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Musical Kaddish to be Performed for AMIA Jewish Center Bombing Victims

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July 7, 2019
People hold portraits of victims of the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish community center as they gather to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the attack in Buenos Aires. Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Reuters

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) – Kaddish for the victims of the 1994 terrorist attack on the AMIA Jewish center will be held at the iconic Colon Opera House in Buenos Aires with 200 artists on stage.

On Wednesday, one week before the 25 anniversary of the terrorist attack, the “Requiem/Kadish. Love is Stronger Than Death,” by Rabbi Marcelo Polakoff and composer Angel Mahler will be presented at Colon.

The artistic piece mixes the Christian requiem for the souls of the dead and the Jewish Kaddish and was created by a rabbi and a music maestro. Some text and prayers will be presented by award-winning actress Norma Aleandro.

“Seven of the eight movements start with texts in Hebrew, such as Kaddish, Kol Nidre, an another pesukim, chanted by the chorus of 200 singers,” Polakoff told JTA.

“The Colon theatre opens its doors to receive the most breathtaking show of recent times,” reads the official webpage of the opera house.

Mahler told CNN: “This was an Argentinean tragedy. I didn’t prepare it only for the Jewish community, it is open, it is to all of Argentinean society.” Mahler said that they are currently in talks to present it in other cities in Argentina, and also in Israel

The eight movements of “Requiem/Kadish” are a musical dialogue among the victims, their relatives and friends, the perpetrators, God, and the Argentinean state, displayed by 200 artists on stage, including the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Colon theater and the National Polifonic Chorus.

The July 18, 1994 blast killed 85 people and injured more than 300. No one yet has been convicted of the bombing, though Argentina – and Israel – have long pointed the finger at Iran.

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