Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina
Encyclopedia
Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) is a Jewish Community Center
located in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
.
Established as Jevrá Kedushá in 1894, its mission was conceived to promote the well being and development of Jewish life in Argentina and to secure the continuity and values of the Jewish community. The association established one of Buenos Aires' first Jewish cemeteries, and later founded the Tsedaká Foundation for charity. Serving the largest Jewish community in Latin America by the 1920s, AMIA inaugurated a new headquarters in the Balvanera
section of Buenos Aires in 1945. AMIA became the headquarters of the Federation of Jewish Argentine Communities. It grew to provide and sponsor a variety of formal and informal educational, recreational, and cultural activities, as well as a health care cooperative. It became a center for participation and involvement for people of all ages in Jewish life, and in the community at large.
On July 18, 1994 (the 10th of Av
in the Hebrew calendar
), a Renault Trafic
van loaded with explosives smashed into the AMIA, killing 85 people, injuring over 300, and destroying the building completely. Following the 1994 AMIA bombing, a series of federal and international investigations were launched, though the case remains unsolved. An 8,000 m² (85,000 ft²) center was later commissioned to replace the destroyed structure, and in May 1999, the new building, a modernist 8-story structure separated from the street by a protective wall, was inaugurated.
Furthermore, it has the biggest job vacancies of Argentina directed to jewish and non-jewish people with more than 500,000 applicants in its database.
Jewish Community Center
A Jewish Community Center or Jewish Community Centre is a general recreational, social and fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities...
located in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Established as Jevrá Kedushá in 1894, its mission was conceived to promote the well being and development of Jewish life in Argentina and to secure the continuity and values of the Jewish community. The association established one of Buenos Aires' first Jewish cemeteries, and later founded the Tsedaká Foundation for charity. Serving the largest Jewish community in Latin America by the 1920s, AMIA inaugurated a new headquarters in the Balvanera
Balvanera
Balvanera is a neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Origin of Name and Alternative Names:The official name, Balvanera, is the name of the parroquia centered around the church of Nuestra Señora de Balvanera, erected in 1831.The zone around Corrientes avenue is known as Once after Plaza Once de...
section of Buenos Aires in 1945. AMIA became the headquarters of the Federation of Jewish Argentine Communities. It grew to provide and sponsor a variety of formal and informal educational, recreational, and cultural activities, as well as a health care cooperative. It became a center for participation and involvement for people of all ages in Jewish life, and in the community at large.
On July 18, 1994 (the 10th of Av
Av
Av is the eleventh month of the civil year and the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. The name is Babylonian in origin and appeared in the Talmud around the 3rd century. This is the only month which is not named in the Bible. It is a summer month of 30 days...
in the Hebrew calendar
Hebrew calendar
The Hebrew calendar , or Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today predominantly for Jewish religious observances. It determines the dates for Jewish holidays and the appropriate public reading of Torah portions, yahrzeits , and daily Psalm reading, among many ceremonial uses...
), a Renault Trafic
Renault Trafic
The current Trafic resulted from a joint venture between German Opel, Japanese Nissan and French Renault. It is also sold as an Opel Vivaro, Vauxhall Vivaro and by Nissan as the Primastar....
van loaded with explosives smashed into the AMIA, killing 85 people, injuring over 300, and destroying the building completely. Following the 1994 AMIA bombing, a series of federal and international investigations were launched, though the case remains unsolved. An 8,000 m² (85,000 ft²) center was later commissioned to replace the destroyed structure, and in May 1999, the new building, a modernist 8-story structure separated from the street by a protective wall, was inaugurated.
Furthermore, it has the biggest job vacancies of Argentina directed to jewish and non-jewish people with more than 500,000 applicants in its database.