FIDEL TALKS AND JEWS OF VENEZUELA SAY, "THANKS"

It is amazing what a few simple words can mean to a whole community of people.  A little while back Fidel spoke with a fellow from the Atlantic and expressed some insightful feelings about Jews, anti-semitism, and even the state of Israel.

It turns out it has already made a difference.


The following is from the Atlantic.


HOW FIDEL CASTRO HELPED VENEZUELA'S JEWS

EP 28 2010, 3:48 PM ET

One day after I posted Fidel Castro's condemnation of anti-Semitism on this blog, the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, announced that he too, felt great "love and respect" for Jews, and he invited the leaders of his country's put-upon Jewish community to meet with him. The meeting took place a short while later. Chavez's statement, and the meeting that followed, were widely interpreted in Latin America as a signal from Chavez his mentor, Fidel, that he understood that Venezuela was developing a reputation as a hostile place for Jews. Now comes an e-mail to Goldblog from a member of Venezuela's Jewish community confirming that bit of analysis:

"I understand that anti-Fidel people are saying that his statements of affection for Jews and his statements of hostility toward anti-Semitism were cynical and about politics and the need for international respect, but from our perspective this does not matter. Fidel's words against anti-Semitism changed the way the government here talks to us and protects our institutions. The leader of our country showed us a lot of respect in our meeting, and we are glad the Cuban ex-president said the words that he said to you. It is difficult for Americans to understand (I also spend a lot of time in Miami) that Fidel is respected greatly in Latin America and in Venezuela. If he had said something hostile to our position, it would be terrible for us. With God's help, we will survive as a community in Venezuela.

JEFFREY GOLDBERG - Jeffrey Goldberg is a national correspondent for The Atlantic. Author of the book Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror, he has reported from the Middle East and Africa. He also writes the magazine's advice column.