Havana Report Says 1,152 Families
Numbering 2,785 Jews Still in Cuba
NEW YORK (JTA) — Cuba's
decimated Jewish community now
numbers slightly under 2,800 souls
—as compared with about 15,000
Jews living there before the Cas-
tro revolution—it is reported from
Havana. The exact number of
\ Th Jews, according to the latest gov-
ernment census, was given as 1,152
families, comprising 2,785 persons.
The small community is main-
taining 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 Ka-
disha (burial society), and a can-
tor who performs marriage rites.
There are two kosher meat mar-
kets, a kosher restaurant and a
Jewish bakery. According to Aaron
Geitzholtz, president of Atlas Is-
rael, the congregation gets along
well financially.
Another synagogue is main-
tained at the "Patronate," a $1,-
000,000 community center, where
strenuous efforts are made con-
stantly to maintain the institution
which is far too large for the
small community. There is the
so - called American Temple, a Re-
form congregation established 60
years ago by Jews from the United
States. There are no North Amer-
icans belonging to this temple now.
The American Temple employs its
own cantor and also maintains a
cemetery. The Sephardic com-
munity 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 pupil s.
Classes are conducted after-
noons 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 organiza-
tions 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 holi-
day 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 holo-
caust. Last year, Hanukah and
Purim celebrations in the main
auditorium. of the • "Patronate"
were attended by about 700 per-
sons, about a third of Havana's
Jewish population. At a celebra-
tion 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 deliv-
ered by Haim Yaari, Israel's Min-
ister to Cuba.
Materially, the report noted, the
Jews of Cuba do not face any par-
ticular hardships at this time.
Some are employed by the Gov-
ernment 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 main-
tain contacts with Jewries abroad.
Particular note was taken of the
fact that the Jews in Cuba appre-
ciated shipments of matzoth sent
there last spring by the Canadian
Jewish Congress.
Quant as Finishes Israel Probe; Pressure by Arabs Denied
MELBOURNE, Australia (JTA
—Civil Aviation Minister Derham
Henty reported that, after a ful
investigation, he is in a position to
state that the cancelation of th
appointment by the Australian Air
lines. Quantas, of a representative
in Israel was not due to Arab pres
sure.
"No representations from Arab
countries criticizing the possible
appointment of a Quantas sales
representative in Tel Aviv were
received by Quantas or the Aus
tralian Government," the Minister
stated. "Quantas will continue to
investigate the desirability of ap-
pointing a representative in Te
Aviv in the light of experience
with the Teheran appointment and
the extent to which it serves the
interests of passengers to and
from Israel."
While the Jewish community
awaits unqualified assurance from
civil aviation sources that Austr
alia will not be influenced by
Arab pressure anywhere, a numb
er of Jews in the last few weeks
have suspended bookings on Quan
tas and switched to other airlines
whose records imply uncompromis
ing rejection of the influence of
the Arab boycott.
* * *
Quantas Spokesman in London
Explains Action of Airlines
LONDON (JTA)—Reports that
Quantas, the Australian Airlines,
had canceled the appointment of
a sales representative in Israel be-
cause of Arab pressure, were deni-
ed by a spokesman for the com-
pany here.
The Quantas spokesman told the
JTA that these reports were due
NEW
to a "misunderstanding" and that paid any attention to the Arab
the original plan was to appoint boycott" and that Prime Minister
a representative for Iran and Menzies "is the last person to do
Israel but it had not been decided so."
in which country the airlines' agent
would reside. In the meanwhile, London Foundry Added
the Quantas spokesman explained, to Arab Trade Blacklist
the man named for the post had LONDON (JTA)—The Amer-
been taken ill and no new appoint- ican Machine and Foundry Com-
ment had been made pending a pany has been added to the list of
medical report as to whether the companies trading with Israel and
proposed representatives would be blacklisted from trading with Arab
able to accept the post. League countries, it was reported
According to the spokesman this here today from Damascus. The
development gave rise to rumors American firm helped build Is-
that the appointment had been rael's atomic reactor and has con-
canceled. He pointed out that the tinued to supply it with replace-
Australian Government "has never ment parts.
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Irish Prime Minister Says
Only Economics Prevents
Diplomacy With Israel
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
DUBLIN —Prime Minister Sean
F. Lemass said here Wednesday
that only economic considerations
and lack of trained officials pre-
vented Ireland from exchanging
diplomatic and consular represen-
tatives with Israel.
In an interview with the Jewish
T-elegxahpic Agency, Premier Le-
mass said that Ireland, which
recognizes Israel both de jure and
de facto, does not have "many
diplomatic representatives or even
consular officers. Our diplomatic
service is not extensive at all for
economic reasons and also for
lack of trained officials to go
around."
Lemass pointed out, however,
that his country planned to extend
its diplomatic and consular serv-
ices "as the years go by" and that
"Israel is, of course, included in
these plans."
Sean MacEntee, Deputy Prime
Minister, informed the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency Wednesday
that he would soon accept an in-
vitation to visit Israel. MacEntee,
who is also Minister of Health,
said that he welcomed the invita-
tion and "am looking forward to
being able to accept it. I hope
soon to fix a date for the visit."
He said he would particularly
like to visit hospital services in
Israel and would look into the pos-
sibility of cooperation in the field
of medical research.
"My analysis of the judiCial pro-
cess comes then to this, and little
more: logic, and history, and cus-
tom, and utility, and the accepted
standards of right conduct, are the
forces which singly or in combina-
tion shape the progress of the
law."
—Benjamin N. Cardozo
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, August 21, 1964 9
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