Argentina
was at first the most important country where the association was active in
establishing Jewish agricultural settlements. Over 1.5 million acres of land
were acquired. ICA established the colony of Moiseville, and created a number of
new settlements in the provinces of Santa Fe, Entre Rios,
La Pampa, and Buenos Aires, mainly before World War I. After the early
difficulties were surmounted, the number of settlers continuously increased by
systematic and planned immigration, totaling in their heyday over 20,000
families. Not all had a vocation for farming, and many eventually gravitated to
the cities (though in no higher proportion than their non-Jewish neighbors).
Those who remained on the land - often down to the third generation - acquired
the full ownership of their farms and attained a degree of independence and
material prosperity.. The Association set up the farms, built the homes,
provided equipment, livestock, credit, technical help and supervision, schools,
religion classes, libraries and medical services, and helped to establish
cultural Institutions - a vast undertaking calling for a great administrative
operation. The colonists attracted to the country a host of other Jewish
immigrants who laid the foundation for the Argentine Jewish community.