Newsletter, Cuban Jewish Community

1.
Cuban Jewish Community Newsletter / Año 1 / No. 7 / Marc.-Apr. / 2011
Noticias
. 20 years of JDC’S work in Cuba.
The Cuban Jewish Community is pleased to present its quarterly . James Carter’s visit.
community newsletter, which is available in Spanish and English. Our
. Purim Feast at the Majon Tikun
interest is to inform you about the activities that take place in our Olam.
community. We hope you enjoy it and we welcome any suggestions
. Jalot Project.
that could help us improve the work we are doing for you.
. Simcha Group’s Rikudim
Workshop.
. Presentation of Ruth Behar’s
book.
20 Years of the JDC's work in Cuba.
. American Congresswoman’s
visit.
The celebration of 20 years of uninterrupted partnership between the
Cuban Jewish Community and the JDC was unforgettable. Together
. Community Passover Sedarim.
with the visit of an important mission of members of the executive
-------------------------------------
committee the JDC headed by Jerry Spitzer, the presence of
of
Steven Schwager, Executive Director, Alberto Senderey, General The Cuban Jewish Community’s
Director for Europe and Latin America and Fabian Triskier, Associate newsletter has been prepared by the
Patronato of the Cuban Jewish
Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, we witnessed the pride
Community in collaboration with
that the Cuban Jewish Community feels, its vitality, its activities, and members of its organizations.
its commitment to Jewish continuity.
This newsletter is published on a
We began the community celebrations sharing the Havdalah quarterly basis, if you wish to
subscribe, click on the following
ceremony and initiating the Purim festivities, together with the
option:
presidents of all the Jewish communities on the island, members of
the community, and the presence of Caridad Diego and Isidro Gómez, :::Subscribe to Newsletter :::
from the Office of Religious Affairs. Rabbi Shmuel Szteinhendler (our
If you wish to unsubscribe then
constant guide throughout all these years) and Ivan Glait (former select the following option:
representative of the JDC in Cuba) delighted us with the story of
Esther’s Megillat, and later on awards were given in appreciation to :::Unsubscribe:::
the ongoing support offered by the JDC to the Cuban Jewish ---------------------------------------
Community.
Amongst videos, violin songs, personal testimonies, the unmissible
rikudim presentations and other surprises, we could verify that these
have been 20 years of deeds, not of words: a perfect example that
thanks to the constant support of the Joint, "Am Israel Be Cuba Jai".

2. B
Breve historia
L
La Comunida ad Hebrea de Cuba
fu
undada en 1906, agrup pa a 1500
ju
udíos entre las congrega aciones de
G
Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba,
G
Granma, Cam magüey, Sanc Spíritus,
cti
S
Santa Clara, Cienfuegos y Ciudad de
C
L Habana.
La
N
Nuestra comunidad es sustentada
g
gracias a las donaciones de hermanas
d e
y hermanos de la Comun
d nidad Judía
in
nternacional. Agradeceremmos siempre
s
su apoyo: El futuro d de nuestra
C
Comunidad también de epende de
u
usted.
. Contact Info
ormation
C
Cuban Jewish Community
h y.
C
Calle I, Esq. a 13, Vedado,
P
Plaza de la Rev
volución
C Habana, Cuba.
C.
T
Telf.: (537) 83 8953
32
F
Fax: (537) 833 3778
3
Ja
ames Carte
er's visit t our Com
to mmunity.
E
E-mail: beth_s
shalom@enet.
.cu
ormer U.S. President James Car
La April, fo
ast rter, shared part of th
d he W
Website: http://www.chcuba.org/
program of h visit to our count
his try in our community During h
y. his
sta he met with the President o the Cuban Jewish Communit
ay of ty, ----------------
----------------
-
Ms Adela Dw
s. worin and Vice Presiddent of the Patronato Mr. Dav
e o, vid . Editorial Sta
aff
Prinstein as well as mmembers o the board of direc
of ctors of th
he
Pa
atronato an various leaders o the prog
nd of grams and community
d . Marlén Prinst
tein
projects that day by day take plac in our co
ce ongregation With great
n. . Hella Eskenazi
ple
easure the former p
e president ggot to know firsthand about th
d he
pa
articulars of Jewish lif in Cuba and got to see for himself th
fe a, r he . Daniel Motola
a
str ntity that distinguishes us as a communit
rong iden t ty. . Johanna Tock
ker
. Annette Eli
. Photographs
.A
Ariel Benclowicz
.C
Collaborator
rs
. Brian Montoto
.T
Translation
.D
David Friedma
an
----------------------------
----

3. Purim Feast a the Majo Tikun (
at on (Sunday S
School) . Educational &
& Recreation Center.
A space create for our yo
A ed oungsters
The Majon Tik
kun Olam, the flagship project o our com
of mmunity, on
nce
in which they can have access to a
n
agai shows it excellence and hug contribu
in ts ge ution to the progress of
e
small compute er lab, pool ta
able, ping
Jewish life in o country and especially in our congregati
our ion.
p
pong, gym, st
tudy room and game
On t this occasio it turned the Purim Feast into a unique moment. T
on d m o The rooom with X‐Box an nd Wii.
receeption of a myriad of children with the parents who nev
n eir s, ver
stop
pped dress sing-up, to celebrate as a fam
o e mily one of the finest
A perfect spo to spend time with
A ot
tradditions of th festival, was very distinctive. The prese
he ence of sennior
your friends, a pleasant place to
y
exec cutives of the JDC, as well as member of the Board of t
rs the
sttudy, learn and have fun. On
Patrronato of t the Cuban Jewish Co ommunity gave the celebration a n
T
Tuesdays and Saturdays we also
d
remarkable glo
ow.
h
have a physica al education t trainer to
From the hand of the Kita Hei, a gro
m d a oup of youngsters fro our Majo
om on,
h
help you wit fitness plans and
th
we heard the story of Q Queen Esthe This tim with a play that n
er. me not
o
other youth activities. You can use
a u
only demonstr
y rated the aacting poteential of th youngst
he ters, but aalso
o
our Youth Center dur ring the
their complete connection to the pla which w
n ay, was setup with beautiful
foollowing hoours: Mon nday to
scennery design
ned and bu with their own ha
uilt ands. The smallest on
s nes
Saturday from 10:00am to 4:00pm;
m
deligghted us w with songs and dances, displa
s aying their energy a
r and
T
Tuesdays 10:0 00am to 8:00 0pm and
vitality. The re
evelation of the day wa undoubt
f as tedly the prresentation of
n
Saturdays 2:00pm to 8:00pm
the Shofar Choir, compo osed mostly by adult members of the Maj
y jon
and children f
of different a
ages. Its greatest achhievement: making ea ach
of the membe ers and vis ent at the synagogue vibrate, n
sitors prese e not
y o the chose songs, b because of the lar number of
only because of en but e rge r
people that for rmed it.
For the closing the usua parade o costumes took place, in order to
g, al of s r
choo
ose the
best amongst the brillia
t ance and in
nventivenes of childr
ss ren
and adults.
The celebration of Purim at the Ma
m ajon Tikun Olam was a wonder
s rful
scen that sho
ne owed us its amazing a urprise us with each new
ability to su w
release. Many say that it was the best Purim p party held in the histo
ory
of our commun nity.

4. ."A
Abraham Marcu us Matterin"
Commmunity Library.
The "Abraham Marcus Matterin Library
e n”
Pu
urim flavored Jalot P
Project
opeens its doors Monday to Thursday
Fo some t
or time the Jalot Proje ect, found
ded by thhe Women's from 9:00am to 4:30pm. This is the only
4
wish Library in Cuba, and it h about
Jew has
Orrganization of our com mmunity, h has been d
doing ongooing work tto
wish that ever Jewish h 10 000 volumes in Spanish, English,
s
ful
lfill its h ry home in ou city can enjoy Jalo
ur ot,
Yiddish and Hebre ew.
the bread use in the ce
e ed elebration o Shabbat.
of
. Yoouth Organizattion.
At this moment, Jalo not on
ot nly counts with the hands o
e of
rs, mothers and young women f
grandmother s from our coongregation
n. Ma accabi Cuba Youth Organizatio brings
on
toggether young Jews over 13 y years old
Ma membe
ale ers have also joined, helping w
with the preparation o
of
throughout the co ountry.
this food. It has a group of Israeli folk dances.
k
The ey meet every Tuesday at 5:3 30pm and
Fo the Purim festivitie this pro
or m es, oject took an active role makin ng Satturdays at 6:000pm to dan nce, play
oznei Aman, a traditional and esse ential elem
ment of this celebration
n. spoorts and learn more about Judaism.
To the deligh of the y
o ht youngest in the Majon as well as the othe
n, a er
. Coommunity Pharmacy.
meembers of o commu
our unity, hundreds of cak filled wi jam wer
kes ith re
ba
aked, in ordder to savo Queen E
or Esther’s vicctory, a he
eroine in thhe The e Community P Pharmacy, unique to the
his
story of the Jewish pe
e eople. Once again, the female representatio
e e on Cub ban Jewish Commmunity opens its doors
eve Tuesday an Thursday du
ery nd uring the
no only offered us its e
ot everlasting love, but aalso made an incredible
a
hou of 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Of
urs ffers free
contribution to the edu ucation of present an future generations.
nd serrvice to Jew wish and no on‐Jewish
pat trons.

5. Up
pcoming Activ
vities
Community Havdalah
. C
Ri
ikudim Wo
orkshop fo Simcha Group me
or embers On Saturday, May 14th, we will
elebrate a unique co
ce ommunity
If you haven’t heard ab
bout it and you're over 55, we’re letting you
r u
Haavdalah, since following t
the usual
kn
now that las April a R
st Rikudim wor rkshop designed excluusively for
re
eligious ceremony w we’ll be
Simcha group members started.
s
ce
elebrating Yo om Ha'atzm maut, the
he
Th only con ndition that you must to have is the desire to sharee an
nniversary of the Indepenndence of
our love o dance. From mora Sumiko Zayon’s hand every
yo of h y th
he State of Isra
ael.
W
Wednesday from 10:00am you can enjoy the infinite power o of
Israeli folk d
dances. Th worksho is inser
his op rted into the Nationa
al
Women's Org
. W ganization
Rikudim prog gram that has been oongoing for over 15 years in our
r y
co
ommunity a
and is sup
pported by the JDC. So now yo know, i
ou if M
May 7th at 2:00pm we will be
obody had told you, you have the coordinat to come and share
no tes e e ce
elebrating Mother's Day at the
M y
our energy and furth
yo her strengthen your JJewishness, and wha at Pa
atronato. All o
our women arre invited.
be
etter way to do it than dancing!
o n
Pre
esentation of Ruth Behar’s Bo
n ook.
In March, Ms. Ruth Beha presente her book “Una Isla Llamada
. ar ed k
Hogar” (A Pla called H
ace Home) in ou community, at the Patronato
ur
of the Cuban Jewish Com mmunity. T The presenttation pane was
el
chaaired by the Vice Pres
e sident of the Patronato Mr. David Prinstein,
e o d
by the author and sever leaders o commun
r ral of nity groups and
pro
ograms.
The author commented with those present a
e e about all th research
he h
tha preceded the comp
at d pletion of th book. Sh also exp
he he plained how
w
her own exp periences w
were expressed throu ughout the book. The e
boook’s illustr
rations were setup at the Pa atronato’s Hall as an n
expposition. W invite yo to come around our library and look up
We ou e a p
b
this special book that t tells us aboout the sense of hom that our
me
beaautiful islan has offered and still offers to many.
nd

6.
American Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Visit.
On Thursday, April 28th, we welcomed to our community the
American Congresswoman for the state of California, Barbara Lee,
who together with a delegation of 18 people was interested in
getting to know the history of the Jewish Community in Cuba.
Ms. Adela Dworin, President of the Community met with the
Congresswoman and shared details of the performance of different
community groups and projects that take place day by day in the
congregation. In the same manner and guided by the President's
own hand, next to Vice President of the Patronato Mr. David
Prinstein and Board members of this same institution, she was
given a tour of the facility that give faith to the permanence of
Jewish life in our country. Towards the end of the visit, the
congresswoman showed her satisfaction in witnessing that the
Jewish community in Cuba is still beating with increasing strength.
Community Passover Sedarim.
When we reach the month of April, perhaps the most awaited
festival is the Feast of Passover. It's time for the family to share
the countless values that this celebration offers, but at the same
time it’s one of the occasions in the year that our community is
busy in a endless number of events related to the festivity itself.
Already a week before the start of Passover all the energy of
the community members is focused on the distribution of
Passover products. With the effort and the assistance of the
Canadian Jewish Federations, every Jewish home in Cuba can
enjoy the feast’s proper food. With the arrival of the container
to our community, the Cuban Maccabi Youth Organization
together with other members of the congregation volunteered
to unload the products. This confirms the commitment of the
younger generations.

7.
On Monday the 18th a Tuesday the 19th o April the Passover
y and y of
Sedarims w were held in our comm
n munity. On the first night,
members o all ages c
of came toget ther as a family to sha the
are
different pa
arts of the Seder. The Morim Tze
e evet from the Majon
Tikkun Olam, as good teachers d guided every mom
T d do, ment of the
night and tthe children took part actively sin
n nging and cheering up
c p
the hall of the Patrona
t ato. It was really a sp
pecial occas
sion for
every one o those pr
of resent.
Th second n
he night the pprotagonist were the youngste
ts e ers, makingg
ue
tru one of the key phr rases of the seder: “... and you will pass it
e t
alo
ong from generation to gener
n ration.” On this occ
n casion, thee
Maadrijim Tzeevet comm mented and explained each of the steps,
d d ,
alw
ways full of vitality an energy. There was no shortag of songs
f nd ge s
annd joy, w which conf firms that the com
t mmunity's future is s
gu
uaranteed.

8.
Th Passove week co
he er ould not h have finish
hed better than by
celebrating at our own M
Majon Tikun Olam. As we are accustomed
s
to, the smalle ones wo
, er ould not be left out of the celebr
f ration and
ne
eedless to s
say, that tthey were really up t the mom
to ment. The
we known “
ell “Sederito” (Little Seder) has beecome a ke part in
ey
e events th take place as part of the c
the hat celebrations On this
s.
occasion the Majon’s Ha aggadah wa presente designe by and
as ed, ed
for the Majon’s student In the same manner each and every
r ts. a
on of the K
ne Kitot had ttheir space within the Seder which was
e w
dis
stinguished by its enth
d husiasm.

9. The Passover Feast was coming to an end and we could still hear
comments about the events that took place throughout the
week. One of the most important holiday highlights was the
attendance of about 200 people to each of the sedarim. The
taste of freedom, the matzoth, the four questions, the four
children, the difference of these nights to the rest of the others
and the plagues, amongst many other concepts that we must
transmit are still present in each and every member of our
community. All the holidays have special values but this one is
undoubtedly one of the most enduring to us.
© Copyright 2007 / Comunidad Hebrea de Cuba