THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

October 17, 1975 27

Cuban Jewry Continues to Maintain Its Traditions
•
Each of the organiza-

By LAVY M. BECKER

(Copyright 1975, JTA, Inc.)

Because of his good judg- Cuban government could
ments and able leadership properly have told the Jews
he has achieved the respect to continue to do so without
of his community and has recourse to government
been a major factor in main- funds. This was not the
taining a unified, well-bat - case.
anced and hopeful Jewish
The
The Jewish community

general economic condition i more than 200 of them non-
has improved for all Cu- Jewish.
bans. Sugar, their major
There is a very high inci-
export commodity, has
dence of old age, 30 percent
made it possible for Cuba to
being over 60. On the other
make purchases not possible
hand, 281 children have
The Joint Distribution
a few years ago. There also
been born since Castro came
Committee, showing its nor-
is spread all over the city. appears to be a general eas-
to power, almost 20 percent
Moises Baldas came to
mal concern for Jewish com-
Normally, their children ing of internal restrictions.
The role of the Cuban gov-
of the total Jewish popula-
munities in distress, turned, Cuba in the 1920s. He had
would go to neighborhood
tion.
ernment,
actio
n
passive,
Today
on
Cuban
streets
after the break between the had a yeshiva training in in its relationship to the
schools. But they need to there are Fords and Chevro-
Should the Cuban govern-
U.S. and Cuba, to the Cana- Poland and all the advan- Jewish community, is so un-
be in one school so that lets from Argentina, Fiats ment continue to be sympa-
dian Jewish Congress to tapes of an intensively Jew-
usual as to merit recording they may more easily move and Alfa Romeos from It- thetic to the religious and
send Passover products to ish home.
into one room for their aly, Volkswagens from Ger- cultural strivings of its mi-
and
gratitude.
Cuban Jewry since it, an
In the period since the
Hebrew studies in the last many,
Renaults from norities, there is justifica-
American agency, could not revolution in 1959 he has
The 1,000 Jews left in
90 minutes of each day.
France
and
Datsuns and tion for some optimism that
do so without jeopardizing recognized the vital role of Havana really do not need
this community, despite the
Agreement was reached Toyotas from Japan.
the Cuban Jewish commu- the synagogue in maintain- the five synagogues they
fact that it is dwindling, will
that
they
would
be
picked
nity.
The
stores
also
are
ing the unity of their Jewish created to serve the needs of
continue to maintain its
up each
morning
by bus
The Canadian Jewish remnant. From his earliest 12,000 Jews. The govern- which
would
take them
to showing more items for Jewish tradition
consumers,
for
Cuba
does
Congress not only re- days, never diminishing, he ment might well have na- the Escuela Albert Einstein,
not have the foreign cur-
sponded immediately but has been an active Zionist. tionalized two or three of formerly the Jewish-owned
rency
problem they had a
has generously carried out
synagogues.
It
did
not.
He could easily have
Herzl Shul, that they would few years ago. Further-
this responsibility for 14 emigrated. He has no fam- It arranged to rent them for
be given lunch in the school more, they are able to buy
years.
ily in Cuba. He has been a fee which helps to support
and returned home in the more machinery for their
All Jewish families in 27 permitted to attend World the maintenance of the syn-
a fternoon.
factories, therefore to
towns in Cuba are notified Jewish Congress and agogues.
and His Continentals
To respond to the request provide more jobs and
to come to the Adath Israel World Zionist Organiza-
As
the
Jewish
community
of
the
Jewish
community
more
production.
Synagogue with the official tion conferences in Brus-
featuring
ration books for each mem- sels and Jerusalem and in Havana created its own for shechita as a religious
There are 543 Jewish fam-
day
schools,
funded
them
requirement
the
govern-
ilies
registered,
8
ber of the family.
the finest
0 percent
need not have returned.
and controlled them, the ment had to make special of them in Hav an a. Of
Music
concessions for the shoch- these, fully one-third are
and
tim to be permitted the use intermarriages or mixed
Entertainment
1
of one of the abbatoirs and marriages. The families
398-3664
for the two kosher butchers comprise 1,393 individuals,
to do the packaging of the
nine forequarters under the
SPECIALIST
same rationing regulations,
Foreign Car Service
IN
„,,,,
,,,
but in their own shops, not
NEW YORK (JTA) —
VOLKSWAGEN
those
controlled
by
the
gov-
Sylva Zalmanson, the for-
AND
/-2:- •
ernment. It is another spe-
mer Soviet prisoner of con-
PORSCHE CARS
cial privilege.
science, was discharged
It is an interesting if not
Monday from Beth Israel
CALL.
i important nuance that the
Medical Center after five
548-3926
government bakeries (there
days. She had been rushed •
548-4160
are no others, of course) ac-
r
there last week after col-
lapsing on the 16th day of
tually bake challa on Fri-
541-9704
her hunger strike at the Is-
days, available for all on
1018 W. 9 Mile Rd.
aiah Wall opposite the
-4,,,
their ration cards, but espe-
FERNDALE
Between Livernois
a t .°•M
Alfons G. Rehme
k4
MICH.
8 Pinehurst
United Nations.
cially appreciated by Jews.
'"'
A
kft„.:1?
, In the
revolutionary
ap-
At a news conference
proach to a new way of life
after her discharge she told
there would be no justifi-
reporters that she plans to
cation for allowing one
visit Washington to seek the
segment of the population
.
aid of Congressmen in her
,2"Aatita ;4
the privilege of extra food
continuing struggle to gain
—
.., items not available to oth-
Clothier
her husband's freedom. Her
Surrounded by reporters, Israeli Foreign Minister ers. Yet the government
126 S. Woodward, Birmingham
husband, Eduard Kuznet- Yigal Allon, right, visits with, then signs petitions for, gave Jews a license to re-
soy, and her brothers, Israel famed former Soviet Jewish prisoner Sylva Zalmanson, ceive the gift from the
Mon, Tues., Wed., Sat. 10-6
647-8054
Thurs. & Fri. 10-9
and Wulf Zalmanson, are in hunger striking at the United Nations for her legal right Canadian Jewish Con-
labor camps.
FOR THE ULTIMATE
to visit her husband Edward Kuznetsov in a Russian la- gress of Passover foods. It

Editor's note: This is the
second article in a two-
part series on Cuba's
Jews.

tions is also permitted an
allotment for use at their
special functions and sim-
has. Finally there is a re-
serve put away for special
needs and communal re-
quirements.

ERIC
ROSENOW

.

Sylva Discharged After Collapse
During Protest for Soviet Jews

-r

Al's

Hauclefameo

-

Meanwhile, Rep. Bella S. bor camp. Members of the Student Struggle for Soviet is justified in that it is a re-
Abzug (D-L. N.Y.) an- Jewry were constantly with Miss Zalmanson, who col- ligious requirement.
Abzug
lapsed and was hospitalized
fasting for 16 days
days.
nounced she has received
Cuba's place within the
* * *
word from Uri Podriadchik,
orbit of the USSR and its re-
of Riga, that he has finally Liubarsky, was told her versary of the end of World lationship to other Com-
been allowed to leave the So- husband would not be re- War II.
monist countries have led it
viet Union, and has arrived leased under an amnesty
Liubarsky of Rostov was to a consistent pro-Arab
in Vienna en route to Israel. act.
sentenced in January 1973 stance in the United Na-
thel Cos it was
The
as
Podriadchik, who lived
The act was declared this to four years in prison for one of only two
in Riga and fought five year to mark the 30th anni- "anti-Soviet slander."
countries to maintain for-
years for the right to emi-
mal diplomatic relations
grate, had been issued his

exit visa on Yom Kippur
eve. Rep. Abzug had in-
terceded in the case at the
request of Podriadchik's
mother, whom she met in
New York in May.

Soviets Building Monument
to Victims of Nazi Massacre

NEW YORK — The So- ans, and other non-Jews
viets are building a monu- as well.
ment at Babi Yar in Kiev
Soviet author Anatoly
The Congresswoman sent where tens of thousands of
Kuznetsov offered evidence
pleas to Soviet Ambassa- Jews were slaughtered by
from survivors that the Ger-
dor Anatoly Dobrynin and the Nazis, according to the
mans had posted orders
Vladimir Obidin, Moscow's New York Times.
throughout Kiev requiring
chief of visas, when authori-
It is 34 years since the all Jews to assemble on
ties denied Podriadchik the machine-gun fire rang out
Sept. 29, 1941.
right to attend his mtoher's across the ravine in this
The Jews were divided
funeral in Israel in August. Ukrainian city.
into groups and machine-
Podriadchik wired his
Fourteen years ago Yev- gunned. Estimates of the
thanks from Vienna to Rep. gency Yevtushenko achieved number killed range from
Abzug for her efforts.
international fame with a
50,000 to 96,000.
It was also reported that poem that was interpreted
The Soviet Government,
the Odessa regional court as a cry against Russian
however, has avoided citing
rejected Tuesday the appeal anti-Semitism.
Jews as particular victims
of Lev Roitburd and af-
The poem was de- of the Nazis, preferring to
firmed his two-year jail nounced by Soviet officials
portray the suffering of all
sentence for resisting ar- who contnded that the vic- Soviet citizens. The monu-
rest, and that Galina tims of the massacre were ment at Babi Yar will evi-
Pevzner, the wife of Lazar not just Jews but Ukraini-
dently retain this theme.

IN FASHION-RIGHT
FORMALWEAR RENTALS
& SALES

Celebrate the occasion with a fresh
approach to formalwear. Featuring
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FEATURING
Westwood, Newport, Woodstock, Wind-
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Pants, Volare Boots

with` Israel after the Six-
Day ar.

It would appear that the

• WEDDINGS • PROMS • CRUISES
• EVERY IMPORTANT SOCIAL EVENT

THE MORRIS E. BLOOMBERG
ANNUAL JUDAICA LECTURE

Sun. Oct. 19, 8:15 p.m.

Rabbi Samuel H. Dresher

will speak on

"s}N.-1GOGLE, FEDERATION RELATIONS —

CONFRONT.--ITION OR COOPERATION? —

open to the community at no charge

ADAT SHALOM SYNAGOGUE

29901 Middlebelt Rd., Farmington Hills, Mich.

RABBI DRESNER

