Hispanic Jews to combat anti-Semitism in media

By Tal Abbady
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
September 24, 2006

Hispanic Jews offended by a Jewish caricature in a top-rated Miami radio show known for its raucous, politically incorrect humor formed the Hispanic Jewish Initiative, which held its first meeting this month and will meet monthly in Miami.

The group, created under the state chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, will monitor Spanish-language media for anti-Semitism and address other concerns of Florida's growing, Spanish-speaking Jewish population.

Earlier this year, some Hispanic Jewish listeners complained to the Anti-Defamation League about the acid ravings of the immigrant-hating Goldstein, a Jewish character on the popular show El Vacilón de la Mañana, or The Morning High Jinks on El Zol 95.7 FM.

Often drawing its high-octane political satire from current events, the show, produced by second-generation Cuban-Americans Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero, also mocks Cubans, blacks, Catholics and other groups. A Web page linked to the show (enriqueyjoe.com) depicts a black character, Al Jackson, with the manipulated mug shot of a man whose lips balloon from his face. In place of a photo for Goldstein is a Nazi eagle and swastika.

The recent arrival of Jews from Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and other countries has bolstered South Florida's Hispanic Jewish community, which for decades was primarily Cuban.

There are roughly 15,000 Hispanic Jewish adults in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, according to University of Miami demographer Ira Sheskin. The numbers do not include children or recent waves of immigrants from South America who've settled in Broward County.

In their own countries, Behar argues, Hispanic Jewish immigrants were afraid to speak up against anti-Semitic slurs on television and radio.

"They're coming from countries where they were an isolated minority," said Behar, 55, a Cuban-born mortgage broker who lives in Miami. "When they heard themselves insulted on the radio, they were quiet about it."

Full article -- http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cadl24sep24,0,1866462,print.story?coll=sfla-news-broward