Jews in Argentina:
Community and Heritage

45.9 million

country population

~260,000

Jewish population

1917

JDC entry date

Argentina’s Jewish community is as unique as it is resilient. Through economic crises, terrorist attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and more, JDC has been right by their side, serving the most vulnerable and cultivating the next generation of Jewish leadership in Latin America.

Jews have sought refuge in the Americas since 1492, when they were expelled from Spain. But it wasn’t until the 19th and 20th centuries that Jewish life flourished in Argentina, when the country welcomed larger, steadier flows of Jewish migrants from Europe. Argentina’s Jews drew upon both Latin American and European cultural traditions to create their own sense of home. This meant building communities like Moisesville, a Jewish farming colony that gave rise to the phenomenon of the Jewish gaucho (cowboy). 

JDC has supported Argentina’s Jews when they needed it most. That includes aid following the attack on the Israeli embassy in 1992, the 1994 suicide bombing of the Associación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish Community Center, Argentina’s economic collapse in 2001, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Argentina’s Jewish community is a model of perseverance and joy — and JDC is proud to help build its future. 

Cultivating Jewish Argentina’s Future

Through leadership initiatives, JDC invests in Argentina’s Jewish future. JDC provides regional courses in management, fundraising, and leadership to ensure that Argentina’s local Jewish organizations have the resources they need to thrive. JDC also partners with the Kaplan Leadership Initiative, a global JDC program that promotes and sustains Jewish life worldwide by training and supporting Jewish communal professionals in Latin America, Europe, and the former Soviet Union.

Humanitarian Assistance for Jews in Argentina

In 2001, when Argentina’s economy collapsed, Jewish communities faced high inflation, mass unemployment, and financial insecurity. JDC responded quickly, working closely with its local partners to deliver crucial aid to the country’s most vulnerable Jews.

By mobilizing a cross-country network of local Jewish organizations, JDC delivered food and other essential supplies to more than 36,000 Jews in Buenos Aires and 14 remote Jewish communities, where resources were scarcer and prices higher. JDC also launched Baby Help, a program that provided essential care and social support — like meals, medical services, strollers, and clothing — to vulnerable children.

JDC also partners with Jewish community organizations to build and strengthen their capacities. From 2010 to 2020, these efforts helped local organizations in Buenos Aires provide vital support to vulnerable Jews. In the provinces, JDC never stopped providing life-saving assistance to the 14 remote Jewish communities, supplying food, housing, and medicine. And since 2018, JDC’s Kidum program has been building on this humanitarian aid in the provinces by cultivating the management skills of local Jewish leaders.

These capacity-building programs have enabled Jewish organizations to serve the immediate and long-term needs of their communities. In 2024, JDC developed a temporary and complementary financial support program in Buenos Aires for families residing in rented housing and for elderly households (60 years and older) with little to no retirement or income. There are currently close to 1,000 families receiving this assistance.

In addition, the rapid increase in the use of virtual technology during the COVID-19 pandemic presented an opportunity to create and expand networks that foster collaboration and exchange best practices. That’s why JDC helped organize a network of Jewish nursing homes where more than 40 participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Panama, and Venezuela can exchange professional knowledge. JDC also helped spearhead a network of welfare programs across Latin America, in which more than 50 professionals and volunteers from different Jewish institutions in 10 Latin American countries have participated.

– An elderly JDC client receives life-saving aid. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2001.

Strengthening Resilience for Jews in Argentina

In partnership with AMIA (the Buenos Aires Kehillah), JDC launched Maavar, a job-market integration program in Buenos Aires and the 14 remote Jewish communities outside the city. Maavar has built a network of nearly 40 Jewish organizations, including day schools, JCCs, and synagogues that work together to help community members gain employment. Maavar also includes group meetings and one-on-one coaching sessions to provide participants with tools and opportunities.

JDC also partners with AMIA (the Buenos Aires Kehillah) to promote digital literacy. Virtuali is a cutting-edge program that fosters intergenerational exchange by partnering young, tech-savvy digital mentors with elderly adults. The mentors meet with the elderly adults regularly, teaching them how to access and use the latest technologies.