Friday, August 29, 1980 33

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Israel Embassy Plays Major Role
in Survival of Haitian Jews

By BEN FRANK

(Copyright 1980, JTA, Inc.)

"Although there are no
synagogues in Haiti,
members of the local
Jewish colony observe
the High Holidays. Vis-
itors of the Jewish faith
are welcome and in-
quiries should be made
locally."
Until recently the bulk of
the Jewish community was
Sephardic. Interestingly,
today, the largest single
group are Jews from the
U.S. who have settled in
Haiti, which occupies the
western third of Hispaniola,
largest island in the Carib-
bean except Cuba.
How does Judaism stay
alive in Haiti? First, the Is-
rael Embassy holds services
during the holidays and fes-
tivals. There also are the
fund drives by Keren
Hayesod, Israel Bonds and
the Jewish National Fund.
Many of the children attend
Jewish summer camps' in
the U.S. and many of the
adults have been to Israel.
Some opened businesses
there. Once, there was even
a Haitian restaurant in
Eilat, proudly set up by Hai-
tians.
Within easy reach of New
York City and Miami, many
American Jewish tourists
visit here and later keep in
touch with members of the
community. Of course, Hai-
tian Jews also frequently
travel to Miami, only 11/2
hours away.
During World War II,
Jews found a safe haven
here.
Loker said that today
nearly all the Jews live in
Port-au-Prince, the capital
city of Haiti. But once they
were spread out over the
entire island. On an 18th
Century map of Haiti, he
discovered two names,
"Anse-a-Juifs," and
"Ponte-a-Juifs" (which
mean Jewish points of set-
tleinent). He was quick to
note that the Jews in Haiti
are in effect part of Ameri-
can Jewish history.
What is newsworthy
here, too, regarding the
Jewish community, is that
in the last five years, Loker
has opened up the area in
terms of Jewish schol-
arship. He himself has de-
lved into the origins of the
Jews in the Caribbean and
in Haiti.
Wherever this writer
went, Jews told me with a

PORT-AU-PRINCE,
Haiti — According to the
cold statistics, there are
only 45 Jewish families in
Haiti, but the dynamics, the
people, the will to survive as
a community is an untold
'.iut easily discovered story
Jy those who take some
time out from enjoying this
excellent vacation spot to
look beneath the surface.
True, there is no
synagogue, though there
once was one 200 years ago.
True, there is no official
rabbi, though one flies in
from Miami occasionally for
Bnai Mitzva and weddings.
But this is one of those
Jewish communities in the
world where the Israel Em-
bassy helps Jews live as
Jews, and remain as Jews:
Here, Israel indeed plays a
vital role in providing ties to
150 Jews in this heart-of-
the Caribbean-country of
more than five million.
It is the Israel Em-
bassy, located at 8 Berthe
St., which has become the
focal point of Judaism in
Haiti. Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur services
are held at the Embassy
as well as the Purim ball,
Hanuka party, the
Passover Seder and the
Israel Independence Day
celebration.
In effect, I am the rabbi,"
said Ambassador Zvi Loker,
a veteran Israeli diplomat
and scholar who was born in
Yugoslavia. In an inter-
view, Loker said that there
are more than 150 persons
who come to services during
the High Holidays.
Even for a diplomat, the
Ambassador warmly cites
the friendship of Haiti
towards Israel. It voted for
Israel in the partition vote
of 1947; it voted agaffist the
Arab - Soviet - sponsored
Zionism/racism resolution;
and it has an embassy in
Jerusalem.
Israel, of course, is well
known here for the agricul-
tural development of the
Jewish state. For years, Is-
rael's agricultural experts
have been coming to aid this
underdeveloped country.
Besides the diplomats
and the agricultural ex-
perts, there" are even a
few Israelis who live here
and who have married
Haitian Jews. Some in
the community read the
international edition of
the "Jerusalem Post" OP Teen Wins
and even a few copies of Magic Prize
the Hebrew daily,
_ Steven Biller of Oak Park
"Maariv" circulate here.
Hebrew is in evidence in has won a top prize in the
some shops. This writer saw international magic compe-
the Hebrew word, tition held in Colon, Mich.
Biller, who will attend
"Shalom," prominently dis-
played in the "Shalom Art the University of Michigan
this fall, taught magic
Gallery."
It was in the 1930s and classes in Southfield.
He is a member of the
1940s that the Jewish popu-
Society
of American Magi-
lation reached its peak,
about 300 persons. Now, cians, International
there are less, but the corn- Brotherhood of Magicians,
Magical Youths Interna-
munity here will survive.
- Haiti is one country that tional and the Tel-12 Mys-
doesn't have a synagogue, tics. He also has taught
but still the Haitian official magic classes at the Jewish
Community Center.
Visitor's Guide notes:

CATERED
PARTIES

sense of pride about the
existence a long time ago of
a synagogue in Jeremie.
This is a town of poets,
birthplace of Alexandre
Dumas, a small port which
owes its life and Melancholy
charm to the sea. Two cen-
turies ago, Jews traded in
this town on the northern
shore of the southern penin-
sula in Haiti.
In Jeremie, in the town
of Jacmel and in Port-
au-Prince, there are Jews
who have long since as-
similated.
But a visitor cannot come
away from this enchanting
and friendly nation without
thinking of the Jewish con-
tributions to Haiti and the
Caribbean, including
further development of
trade and commerce and
contributions to ethnic, cul-
tural and religious
pluralism.

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