1, 152 Jewish Families Still Reside in Cuba; Jewish Community Functions

Cuba’s decimated Jewish community now numbers slightly under 2, 800 souls–as compared with about 15, 000 Jews living there before the Castro revolution–a report received here today from Havana said. The exact number of Jews, according to the latest government census, was given as 1, 152 families, comprising 2, 785 persons.

The small community is maintaining its religious and cultural identity. Five synagogues are serving the community. Of these, the principal house of worship is the Orthodox Adath Israel, located in the heart of the old city of Havana. There is a Chevrah Kadisha (burial society), and a cantor who performs marriage rites. There are two kosher meat markets, a kosher restaurant and a Jewish bakery. According to Aaron Geitzholtz, president of Adas Israel, the congregation gets along well financially.

Another synagogue is maintained at the “Patronate,” a $1, 000, 000 community center, where strenuous efforts are made constantly to maintain the institution which is far too large for the small community. There is the so-called American Temple, a Reform congregation established 60 years ago by Jews from the United States. There are no North Americans belonging to this temple now. The American Temple employs its own cantor and also maintains a cemetery. The Sephardic community maintains two synagogues, Shabat Achim and Centro Hebreo Sephardi. Services are held three times daily at Shabat Achim.

There is a Jewish school, called the Einstein School, which has an enrollment of 60 pupils. Classes are conducted afternoons by three Jewish teachers paid by the Government. The school has a good curriculum of Jewish studies, supervised by a committee of three well-known Jewish leaders.

Three philanthropic organizations are maintained, two by the Ashkenazic community, one by the Sephardim. The organizations are the Anti-Tuberculosis Society, the Women’s Society and the Bikur Cholim.

Zionist activities are carried on by the Zionist Federation which also conducts special Jewish holiday programs, cultural events, and observance of special significance to the Jews here, like the annual Memorial Day in honor of the Jewish martyrs of the Nazi holocaust. Last year, Chanukah and Purim celebrations in the main auditorium of the “Patronate” were attended by about 700 persons, about a third of Havana’s Jewish population. At a celebration of the “third seder” during the last Passover period, children of the Einstein School performed. One of the principal addresses at the Purim celebration was delivered by Haim Yaari, Israel’s Minister to Cuba.

Materially, the report noted, the Jews of Cuba do not face any particular hardships at this time. Some are employed by the Government in various enterprises; others are retired, elderly people. The report made it clear that there is no anti-Semitism in Cuba. Cuban Jewry, it was emphasized in the report, is very eager to maintain contacts with Jewries abroad. Particular note was taken of the fact that the Jews in Cuba appreciated shipments of matzot sent there last spring by the Canadian Jewish Congress.