Representations around Conservative Judaism in the Times of the Military Dictatorship in Argentina (1967-1983)

• Published in: Archives de sciences sociales des religions 2015-04, Vol.60 (170), p.79-96
• Main Author: Schenquer, Laura
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Argentina; Armed Forces; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Dictatorship; Jews; Judaism; Motivation; Regulation; Religious Movements
• ISSN: 0335-5985

Mientras en la ultima dictadura militar argentina (1976-1983) el terror inducia a los individuos a retirarse del espacio publico hacia el privado -lo que implicaba un importante proceso de atomizacion social-, en el campo judio se producia un fenomeno de multiplicacion de instituciones adheridas a una corriente religiosa Ilamada Conservative Judaism. En este articulo analizamos las motivaciones que llevaron a los dirigentes de esas instituciones ubicadas en Buenos Aires, a integrar esa corriente religiosa. Estudiamos desde los primeros contactos hasta las practicas desarrolladas por los 'especialistas religiosos' de esa corriente. En especial, determinamos los sentidos y representaciones que circulaban en torno al despliego de una practica religiosa. En esos anos en los que las autoridades de la dictadura militar argentina buscaban remodelar a la sociedad y despolitizarla, el Conservative Judaism ofrecia nuclear al campo judio con una propuesta de vida religiosa, social y cultural sumamente rica, adaptada a las pautas y normativas de la epoca While during the last military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983), terror induced individuals to withdraw from public to private spaces-implying a social atomization process-, the Jewish milieu saw a significant increase in the number of institutions belonging to a religious movement called Conservative Judaism. In this article, we analyze the motivations that led the leaders of these institutions located in Buenos Aires, to adhere to this particular religious stream. Our research follows the unfolding of this dynamic, from the first contacts to the practices developed by the 'religious scholars' of the movement. In particular, we determine the meanings and representations that circulated around the implications of developping a religious practice. In those years, when the authorities of Argentina's military dictatorship sought to reshape society and depoliticize it, Conservative Judaism offered the Jewish community a religious, social and extremely rich cultural life, adapted to the guidelines and regulations of the time. Adapted from the source document.