Editorial: Hugo Chavez: thorn to the U.S., threat to the Jews

Issue of Feb. 20, 2009 / 26 Shevat 5769

History repeats itself, particularly if we help it along by not paying

attention. This is something we should all know by now.

Since Israel went to war in Gaza against Hamas in December, Jews

around the world have been targets. Haters and lowlifes crawled out of

the woodwork and from under their assorted rocks to carry out physical

attacks –– in France and Great Britain, for instance –– or offer all

manner of anti-Semitic commentary poorly disguised as legitimate

criticism of Israel's war on terror –– in Spain, Brazil, Yemen and

Greece, on the Asian continent and in other places too numerous to

mention; space considerations on this page do not allow specifics.

Even in Woodmere, last Shabbos, a swastika was sprayed on a fence on

Oakland Ave –– it is being investigated as a bias crime.

Nowhere, however, is classical anti-Semitism being used as a

government tool as openly and as cynically as it is in Venezuela right

now by dictator-in-waiting Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela's voters this week foolishly voted to remove term limits,

clearing the way for Chavez to achieve his stated goal of remaining in

office in perpetuity –– an election result almost as dismaying as the

election of Hamas as the "government" of Gaza.

Chavez is known for his bombastic criticisms of the United States and

for palling around with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Lately,

Chavez has been focusing attention on his country's Jewish population.

He began by breaking off diplomatic relations with Israel and

expelling its ambassador, and continued with threats against Jewish

Venezuelans, and open incitement; there have been a number of violent

incidents, including an attack on a shul in Caracas. All this to keep

voters from paying too much attention to matters like the economy or

from thinking too long about whether or not it was a good idea to give

Hugo Chavez, or any leader, for that matter, a job for life.

Chavez's plan worked. He won his referendum, and 14,000 Jews in

Venezuela remain as his pawns, available for further use as a

distraction from other national concerns. Sound familiar?

Venezuela's Jews would be smart to leave if they can, and if we mean

what we say, when we say Never Again, then Jewish communal leaders in

North America, together with officials in Israel, would be wise to

begin planning on our end to relocate Venezuela's Jews in the event

that it is needed. It just might be, and soon.

Remember, history repeats itself, especially if we don't pay attention.