B’nai B’rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project
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Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin On More Than 20 Years Of The Cuban Jewish Relief Project
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Our Ties With Cuba Date Back To 1943…
Since 1995, B’nai B’rith has also operated legal missions to Cuba under the auspices of the Cuban Jewish Relief Project. Through our partnership with the Maimonides lodge we have initiated the Tzedakah Project, providing direct gifts in small amounts to assist 120 elderly Cuban Jews across the island. Our mission participants have also carried down thousands of pounds of religious material contributions to enhance the ability of the Jewish population in Cuba to practice their religion, as well as medicines and other necessities, while building personal friendships to last a lifetime. Our legacy of humanitarian support includes a three-fold approach.
Our Three-Fold Humanitarian Approach
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B’nai B’rith Has Spearheaded The Revival of Jewish Culture
When B’nai B’rith began its Cuban Jewish Relief Project on the island in the early 1990’s the Jewish community was just emerging from decades of struggle to preserve its traditions and culture. With the easing of restriction on religious practice, B’nai B’rith was one of the first humanitarian organizations on the ground to spearhead the bright revival of Jewish life in Cuba.
Since 1995, B’nai B’rith has been providing humanitarian relief and hands-on support to the Cuban Jewish community, with an emphasis on delivering material aid, Judaica and other necessities while empowering community revitalization efforts. Our mission participants share in joint religious activities and discussion groups about religious practices and life on the island, all the while enjoying Cuba’s vibrant Caribbean culture. Today, B’nai B’rith continues our tradition of cooperation with the Cuban Jewish community, contributing vital assistance to ensure that the needs of our brothers and sisters in Cuba are met. |
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Hear it From Someone Who’s Been There: Matt CaplanB’nai B’rith International supporter and AEPi member Matt Caplan spent a week in during the spring of 2016 assisting and learning about the Cuban Jewish community as a part of the B’nai B’rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project.
Caplan participated in an on-camera debrief during the trip home reflecting on his experiences and also penned a blog on how the Cuban Jewish Relief Project helped him get in touch with his Jewish identity. Blog – Reflections On My Jewish Identity As Seen Through B’nai B’rith’s Cuban Jewish Relief Project
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People Making Community in Havana
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Jews of Cuba
Keep an eye out for our new series Jews of Cuba, highlighting members of the Cuban Jewish community and their diverse stories. We feature individuals who self-identify as Jewish, and the quotes are excerpts from longer conversations with members from the Patronato Youth Group.
By interviewing senior members of the Jewish community, there are opportunity to build bridges within the community and across generations. Scroll down to read their stories. Ernesto Azicri Barouch (68)
Both of Ernesto Azicri Barouch’s his parents arrived in Cuba from Turkey. Once in Cuba, he and his father first attended the Adath Israel community and moved on to the Chevet Achim. In recent years, Ernesto was a regular at the Saturday morning services at the Hebrew Sephardi Center of Cuba. He never misses a Shacharit prayer, and when he was younger, he used to take the Torah from the Aron Kodesh.
He says it was important for him “to be close to God almighty.” Because of his health problems he can’t attend services nowadays. Ernesto suffers from heart and kidney issues and relies on the care of a neighbor. Ernesto was positive when we visited and told us “My fridge is 72 years old and is still functioning.” |
Shirley Maya Fernández (65) and
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B’nai B’rith Magazine: B’nai B’rith’s Missions To Cuba—And In Cuba
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Coverage On The Cuban Jewish Diaspora From The Jerusalem Post Magazine
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