It might surprise you that the only kosher McDonald’s franchise outside of Israel is in Buenos Aires. After all, it is only the sixth largest Jewish community in the world boasting around 200,000 Jews, approximately half the size of the Jewish community of Canada. What may be even more surprising is that there are still over 200,000 Jews living in Argentina.

In 1994, the Buenos Aires Jewish community suffered the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentinian history and the deadliest terrorist attack against a Jewish community outside of Israel since the rebirth of the Jewish State in 1948. Iranian-backed Hezbollah agents drove a bomb laden van into the AMIA Jewish Community Centre, killing 85 and injuring 300. Not to mention the Argentinian great depression between 1998-2002, culminating in an economic crisis of 2001 that capitulated millions into poverty. An economy that has never really recovered as inflation rates just last year topped 230%.

And this is just recent history. There have been other “Argentina” unique factors including the Nazi enclave that found refuge in Argentina following the Holocaust; or the Dirty War that began in 1976 after the military overthrew the government. Between 1976 and 1983, over 30,000 citizens “disappeared” from the streets of Argentina, as the military dictatorship kidnapped, tortured and executed anyone they believed was not “aligned” with their beliefs. An estimated 10% of the 30,000 “disappeared” were Jewish (completely disproportional to the Jewish population of Argentina as compared to total population).

You may wonder, how is it that over 50% of the once-storied Jewish community of Argentina once estimated to be between 400,000 and 500,000 has remained? And how does this relate to the story of Passover and to this moment of history?

I recently returned from Argentina and was struck by the resilience of the Jewish community there. To my pleasant surprise and complete admiration, the Jewish community of Buenos Aires did not only survive the last century in Argentina, but today it is a thriving and proud Jewish community. With close to 90 synagogues and just shy of 50 Jewish day schools, the Jewish community invests in Hebrew language, Israel and Zionist studies and youth groups such as BBYO and develops the future leaders of the community. In fact, the lone kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel exists because the Jewish developer/owner of the mall the franchise is housed in insisted when approached to lease to a franchisee 3 McDonald’s stores, in 1998, that one of the stores be Kosher… and the franchisee agreed (not knowing what he was getting into with Shabbat and Chagim).

For me, the learnings from this thriving Jewish community are about tremendous Jewish pride and a resilience developed through generations of hardships and struggle. Not retreating from Jewish life, but doubling down on it. This is the journey of the Jewish people that begins with יציאת מצרים, our exodus from Egypt - from our first oppressors. The story of Passover is not just about the miracles of the 10 plagues. Nor is it strictly about the Matzah or the parting of the Red Sea. יציאת מצרים represents the resilience of our people through generations of oppression and slavery. It is necessarily about maintaining our faith as Jews. A faith that leads not only to liberation from Egypt but leads the Jewish nation to receiving לוחות הברית - the Ten Commandments, and finally entering the Land of Israel, promised to the Jewish People.

Just this past week, we witnessed 20 cowardly masked Hamas supporters attempting to intimidate, harass and bully 1,200 Jewish community members who showed up to view the Federation CJA screening of October 8 – a movie about the surge of antisemitism in North America, not about Israel. We are once again faced with antisemitism guised as anti-Zionism in Montreal. This time close to home – at Cavendish Mall. A stark reminder that, even 3,000 years later, there are those who are bent on our destruction and demise. And yet, as we have done for centuries, we witnessed community members stand strong and resilient, calling out their hypocrisy and tactics, demonstrating Jewish pride by chanting Am Yisrael Chai and waving flags.

Antisemitism has not defined us through 3,000 years, nor will it define us at this moment. We are but a chapter in the story of the Jewish people. We will be here today and tomorrow. Those who seek to destroy us, Romans, Nazis and the like, are not here today. While others have taken their charge, we know that they, too, will dissolve into history as societies that failed in their mission.

Passover is our story of oppression, liberation and freedom. It is also the story of profound belief and Jewish pride. It teaches us that our faith will overcome the challenges of the day.

Just like the Jews of Argentina, our community’s strong Jewish pride and resilience will ensure that we will continue to be a light onto the nations for generations to come.

Wishing you a חג שמח וכשר. As we sit down for our Seders this year, let us rejoice in our freedom, embolden our resilience and celebrate our Judaism like never before.

עם ישראל חי