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Latin American Jewish Life in the 21St Century: "E Paradox of Shrinking Communities, 11 and Expanded - Revitalized Jewish Life

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Latin American Jewish Life in the 21St Century: Latin American Jewish life in the 21st Century: "e paradox of shrinking communities, 11 and expanded - revitalized Jewish life In the second decade of the 21st century, Latin 150,000 and 250,000 Jews have emigrated from American Jewish life faces new opportunities and Latin American countries, both inside and outside challenges created by globalization and migration the region, mainly to the United States, Israel, and processes. Globalization and its contradictory to a lesser extent, countries in Western Europe nature have sharpened sectorial inequalities while (Spain) as well as Canada. "us, there has been a posing new opportunities a!ecting Jews. New significant drop in the number of Jews in the region economic models have brought achievements – from 514,000 in the 1970s to 392,000 today and cyclical crises, and growing pluralism and (DellaPergola 2009, 2011). Argentina still hosts the democratization processes have reached high largest Jewish community on the continent in spite points. Economic and political changes combined of its significant demographic reduction – from with social inequalities provoked increased an alleged half a million in the 1960s to 390,000 a emigration fluxes of Latin American Jews from decade later, and subsequent radical drops. Today, the region, leading them to transition from its core population numbers around 180,000. communities of immigrants to communities of "e demographic profile of the Jewish population citizens and simultaneously, of emigrants; also to in Mexico has been more stable, due to more new professional opportunities and expanding traditional socio-demographic patterns and the markets. influx of Jews from other parts of Latin America. Indeed, in the last decades, the net direction of Mexican Jews presently number 40,000. "e Jewish migration flows tended to be from Latin America population in Uruguay has dropped from 50,000 to other destinations. Outward mobility of Latin to 22,000; in Venezuela, from 30,000 to 15,000; American Jews is part of a larger globalization and in Chile, from 30,000 to 21,000. El Salvador, phenomenon of unexpected scope – from 75 Ecuador, Peru, and Paraguay have also experienced million migrants in 1965 to 120 million in 1990, and significant decreases in their Jewish populations 214 million in 2009 (Held et al. 1999; UNDP 2009). since the 1970s. In Brazil, the number of Jews It is estimated that in the past 40 years between fell from 140,000 to 96,000, mainly as a result of THE JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY INSTITUTE 159 assimilation. In the last few years, however, this di!erent moments of migratory movements and trend has stabilized and the numbers even show a their impact on communities and societies of the slight increase (Ibid.). region. Sharp Jewish population decreases in Central Current scenarios can be viewed from diverse American countries since the mid-1980s represent perspectives. "e new trends point both to relatively significant outflows. But in the case emigration and to an expanded and revitalized of Guatemala, more than half of its population Latin American Jewish life in origin countries and decided to remain in their homeland. Neighboring beyond the territorial borders of local communities, Costa Rica has increased its Jewish population nation-States, and the region at large. Migration by two-thirds since 1967, while Panama became flows influence both sending and receiving Jewish a relocation destination communities/national societies within wide social 35% of for groups of Jews from spheres and institutional arenas characterized by Argentina's other Central American increasingly dynamic relationships between Jewish Jewish countries. individuals and groups (Bokser Liwerant 20 02, 2006). For the various receiving Jewish communities, population Migration waves from immigration constitutes a factor of demographic migrated Latin America are of support while bringing cultural enrichment and between 1970- di!erent nature and institutional renovation. "us, one cannot analyze 2009 and yet only scope; they reflect both Latin American Jewish life through conventional 8% expressed needs and opportunities: dichotomous categories (such as internal-external, that emigration they encompassed periphery-center) but rather via elastic and constitutes a forced migration and comprehensive frameworks based on a transnational serious threat exiled individuals at perspective. "e recent election of Chávez’s successor, high risk (e.g. politically President Nicolás Maduro, will likely reinforce the involved activists and intellectuals); voluntary prevailing trend. household relocation motivated by safety, security and economic considerations; and As stated, a contrasting case in the leadership’s movement of professionals seeking opportunities perceptions is Argentina, which has also and entrepreneurial expansion within a context experienced a significant demographic reduction of interconnected markets. Indeed, there has (-35% of its Jewish population, 1970-2009), and yet been a sustained movement of professionals in only 8% expressed that emigration constitutes a privileged occupations who began or operated serious threat. We may explain the di!erences in businesses and sought education; Jews constituted perceptions first, as a result of an ongoing process a high proportion of them. "e diverse processes of institution building and communal recovery, and leading to emigration have operated selectively. secondly, because of return movements that have "us, changes in migration streams shed light on taken place there. "e perception of emigration as 160 THE JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY INSTITUTE a serious threat is shared by the leadership of other those who had graduated with a PhD or were Latin American Jewish communities: Colombia engineers employed in the U.S. (UNESCO 2010). (45%), Peru (33%), Mexico (25%), Uruguay (20%), Yet, within a region that ranks as the third highest and Chile (10%). Venezuela stands out with the source of migrants in the world, the increased highest percentage (90%). For the majority (8 out mobility of qualified migrants coexists with large of 10 respondents), their country would likely not marginal sectors of non-skilled workers and the receive Jewish immigration in the coming years, rural poor who lack formal education and face thereby signaling a negative balance between restrictive immigration policies (so-called “red emigration and immigration. card” migrants) (Faist 2010). Contemporary migration has also expanded Latin In this context of interconnected realities, according American Jewish life. It includes steady, repeated, to the AJDC survey of circular, bi-local and multi-local movements. In a opinion makers, almost all An estimated world in flux, new phenomena include expanded interviewees (99%) agreed range of mobility, multiple relocations, transmigration and that it is “very important” between the creation of sustained links and interactions to “strengthen” relations 100,000 and across borders of the nation-states. Furthermore, among Jews living in 133,000 new patterns of circulation of people and various parts of the region. Latin American knowledge develop, as well as the exchange of 8 out of 10 agreed that Jews live intellectual, scientific, and cultural production. “Latin American Jews had in the Latin American Jews are part of the cohort of a special responsibility to U.S. today qualified migrants with “red carpet” status who one another.” 77% agreed increasingly move to OECD countries. Because of that “Latin American its proximity and the opportunities it o!ers, the Jews have unique and valuable perspectives U.S. attracts a large number of highly qualified to share.” However, 6 out of 10 disagreed with Latin American migrants. In the first decade of the statement that “each local community was the 21st century there were 494,000 scientists of strongly integrated to other Latin American Jewish Latin American origin; this number represents communities.” "us, while there seems to be great 15% of foreigners incorporated into the science interest in closer cooperation and exchanges across and technology system. At present, education of Latin American communal-territorial borders, this Latin American students at U.S. universities and expectation has not necessarily been matched by their insertion into the academic and professional the reality on the ground. It remains a challenge to spectrum is widespread. In 2007, 229 Mexicans, 180 communal regional and global policy. Brazilians, 141 Argentines, and 121 Colombians Demographic trends associated with the migration obtained a PhD in the U.S. In 2003, naturalized of Latin American Jews mainly to North America, individuals or non-residents constituted 19% of Israel, and Europe imply diverse models of Jewish life THE JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY INSTITUTE 161 that partly reflect global trends, and partly reflect ranging from literature to music – as well as their the specificity of the region. As to their presence political leverage, as demonstrated in the 2012 in the United States, precise numbers still need to presidential election. be discerned. But estimates range between 100,000 Latin American Jews have incorporated into and 133,000 (by core and enlarged definitions di!erent “American” milieus while maintaining their – DellaPergola 2011) and 156,000 (Sheskin and socio-cultural distinctiveness, both with respect Dashefsky 2011). It is calculated that a similar to their culture of origin and their Jewishness. number migrated to Israel (115,000/150,000 Jewish collective models have been transferred to – core/enlarged
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