(Editor’s Note: Yoni Peres recently stood-in for his father, former Israeli President Shimon Peres, at an awards ceremony sponsored by the TAEDA Foundation in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In this series of articles he shares his impressions of Buenos Aires and the ceremony that brought him there.)
Second in a Series
By Yoni Peres
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — During my trip to Argentina, I visited, together with Prof. Benny Schneid, AKA “The Zionist Rabbi,” the Jewish community building, encompassing AMIA, DAIA and OSA. As a result of the terror suicide bomber attack in 1994, killing 85 people, the building has been reconstructed and is now tightly secured. Concrete blocks on the front entrance sidewalk, guards and heavy double metal doors, make one feel unpleasant.
The courtyard and the lobby are covered with pictures and artifacts commemorating that attack and one two years earlier on the Israeli embassy. which killed 29 people.
There are eight stories in the AMIA building, each of them dedicated to a different Jewish activity.
I was received with a very warm welcome. The Argentinian Jewish community, counting over 200,000, mainly in Buenos Aires, is a very Zionistic one. The members belong to many Jewish streams, however they are all united in their strong love and devotion to the state of Israel.
The day ended with a wonderful culinary experience. “Happening” Restaurant is located on the river bank, at the northern side of the
city, near the domestic airport. This area used to be littered with “carritos” – the Argentinian version of the food truck — selling
sandwiches with meat grilled on the barbecue — “Parilla.” The city took away the licenses from most of these and only a few high quality
restaurants remained. “Happening” has a very pleasant and elegant ambiance. Our group had Asado, skirt steak and sweetbread, “Arrachera y mollejas,” which melted in your mouth.
The TAEDA event, celebrating 10 years for the organization, was held on the lawn of the Polo Club, in Las Canitas neighborhood, with about 1100 guests. A fireworks display concluded the activity.
TAEDA is the group responsible for the magazine DEF, numerous books and television program DEF-TV, as well as the organization of seminars and workshops on diverse topics, including drug trafficking and hemispheric security.
The organizer, Mario Montoto, is a prominent Buenos Aires businessman and owner of various companies, some of which deal with defense and homeland security solutions (Codesur).
Montoto established TAEDA with the mission of educating young, future leaders and promoting peace and social justice. For the tenth anniversary, he decided to award five persons world wide who have contributed to peace and justice. They were: Pope Francis; Nelson Mandela; my father Shimon Peres whom I represented; Jose Mariano Beltrame, the secretary of public security in Rio de Janeiro; and Brig. Gen. Eduardo Daghero ,who established a mobile hospital in Haiti.
Following are the comments I made to TAEDA while accepting the award, which I later presented to my father in Israel.
In the year 1947, the United Nations Resolution voted for the establishment of the State of Israel. The neighboring countries did not accept this resolution and immediately attacked us.
I was born 5 years later, in the city of Jaffa. My father was busy purchasing weapons and ammunition and establishing means for production of military equipment, in order to secure the state of Israel.
Years later, following wars and bloodshed, he turned from being a “hawk” into a “dove”. He envisioned a “New Middle East”, in which Israel and its neighboring states, live together in peace, side by side, using Israel’s know how and technology, with the middle east resources, creating a flourishing region.
Peace agreements have been signed between Israel , Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. My father established the “Peres Center for Peace”, symbolically, in my birth place, the city of Jaffa, which is an example for coexistence of Jew, Arabs, from all religions, living together in harmony.
Unfortunately, simultaneously, extreme and fundamentalist terror organizations, have been rising in the Middle East and other parts of the world, with the goal to destroy any efforts of peace making, and inciting hatred, war and terror.
In Israel, we have been experiencing the terror acts, on daily basis. The middle east has become a blood shedding region, with many innocent victims, forced to escape to Europe. But the terror hits all over the world, including the State of Argentina, which has suffered 2 major terror attacks.
The only solution to this very sad situation, is to educate the young generation and preach for peace, tolerance and respect of human beings regardless of nationality, race, religion or gender.
And this is what the mission of TAEDA is: to raise educated young leaders who would be able to stop this crazy rollercoaster and turn our world into a peaceful, pleasant and productive place to live.
From the depth of my heart, I thank Mr. Montoto for his so important project and I congratulate all the other award recipients, for their contributions towards a better world.
I will end with a quote from the bible “:”לא ישא גוי אל גוי חרב ולא ידעו עוד מלחמה
(Nation shall not lift up sword against nation and there will be no more war.)
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Peres is a retired veterinarian and freelance writer. Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence. (City and country for those outside the U.S.)