Wednesday morning we visited the AMIA building and memorial for the July 18th, 1994 bombing which killed 85 people and injured more than 300 others. AMIA is an organization that promotes the individual, family, and institutional growth of Jewish life in Argentina. Its new building is directly behind the bombed building, with a memorial in place to remember those killed. The bombing of AMIA represented the second major terrorist attack against Jews in Argentina, the first being a bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992.

Jacob and Greta prepared a ceremony to pay tribute to those harmed by the terrorist act, the responsible party for which has still not been formally identified to this day.

AMIA Memorial Sculpture

The sculpture standing in the previous space of the bombed AMIA building creates 7 separate symbols, depending on the angle from which it is viewed:
1) as a fragmented figure of destruction
2) of a Chanukia
3) the Star of David
4) of a Rainbow
5) of a Menorah
6) of a colored Star of David
7) as the symbol of AMIA

We also visited the site of the embassy bombing.

Site of the Israeli Embassy Bombing

From August 22-29, 2010, 11 alumni of Cornell University will volunteer with the Jewish community of Argentina.