Experience Cuba and discover for yourself why this enigmatic
Caribbean island creates such a compelling narrative. Cuba is an
exhilarating feast for the senses! Intriguing architecture, beautiful classic
cars dotting the streets, world-famous drinks and cigars, festive
entertainment, and warm locals who genuinely love hosting contribute
to the amazing atmosphere. While you may not consider a tropical
island as a place steeped with Jewish tradition, Cuba was once the hub
of Caribbean Jewish life. The history of the Cuban Jews stretches back
to 1492. It is believed that Marranos (Spanish Jews who were forcibly
converted to Catholicism) accompanied Columbus on his voyage,
making Jews some of the first Europeans to set foot on the island. Hear
and see the fascinating story of Cuba’s Jews, while soaking in
everything this exotic destination has to offer! Cuba’s authentic flair and
lively spirit are felt throughout every corner of Havana’s vibrant streets
and breathtaking natural sites.
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NH Capri La Habana
The NH Capri La Habana is in Vedado in downtown Havana. The area is close to well-known nightclubs, La Rampa art and craft market and the famous Malecón – plus it’s a short taxi ride to some of the city’s top sights.
– Less than 10 minutes’ drive to Plaza de la Revolución
– Around 30 minutes’ walk to Capitolia Nacional
– Near the Malecón, with pastel-coloured houses lining the waterfront
Our refurbishment finished in May 2014, giving guests 220 sparkly new rooms to stay in. You can choose from Standard, Superior, Duplex and Suites – and they come with either city or sea views.
Duplex rooms are set on 2 floors with a separate sitting area and come with a whole host of extras
lots of connecting rooms available. 18th floor Suites have direct access to the swimming pool and close to the La Florentina Restaurant which serves an exclusive breakfast for those staying in the suites.
The hotel has a two restaurants as well as 3 bars – 2 of which come with a fantastic city view. And if you like the sight of Havana spreading out before you, you’ll love our rooftop swimming pool.
– Bars with live international and traditional music
– Large gym with sauna
– Choice of restaurants
Carniceria
Carniceria is the only kosher butcher shop in the city and is located in the Old Havana district on Acosta Street. The shop is privately owned by Abraham Berezniak and has been open for nearly 70 years. It provides kosher beef to the country’s Jewish community, but non-Jewish residents as well. A privately owned store is somewhat rare these days because after Castro’s 1959 Revolution, most private businesses were nationalized. Some of the locals believe that the government allowed the butcher shop to remain open to avoid claims of anti-Semitism. Eating meat in Cuba is not trivial. Cows are the property of the state, and Cubans go as far as to say it’s a far worse crime to be caught slaughtering a cow than a person. The shop is managed by Adath Israel, the city’s Orthodox synagogue, and the synagogue’s cantor is the only shohet in the city.
Beth Shalom Synagogue
Beth Shalom Synagogue, built in 1952, is a synagogue located in the Vedado neighbourhood of downtown Havana. In 1981, much of the original building was sold to the state, and was then turned into the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center, including a theatre, a music venue, a gallery and a bar. Only part of the structure remains in Jewish hands today. Extensive repairs were undertaken in the 1990s. Beth Shalom is considered the headquarters of the Cuban Jewish Community. The building also houses a Jewish library.
Adath Israel
Adath Israel is the city’s Orthodox synagogue, sitting almost unnoticeableon a crowded, narrow street in the Old Havana district.
After WWI, there was only the Ashkenazi synagogue in Havana, the United Hebrew Congregation. Religiously, it was very liberal with a wealthy, English-speaking membership. This was not a comfortable place for the Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Eastern Europe to worship. In 1923, a Lithuanian immigrant, Ben Zion Sofer, started a minyan in his apartment at Calle Paola No. 17. By 1925, the minyan developed into Congregation Adath Israel, located on the second floor of Calle Jesús María 103. The shul was basic, but served the congregants. The majority of Ashkenazi immigrants were not strictly observant; therefore, Adath Israel was only nominally Orthodox. The prayer services were traditional.
Eventually it was decided to build the new synagogue in Vedado, the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Habana Vieja (old Havana). Architect, Oscar Baisman, and construction engineer, Jacinto Feh Leonard, constructed a modern sanctuary with seating for six hundred people, a chapel and a reception hall. The cornerstone for the $100,000 synagogue was laid in April of 1956 and it was completed on October 9, 1959. Monies were recently been granted to renovate the area, which included the synagogue. The Havana Restoration Commission worked with Jorge Herrera on plans regarding the synagogue restoration, which included full restoration of the sanctuary and an innovative frame for the roof to be used for celebrating Sukkot. Most of the money for the synagogue restoration was donated by wealthy businessmen from Panama and Venezuela. Currently, there are 400 members in the congregation. The congregation has a program to supply vitamins, some medications and toiletries to members who are in need and live nearby.
Adath Israel has remained intact through the years, its doors have never closed, carrying out the religious services of Shajarit, Minja and Arvit daily, maintaining alive the traditions of our Fathers.
Sephardic Center and Synagogue
In 2007 Centro Hebreo Sefaradi Synagogue was described as “the only remaining institutional legacy of the Sephardic presence in Cuba.” Construction originally began in 1957 and the synagogue was completed in 1960 with a 726-seat sanctuary. The main sanctuary was later rented out to the Afro-Cuban band Síntesis for their rehearsals while weekly religious services were held in a small room next door. As of 2010, the synagogue had eighty families constituting 320 members. The majority of congregants were 60 or older. Centro Hebro is affiliated with the Conservative Jewish movement in the United States. There is a small Holocaust memorial at the synagogue with quotations from José Martí.
Image Attribution:
Lebrsm, CC BY-SA 4.0
Holocaust Museum
The first exhibit about the Holocaust displayed in Cuba opened December 18 at the Centro Sephardi in Havana. The exhibit, “We Remember – The Holocaust and the Creation of a Living Community,” shines a light on the Cuban Jewish experience of the Holocaust and raises awareness that a small Jewish community makes Cuba its home.
“The opening of this exhibit marks a very important moment for the Cuban Jewish community,” said Mayra Levy, president of the Sephardic Center. “We welcome this exhibit which focuses on the origins of the Cuban Jewish community and the impact of the Holocaust. We also welcome our fellow Cubans and visitors to our island learning more about our community today.”
Centro Macabeo United Hebrew Congregation Cemetery
The United Hebrew Congregation Cemetery (Centro Macabeo Cemetery) was established 1906 by the United Hebrew Congregation of Cuba anc contains about 1,000 graves.
Sheik Avreik Festival
The Sheik Avreik Festival is an annual grassroots celebration of local culture, community, creativity, and the arts. Residents of Kiryat Tivon enjoy over 280 performances in and around Tivon. The Sheik Avreik Festival includes multiple activities hosted by Kfar Tikva and is greatly enjoyed by residents of all ages.
Tahanat Ruach
Tahanat Ruach is a cultural center in Kiryat Tivon that hosts several cultural events throughout the year. Established in April 2018, the center was inspired by the desire to integrate into the community’s diverse cultural collaborations. Through culture, art, coffee, and delicious food our goal is to create a bridge unifying the community of Tivon and the surrounding people who choose to take part in this cultural space.
Everyone is included in the productions and events that occur in the operation of our ever-evolving cafe, in the bustling sound, the lighting, and in the field of marketing and advertising of the space. Ultimately, this is part of our search for lively and fulfilling human encounters and interactions. A search that we are only at the beginning of, but one that already seems to give a kind of homely, warm, and inviting atmosphere to the surrounding environemnt.
Currently operating on the site is a fifth line LIVE that hosts local art and well-known artists who are loved and appreciated. Our cafe is open Monday to Friday from 8:00-14:00. We are also working hard on opening brunches and breakfasts on Fridays in conjunction with two sanities from Pardes Hanna-Karkur and also on a local fourth line for a nonchalant and non-binding local atmosphere. The place can also be rented out for the benefit of other cultural activities.
