eBook sale
>The Jewish Community of Cuba
More details
Publisher:
Year:
2015
Catalog number :
45-005572
ISBN:
978-965-493-764-1
Pages:
360
Language:

The Jewish Community of Cuba

Memory and History

Edited by:
Synopsis

The Jewish Community of Cuba: Memory and History combines the fruits of academic research with the personal reminiscences of protagonists, creating a collective narrative of Cuban Jews, particularly those who migrated to Miami, on their historical experience prior to the Castro revolution. 

Through childhood memories in small towns in Poland and Turkey, the reader discovers the circumstances that motivated the migration of Jews to Cuba, and is acquainted with the difficult trajectory of their adaptation to a new environment.

The book recounts the version of Cuban Jews to the tragic voyage of the SS St. Louis, but at the same time it points out the destiny of thousands of Jewish refugees who had found in Cuba a shelter from the Nazi inferno.

The book describes the rich and colorful Jewish institutional life that covered all the social and cultural aspects. Protagonists, however, were not part of a uniform and homogenous community, as reflected in their testimonies on social and cultural life, political divisions and internal conflicts.

The reader will find new oral documentation on the attitude of Cuban politicians towards the establishment of the State of Israel, and on the participation of young Cuban Jews in its War of Independence.

The last chapter brings the memory of the lost Cuban paradise. Oral histories reflect the communal flourishing of the 1950s, the economic prosperity, the professional and social achievements but also the trauma of the Castro revolution, that motivated their second exodus. Though interviewees tend to idealize the pre-Castro era, their testimonies reflect the problematic of their marginality in the Cuban society, and the dilemma of dual identity that confronted the second generation.

Reviews

"While Dr. Bejarano’s introductions to each chapter provide a wealth of information about each of the periods of the Jewish presence in Cuba, the personal narratives are what make this book a worthwhile read for Jews and non-Jews alike." Panoramas, by Susan Wiedel, May 2015
"Natürlich wiederholt sich vieles in diesen Berichten, aber die Nuancen - das Divergierende, das Individuelle, machen das Buch interessant." - David, by: Tirza Lemberger, September 2015 
"These personal experiences, written in their own voices, is what sets this book apart from others written on the same subject. Highly recommended for all libraries." AJL Reviews, by: Sonia Smith, September 2015
Vienna University Library, By: Tirza Lemberger, August 2015 (German)