Jewish Cuba is vibrant

REBECA KUROPATWA

At age 35, Michael Soberman has already traveled to all seven continents, visiting Jewish communities in every corner of the globe. But, overall, he says, Cuba left him with the most indelible impression.

Si Cuba ... Open Your Eyes was the name of Soberman's talk given last month on Cuba's Jewish community. The evening was put on by JPeg, the young adult division of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.

Soberman is head of the national initiatives for the Next Generations, United Israel Appeal Federations Canada, the organizers of the Cuba mission. He was joined by Judi Price-Rosen, JPeg director of Next Generations.

Price-Rozen noted, "Leadership is inherent in the Cuban Jewish community.... At every meal and service, young people automatically served us and took our plates when we were done. Community and leadership are just part of their culture."

There are three synagogues in Cuba – Conservative, Sephardi and Orthodox. According to Soberman, "If you go to a synagogue on a Friday night, you'll find 100 people praying – 75 percent are under 30-years-old – that doesn't happen [in Canada].

"Young Cuban Jews are saying, 'We're going to build and determine the type of community we want.' The message is you can be a bystander and accept the Jewish community you're born into, or you can say, 'I want to build a Jewish community for me.'"

The Cuban Jewish community is more than 100 years old and includes many Turkish and Russian immigrants. Until the late 1920s, there were approximately 120,000 Jews in Cuba. By 1959's Cuban Revolution, most Jews who were allowed to leave Cuba did.

Soberman noted that today there are about 1,500 Jews in Cuba. The elderly and today's young children know Judaism and have learned Hebrew, but the middle generations know very little because of the embargo on religious observance.

Cubans have been allowed freedom of religion since 1992 and the community has rebuilt itself and reconnected with other communities in the Diaspora.

"Some Jewish Cubans return to Cuba and become leaders and role models," said Soberman. "But, much of the Jewish community – about 50 percent – make aliyah to Israel. Because of that, there are very few babies being born in Cuba...."

At Havana's Patrinado Conservative Synagogue, thanks mainly to international visitors, a pharmacy has been opened. According to Soberman, "It's the best stocked [pharmacy] in Cuba and possibly the world." Medicine and supplies are free to whoever needs them, with some inevitably ending up on the black market in attempts to afford other basic necessities.

"There's an inclination to see ourselves as the 'haves' and the Cubans as the 'have nots,' but I would argue that they can teach us more than we can them," said Soberman. "What they want most is to experience their Jewishness with others."

Representing the Winnipeg Federation's Jewish Students Association/Hillel, Samantha Loxton went with 20 young leaders from across Canada on the most recent mission.

Loxton described the Patrinado synagogue as "the heartbeat of the community, where there is always some kind of activity or program happening. The young people have made a conscious decision to be involved in their community. They genuinely wanted to be there, and truly enjoyed it." On Shabbat, young people attend synagogue and often lead services.

The Cuban Jewish community has a kesher (connection) program with dedicated volunteers who visit housebound community members. "Without having been asked, these volunteers give of their time (about four or five days every week), connecting with people who otherwise might never get human contact, go outside or manage to get food. They form wonderful relationships with the people they visit," said Loxton.

One of the homes the group visited belonged to a woman named Shirley, who takes care of her adult sister with severe developmental disabilities. Impressed with her host's hospitality, Loxton said, "Shirley's home was very modest. There were no windowpanes to stop rain from getting in, the shutters were tied with wire makeshift knots, the furniture was old and shabby, and the kitchen was smaller than walk-in closets you see in some homes. But, she was so proud of her home and so excited for us to be there."

Of her experience Loxton said, "It made me realize that sometimes we should just stop complaining and do something. The Cuban Jewish community has the most amazing sense of community with no boundaries or barriers. They make you want to come home and do something for your own community – make meaningful Jewish experiences."

The next chance to experiencing Cuba firsthand is on Winnipeg Federation's national young leadership trip in January 2010.

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a freelance writer living in Winnipeg.

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