grandfather spoke Spanish fluently, even though that was his second language. “He spoke Spanish to his children and grandchildren; the Yiddish she spoke to my grandmother and others of her generation she failed to pass on to him, while the English, learned in a second exile, never entered her veins” (Behar, p. 153). His grandfather.