Fear Venezuela: Hachnasas Sefer Torah canceled, yeshiva closed

Heir of dictator Hugo Chavez deters the Jewish community in the country: after a statement made by Nicolas Maduro, the successor of President Hugo Chavez who died last week, the country's Jewish community is in fear of a new wave of anti-Semitism.

In the President's speech on Shabbos, he accused the enemies of President Hugo Chavez for his death. Maduro mentioned in this context the death of Yasser Arafat, and said that it is clear that Israel poisoned him. Maduro's words, which made headlines in the media, led the ultra-Orthodox community to withdraw to their homes. Meanwhile, Yeshivat Maor HaTorah in Caracas sent yesterday (Motzei Shabbos) all students home.

Sephardic community in Caracas has canceled a planned Hachnasas Sefer Torah to the central synagogue of the community, scheduled to take place today (Sunday), with hundreds of local residents and visitors outside Venezuela.

In the inauguration ceremony, a day after the death of Hugo Chavez, Maduro said "I swear absolute loyalty to my friend Hugo Chavez to actualize the Constitution with an iron fist of the people, willing to be free", and repeated insinuations that the Americans are responsible for the death of Chavez.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who took part in the inauguration, said: "I lost a close friend and a great leader. He was like a brother to me, and I feel like I lost myself. To us, the Iranians, the loss is very difficult because we have lost a close friend, a revolutionary and a leader."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!