By COLlive reporter
The Argentine Ambassador to Australia Hugo Gobbi and the Argentine Embassy in Australia hosted an event Wednesday to commemorate 25 years since the horrific terrorist attack against the AMIA – Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Jewish community center in Buenos Aires which claimed 85 lives and injured hundreds more.
Rabbi Shmueli Feldman and Chabad ACT staff helped coordinate the event with the Embassy, as one of 20 Argentine embassies worldwide to host the important 25-year memorial.
Rabbi Feldman was asked to give the keynote speech. In attendance were delegations from both of Canberra’s Jewish communities as well as other Ambassadors including the Ambassador from Israel Mark Sofer and Political representatives including Mark Dreyfus MP.
Rabbi Feldman spoke of the impact of the terrorist attacks in Argentina on the Jewish community worldwide and on the Jewish and Chassidic perspective on mourning.
The Rabbi spoke of his positive experiences in the wider Argentinian community as a Rabbinic student and Shliach and the warmth exhibited by them in solidarity with the Jewish people following the attacks.
Rabbi Feldman concluded with a call to finally bring the perpetrators to justice and to ensure the eternal preservation of the victims’ memories by continuing living Jewish, to build Jewish communities and never cowering in the face of terror.
To end of the formalities, Rabbi Feldman sang the traditional Memorial prayer – Kel malei rachamim – and held a moment of silence in tribute to the victims.
Chabad ACT’s Canberra Kosher catered for the function.
