New York area Jews will demonstrate outside the Venezuelan Consulate in Manhattan on Monday February 2 at 5PM to show solidarity with Venezuelan Jews who have been victims to attacks and anti-Semitism over the past few weeks as a direct result of the hateful rhetoric of the Venezuelan government.

On Friday January 30th, 2009, a group of 15 armed men overpowered two security guards and broke into Venezuela’s oldest synagogue, desecrating it by shattering religious objects, destroying several Torahs, smashing windows and spray-painting walls with racial epithets such as “Death to all Jews” and “Jews get out.”

Jews in Venezuela, who have for over two hundred years enjoyed tolerance and peace, over the past few weeks have suddenly found themselves victims to constant fear of attack and discrimination.

As a result of recent events in Gaza, the Venezuelan Government has adopted an aggressive and dangerous tone, inciting anger and leading supporters of the government to draw swastikas on synagogues, in public plazas and at universities throughout the country.

A well-orchestrated campaign has been launched on TV, radio, print and on websites owned by the Venezuelan government, openly questioning Israel’s right to exist and even including anti-Semitic publications like “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”

A group of pro-government journalists is now urging the population to boycott businesses owned by Jews in Venezuela.

Government officials have made no effort to stop the looting, curb the tone, or guarantee the security of those in peril. Jews in Venezuela are suddenly left to fend for themselves, without police or military protection of any kind.

The recent expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador and the subsequent break in diplomatic relations between the two countries has exasperated the situation.

This Monday February 2nd, 2009 at 5 pm, Jews in New York gather to show the Venezuelan government and the world, that these types of attacks on Jewish communities will not be tolerated. The demonstration, which will be held in front of the Venezuelan Consulate in NY, will coincide with a conference being held there entitled “Sovereignty resides with the people,” hosted by two prominent members of the Venezuelan Assembly.

Place: Consulate of Venezuela, 7 East 51st Street (between Madison Av.
And 5th Avenue), New York, NY 10022
Date: Monday, February 2, 2009
Time: 5:00PM EST

(YWN Desk – NYC)