Lavy Becker, chairman of the World Jewish Congress’ committee on small communities, reported on his return from a visit to Jewish communities in the Caribbean area that the condition of the Jewish community in Cuba remains unchanged.
According to Becker, who is an honorary president of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Cuban Jews maintain five synagogues, adult and youth Hebrew classes, a youth group and a Hebrew-Yiddish choral society. Although diplomatic relations with Israel were severed by Cuba in August, 1973, Cuban Jews were permitted to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day in 1974 and 1975, Becker reported.
Becker, a member of the board of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, discussed the requirements of Cuban Jewry in Havana with a representative of the Cuban Foreign Ministry and said he was encouraged by that official’s positive responses. The meeting was arranged by the Canadian Embassy in Havana. On his trip, Becker also visited the Jewish communities in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
