From my distant little trench!

I was born in Guatemala in 1956, 12 years after six million Jews were murdered in Europe, 11 years after World War II ended, and six years after the State of Israel declared its independence and fought its first war.

By the time I was born, Guatemala had two synagogues — one Ashkenazi and one Sephardic. I never experienced significant antisemitism, aside from occasional, isolated incidents. We were, and still are, a small community of fewer than 1,000 people. Despite our size, we have always been a very Zionist and active community, with all the major Jewish institutions represented. We have Maccabi, Wizo, ADL, B’nai Brith, Keren Hayesod, Keren Kayemet, Gan Hillel and Tarbut, and we are active members of the WZO, AJC, and WJC.

Our synagogues and rabbis lean towards Modern Orthodoxy, although many of our members do not strictly adhere to this level of observance. We have a kosher store and cafeteria and three Chabad congregations. With all this activity, some members of the community serve on one board or another, and the others will likely rotate in after a couple of years.

Guatemala has maintained a strong relationship with Israel since its inception. In 1948, Jorge García Granados, Guatemala’s ambassador to the UN, played a key role in UNSCOP, which proposed the original two-state solution—one state for Arabs and another for Jews. García Granados lobbied Latin American countries, securing the 12 out of 33 votes necessary for the approval of Resolution 181, which was crucial to its passage. After the United States, Guatemala became the first country to support Israel’s full membership in the UN. In 1949, Guatemala established the first foreign embassy in Jerusalem, with García Granados serving as ambassador. Today, Israel honors this legacy with three streets named after Jorge García Granados and two named after Guatemala. In 2016, following the US, Guatemala, under President Jimmy Morales, was again the second country to move its embassy back to Jerusalem.

Israel has supported Guatemala over the years, providing expertise through Mashav different programs, and in the 1980s, supplying Arava planes and Galil rifles for Guatemala’s war against communist guerrillas. Politically, Guatemala has consistently backed Israel in the UN and other international forums. However, this support has waned since Bernardo Arévalo took office as President of Guatemala in January 2024.

Bernardo Arévalo is the son of Juan José Arévalo, who was President of Guatemala in 1948 and supported García Granados, his ambassador to the UN. Later, in the 1980s, Juan José Arévalo served as Guatemala’s ambassador to Israel. During this period, his son Bernardo assisted with administrative tasks at the embassy and received a grant to study sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He graduated from the university, becoming fluent in Hebrew. As a student, Bernardo already held leftist and pro-Palestinian ideologies, influenced by professors like Yeshayahu Leibowitz.

Today in Guatemala, there is uncertainty about whether Shoah studies will continue to be mandatory in all public schools or if the Israel-Guatemala Friendship Day on May 14, which was declared by law, will continue to be celebrated as it has been. Recently, Guatemala has not only voted against Israel in the UN but has also lobbied in favor of accepting Palestine as a full member, despite Palestine being under terrorist organization Hamas rule.

Concurrently, we also observe what is happening around the world. For years, “politically correct” politicians have implemented immigration policies that allowed refugees to enter their countries, only to realize that millions of them were not fleeing as refugees but were migrating to first-world countries with the intention of eventually outnumber them and impose their own customs and laws. This is what millions of Muslims have done in Europe and the US today.

After October 7, 2023, many people were shocked by the sudden surge in antisemitism. Millions of people across the Western world were chanting “From the River to the Sea,” calling for the annihilation of the State of Israel and all Jews living there. This was compounded by the unpopularity of Bibi Netanyahu and his government, not only in much of Israel but also around the world. Of course, we must also consider that many of them were merely seeking an excuse to express their hatred of Jews.

Over my 67 years, I have lived in a world that was relatively free of antisemitism. I heard stories of events in other parts of the world, but generally, people were afraid to express antisemitic views openly. Jews felt free to live almost anywhere, just like anyone else. At least, that was my perception—I had no idea what was happening behind the scenes. But on October 8th, the world news opened my eyes. Hundreds of thousands were chanting “From the River to the Sea,” calling for the death of Jews. This was happening in London, Paris, Michigan, New York, and Tehran. In Russia, when an Israeli plane landed, Jews had to flee to secure rooms in the airport as a mob of hundreds sought to kill them.

More than 1,200 Israelis had just been raped, tortured, mutilated, and killed, with 251 kidnapped by Hamas. The international media expressed outrage for a few hours, but then the narrative shifted, and once again, Jews were blamed for everything that had happened. I couldn’t tell if this was a nightmare or if it was really happening. When I realized it was real, I thought of 1930s Germany and wondered if this is how it all began.

Like all profound experiences, it took time to overcome the initial numbness. But once I did, I resolved to do something about it. Every Jew must stand their ground and fight. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, alongside my partner and best friend—my wife. She shares the same conviction, and together, we’ve been doing our best to fight for Israel and the Jewish people. We’ve started publishing articles in the local media, educating audiences about who Jews are, what Israel stands for, and the threats posed by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran. Of course, we also contribute to Guatemala because we feel a strong obligation to do so. It’s important for people to see that having Jewish compatriots is a positive influence. In Guatemala, we are fortunate that more than 52% of the population is Christian and evangelical; they love and respect Israel and the Jewish people. As Jews, having so many friends who support us feels almost unreal, and we are truly grateful.

Every Jew must contribute. Israeli Jews take on the most challenging role—they fight for us, sending their children to defend our people. We, too, have a responsibility. We need to convince the world of the benefits of having a country like Israel, where it is located, the role it plays and what it represents. Israel is making significant contributions to a better world, and the world should reciprocate by politically supporting Israel in meaningful ways.

From my distant little trench, I will continue to monitor local and international events while planning and executing advocacy efforts to ensure that Israel and the Jewish people are positioned in the bright, secure, and prosperous place they rightfully deserve.