Edna Aizenberg: An Obituary for a Colleague and a Friend

Abstract

My most recent conversations with Edna revolved around Zionism, the fascination
of early Zionist leaders with the possibility of resettling Jews in Argentina
and, more specifically, Eshkol Nevo’s novel Neuland. The book’s protagonist is
forced to leave his wife and daughter in order to fly to South America in search
of his father who has been reported missing. There, he meets with a woman
who has impulsively fled Israel due to a loveless relationship and the grief at the
loss of her brother. The novel highlights Israelis searching for new meaning and
exploring the meaning of homeland. Parts of our conversations are reflected in
Edna’s most recent article, “Jewish Gauchos on the Mediterranean: How Alberto
Gerchunoff Met Eshkol Nevo,” published posthumously in Chasqui: Revista de
literatura latinoamericana 47.1 (2018).