For the first time in its history, the Jewish community in Venezuela has found itself facing a consistent, 10-year barrage of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish statements from President Chavez’s administration and his pro-government media.  Recent events in Israel, such as the 2006 war in Lebanon, the 2009 Gaza incursion, and the Flotilla event in 2010, have triggered hostile government-led reactions in Venezuela, keeping the local community on edge. How different is this from Jews’ previous experience in Venezuela? How has the community responded? Is the community under threat?

Drawing from current interviews of community leaders and lay people, we will explore these questions to attempt to understand the unfolding of a top-down, new approach to Jews in Venezuela.

Julie Drucker was born in England and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, where she spent 24 years.  She grew up in a trilingual environment, and has earned a BA and Masters degree Summa Cum Laude from UCLA in Latin American Studies, with emphasis on Political Science.

At present, Julie works as a certified simultaneous interpreter for the Criminal Courts in Los Angeles and free-lances as a translator for a variety of institutions and artists in the private and public sectors.  Ms. Drucker is a contributing writer to the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles and has been closely monitoring the Jewish community in Venezuela for the past 10 years.

Julie Drucker’s talk is presented by the Center for Jewish Studies with generous support by the David B. Gold Foundation.