Whereas the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano (SRL) Marshall T. Meyer is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its establishment in Buenos Aires, Argentina, thanks to the vision of its founder Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer, z”l ;
Whereas the SRL has been the pioneering force in the training of Spanish-speaking rabbis, cantors, academics, and educators who have provided exemplary service to Jewish communities in Latin America, the United States, Europe, and Israel;
Whereas Jews converted by the Bet Din of the Masorti Movement in Buenos Aires suffer discrimination by the authorities of the Asociacion Mutual Argentina – AMIA; and
Whereas there is no member of the Rabbinical Assembly represented in the AMIA, despite its claim to be the umbrella institution for Argentinean Jewry, and in spite of its support by Masorti synagogues.
Therefore be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly urge the AMIA to change its policy to reflect pluralism in accordance with the spirit of its founders - to serve the entire Jewish community; and
Whereas the economic crisis in the Argentinean economy has resulted in the disappearance of almost the entire middle class, including the Jewish middle class;
Whereas 750.000 jobs were lost between October 2001 and December 2002, and 162,000 small businesses closed during 2002 with domestic investment falling by 46%;
Whereas according to the Joint Distribution Committee, 1,500 people are joining different welfare relief programs every month totalling at least 34,524 people by the end of 2002;
