Jewish Victims of the Generals' Regime in Argentina and the Attitude of Jewish Institutions in Argentina and Israel, 1976-1983 - Gabriela Lotersztain interviews

Mr. Bertrand Gold was a member of the American Jewish Committee, which is one of three organizations who worked together to fight antisemitism in Argentina after the military coup in 1976. The Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Congress were also active in North America and South America. Mr. Gold felt that antisemitism was not a governmental policy as it was in the USSR and the Arab countries, but it was covertly practiced. Jews were persecuted because it was thought that all Jews were leftists, ie Communists, and therefore had to eliminated, along with Communism. One of the jobs of the American Jewish Committee was to help to differentiate between Jews who were leftists because they believed in the ideology, versus Jews who were just Jews. A very soft-spoken approach to assisting Jews, getting Jews freed and in fighting antisemitism had to be taken or else the Jewish community would be in danger of harsh reactions by the government. Mr. Gold and his committee were assisted by the United States State Department, as well as the Israeli government, in providing information about people incarcerated. They also worked to establish a working relationship with all of the dictators, ambassadors and presidents. Mr. Gold lamented that the organizations probably could have done more.