“Israelis do not understand us, because they risk their lives daily, but they do not know that we risk our lives in the diaspora, like them just because we are Jews.”

The Interviewee – Ariel Hojchman Burakoff (Born 1951), i am president of the Mexican Zionist Council (Mexican Zionist Federation) and the vice-president of the cdi (centro deportivo israleita). Lives in Mexico City.

In your opinion, what importance, if any, does the existence of a Jewish state have to you personally and to Jewish people in general?

“It is the shield for the Jewish people all around the world, today we have somebody that take care of us, and will react immediately to protect us.”

Do you feel committed in some way to defend the future existence of Israel?

“In any way.”

Do you affiliate yourself with a specific denomination in Judaism? What is your view regarding the dominance of the Orthodox denomination in Israel religious establishment?

“The Survivance of the Jews, was before in the religion like today. I think being religious is not bad, but today we must have tolerance for the Jews that are just traditional.“

Do you feel morally responsible for Israel’s actions (such as its management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)?

“like the Tora says- each of us is responsible for all the others .”

In your opinion, what is the main thing Israelis fail to understand about the reality of being Jewish outside of Israel?

“They do not understand us, because they risk their lives daily, but they do not know that we risk our lives in the diaspora, like them just because we are Jews.”

How would you describe Israel’s policy (formally and in practice) regarding its relationship with the Diaspora?

“I think that Israel must rethink and must be closer with the diaspora.”

In your opinion, does Israel have an obligation to defend and help Jewish communities in need?

“Yes.”

Have you ever been to Israel? if you have, can you summarize your impression from the Israeli reality?

“Yes. The word is – amazing, like looking at the miracles that g’d is doing today for us.”

What was your best experience of Israeli culture in the past year (book, music, TV, movie, theater etc.)?

“Music.”

Can you tell us a bit about the Jewish community in your hometown?

“Mexico is a unique community, where children go to Jewish schools in 95% of the cases. We are very close, and we have more than 100 organizations to help the community. The consejo sionista de mexico, was before the Zionist federation of mexico, but has no legal status, so in 2008, we found the ‘consjeo sionista de mexico’, that is supporting by the Jewish Mexican community. The main activities we are doing is to participate in many ways in the the main events the Jewish Mexican community organize, like: yom hashoa, yom hazikaron and yom hatzmaouth, supporting with information, posters videos, and labor.

“We give 2 awards a year: herzl.- since 2002, we honor a young Mexican Jew, (younger than 44 years old), that has a life history of Zionism and love for Israel, in any way. Jerusalem- since 2005, we honor a Mexican non Jew, that has a history life of being a friend of the Jewish community in mexico or Jews in general.

We have each 3 months activities, like 10 days ahead, we have a debate of the almost all the premio herzl, taking about his Zionism life since they get the award. Each year we organize the ‘jidon hatzionuth’, on June 5. Twice a year we gave a confreres to evangelical groups, with the ‘hatzad hasehine’ team, with high recognition and great success, with more than 500 persons in each session.

When the community is hungry of information from Israel, we organize video conferences, with well known people in Israel, to make hasbara, and give information direct from the place of conflict. Once a year we celebrate the ‘Israel week’, in one of the universities in mexico city, like: Universidad anahuac, Universidad ibero Americana itsem. In one week we have a small course informing what is Israeli gastronomical experience, Israeli folk dances etc.

In august 28 we will present in Spanish translation of T. Herzl’s book ‘altneuland’. So all the things we do, is to show how we are like Jews, mainly making hasbara with non Jews,
and to connect Jews and non Jews in the best for all.”