Inside Jewish Argentina: Finding Community in Buenos Aires

From December 8-15, 2025, twelve young adults from San Diego traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina with Jewish Federation of San Diego, in partnership with JDC Entwine. The week offered space for connection, reflection, and discovery across generations and communities. For many participants, the experience reshaped how they see Jewish life, both globally and at home.

Erika Maccani joined the trip hoping to deepen her connection to Jewish life and community.

I joined this trip with the hope of strengthening my Jewish roots and finding a sense of community. Growing up outside of a traditional Jewish household, I struggled connecting with my Jewish identity. I never had a Bat Mitzvah, and Jewish holidays were rarely celebrated in my home. As I’ve grown older, I’ve felt a desire to connect more with Jewish life.

When I learned that JDC Entwine was hosting a trip to Argentina in partnership with Jewish Federation of San Diego, I immediately knew it was the perfect opportunity. It offered a chance to deepen my connection to my heritage, build new relationships, and learn about Jewish life in Buenos Aires.

Once we arrived in Argentina, one of our first stops was to AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina), the umbrella organization for Jewish institutions throughout the country that provides a wide range of programs and essential services within the Jewish community. AMIA is also known for its resilience after surviving a devastating terrorist bombing in 1994.

As a group, we were fortunate to participate in a morning dance class with members of the elderly community, which quickly became one of the most joyful moments of the trip. Moving, laughing, and connecting across generations filled both me and the group with an unexpected sense of warmth and happiness.

After our dance class, we toured the rest of AMIA. I was most moved by the monument created by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, which honors the victims of the 1994 AMIA bombing. Through vibrant and kinetic panels, the work moves from the chaos of destruction toward renewal, strength, and hope within the Jewish community. Composed of nine colorful columns, the monument changes as viewers move around it, revealing multiple symbolic compositions like menorahs, rainbows, the Star of David, and the AMIA symbol.

Throughout the week, I was continually struck by both the beauty of Buenos Aires and the strength of its Jewish community. We visited groups spanning every stage of life, from elementary schools to retirement homes. One core memory for me was celebrating Shabbat at Malka, an open space where young Jewish adults explore Judaism through social, cultural, and spiritual experiences. I was amazed by how many young adults came together to celebrate Shabbat services.

We also engaged in many meaningful conversations about what it truly means to be Jewish. I came to realize that being religious alone doesn’t define Jewish identity, it’s far more complex and personal than that. For me, what feels most authentic is the sense of belonging and connection to a community that shares my values, history, and experiences. This trip helped me gain a deeper confidence in who I am as a Jew, embracing a more expansive and inclusive understanding of what it means to belong.

The greatest gift I took from this trip was a newfound sense of community and lasting friendships. I couldn’t have asked for a more fun, loving, diverse, and bright group of people. We challenged one another to dive deep in conversation, shared endless laughter on long bus rides, and may have indulged in one too many alfajores.

What united us most was a shared desire to grow and strengthen our Jewish community in San Diego. We formed our bond in Argentina, and now we are ready to continue building memories together in San Diego. A heartfelt thank you to Jewish Federation of San Diego, JDC Entwine, and the generous donors who made this trip possible. This journey transformed my relationship with Judaism in ways I never expected.

For others, the trip offered a broader view of global Jewish peoplehood and responsibility. Participant Kilian also reflected on the trip, sharing his perspective on the resilience of the Jewish people on a global scale.

What was meant to be a learning journey quickly became something deeper—a reminder of why global Jewish solidarity is not optional, but essential.

We reminded one another that for over 5,000 years, despite persecution and displacement, the Jewish people have endured. Our resilience is not accidental. It is built through community, care, and collective responsibility.  

That resilience is powerfully alive in Argentina.  

The Jewish community here took root as families fled pogroms, Nazism, and Soviet oppression in Eastern Europe. When the United States and much of the Western world shut their doors to Jewish refugees, Argentina remained open longer than most, offering refuge when few others would. Antisemitism followed them here, along with economic hardship, yet community persisted.  

Today, more than 240,000 Jews live in Argentina, making it the largest Jewish community in South America. Despite ongoing economic instability and rising antisemitism, Jewish life continues to thrive. Schools are filled with students, synagogues remain alive with prayer, and elders pass wisdom to the next generation.  

During our visit, we witnessed this strength firsthand. We walked through the rebuilt AMIA Community Center—once reduced to rubble, now standing as a national symbol of Jewish resilience. We visited Beth School, Argentina’s largest Jewish school. We listened to stories shared at LeDor VaDor, honoring continuity across generations. We stood inside the Great Synagogue and explored the Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires, where history is preserved not as memory alone, but as responsibility. 

Again and again, one truth became clear: Jewish life does not survive by chance. It survives because people choose to sustain it.

That sense of belonging and community-building resonated across the group. Newlyweds Max and Shayna Jaffe reflected on how the experience shaped their connection to Jewish life and to San Diego.

Having met in BBYO and coming from strong Jewish communities in Los Angeles, New York, and beyond, we felt this piece was missing in our San Diego experience. That was until we came across Jewish Federation of San Diego and JDC Entwine, and this most recent trip/mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our main goals for the trip were to build community, make friends, connect with our Jewish identities, expand the world around us, and give back. While we didn’t have any specific expectations for the trip, the overall experience went above and beyond anything we could have imagined. Even just after a day, the structured programming and deep conversations morphed our group from a cohort of young Jewish professionals from San Diego into a budding family of friends.

One element we especially enjoyed was the intergenerational programming across multiple locations we visited, including playing games with schoolchildren at Beth School, making friends and hearing stories with the residents of LeDor VaDor, and dancing with local members at AMIA Community Center. Paired with the meaningful discussions we had with members of Hillel and other local Jewish professionals who joined us for dinners throughout the trip, it felt like a reflection of everything we love and appreciate about our upbringings and the communities that shaped us.

One of our favorite experiences was the Shabbat service at Malka, where we felt at home. We sang on the rooftop with a group of nearly 100 other like-minded Jewish people followed by a delicious dinner where we made new friends. It was spiritual, profound, and provided this comforting sense of belonging that reminded us how lucky we are to be Jewish. From the first session of setting intentions to the last, which focused on taking action, we knew we were in the right place. While we were prepared to give back, we were unprepared for how much we would receive from the trip. We left with a strong friend group, a reignited appreciation for our Jewish identity, and a refreshing perspective on how we can create community back in San Diego.