How Chabad Impacted the Life of a Cuban Jewish Family

A lavish Cocktail Dinner, held in the exquisite Arlington Estate Event Centre in Vaughan, Ontario, where some 330 guests and supporters gathered to celebrate Chabad Friends of Cuban Jewry’s (CFCJ) 11th annual dinner.

After 10 years of dinners, and in recognition of the Almighty’s blessings over the past ten dinners, this year’s dinner was celebrated with the theme of: ‘The Aseret Hadibrot‘ – ‘The Ten Commandments’. Recognizing ten entrepreneurs; pillars and important partners in the vital work of the CFCJ, each one representing one of the ‘Ten Commandments’.

The spirit of this unique theme – of the message and energy of Ten Commandments continue to influence our hearts and minds, of our families, our society and ultimately, this energy, transforming the world – in its entirety – as an abode for the Almighty; a world permeated with Divine goodness and kindness – was indeed appreciated by all.

The Dinner Award was respectfully awarded to a dear friend and true partner to the organization, Mr. Kenny Bodenstein.

Entering the beautiful foyer for registration, everyone received a unique gift; a pouch with the classic Cuban memento to enjoy with the cocktails, and a nice ‘L’chayim’ (which was available throughout). As well, thereafter, the beautiful Dinner Journal – The Gerald & Naomi Goldenberg & Family Magazine, Dinner Edition.

A beautiful display was present upon entry as part of the silent auction, which later a few of the important items were then set aside for the ensuing live auction.

Thereafter entering into the beautiful hall for dinner, which, thanks to the special team of event organizers, was so elegantly set up, to enjoy the delectable dinner catered by one of the exclusive caterers in the GTA. As well enjoying the adjacent terrace, overlooking the venue beautiful grounds.

Mr. Clifford Korman, one of the Honourary Chairs and close friend to the CFCJ, opened the evening greeting the guests, noting a few words encapsulating the vital and sensitive work of the CFCJ, which literally impacts every Jew – man woman and child – on the island, in the capital Havana and in the numerous cities and towns spanning across 1100 KM, together with the important humanitarian aid programs, including towards the broader community.

Then invited Rabbi Shimon Aisenbach, Director of the CFCJ, to the podium. Rabbi Aisenbach acknowledged the efforts of those who were involved in the successes of the dinner, the honorary chairs, the dinner chairs and committee, and personally thanked each of the attendees, which through the efforts of all, leading to the endurance, growth and expansion of the moised.

Rabbi Aisenbach highlighted in his message, – coupled with a few anecdotes – the stark contrast of those living in a constant state of poverty – physical and spiritual alike, to those living in a democracy, with the accessibility to the basic necessities/staples of life –spiritual and physical- which should never to be taken for granted. One of the vital ways in expressing this is via acknowledging those living in desperateness, and in dire need, extending a loving hand, in kindness and grace accordingly.

Then the Keynote Speaker, Chava Gelman was introduced; she was flown in from Eretz Yisrael for this special occasion. Chava’s father Mordechai was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and in his youth became close to the CFCJ at the time.

Over the many years, he participated in the CFCJ year-round activities, and as well took advantage of CFCJ’s representatives to advance his knowledge and scholarship of our Holy Torah, and in its practices.

He and his family eventually had the opportunity to immigrate to Eretz Yisrael and as part of CFCJs Student Placement Program (SPP) he was provided the opportunity to study in the Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva network in Israel, where he had the ability to freely progress in his studies and practices.

After meeting Chava’s mother Rivka, a Brazilian native, studying as well in Eretz Yisrael, they married and built a beautiful family of six; indeed an iconic family imbued with the pure and refined values of our Holy Torah, Chava being the eldest, living today in Rishon LeZion

After introducing herself, Chava went on noting:

“I would like to tell you my impressions about the work performed by the CFCJ from the perspective of the second generation…”

A few captions of her poignant presentation:

“I grew up with my father’s stories and his connection to Judaism in such a forgotten and small community… My father was born in Cuba in 1970, just one month after his parents left the port of Odessa. Until he was 7 years old, he had no idea what the word ‘Jew’ means. The only Jewish experience he remembers from his early years was the language. Being on a visit to Odessa when he was 4 – 5 years old, he remembers his grandparents speaking with the older people in a different language than Russian, and how his great-grandma was very proud when before leaving her, my father used to shout on Odessa’s street “A git nacht.”

“When he was 7, he asked his parents to go to the school by the Soviet embassy, with his friends, but his mother told him, better stay in a Cuban school, many Russians do not like Jews, and Cubans do not know what ‘a Jew’ is. That was the first time he was told he is Jewish, but still, the only explanation of what it is, was that language spoken by old people in Odessa.

“Something changed when he was 13, his grandparents decided to join them in Cuba and his grandmother gave him a Soviet wristwatch as a “Bar Mitzvah” present and told him that for Jews, from the age of 13 a boy is already an adult! Since his grandparent’s arrival in Cuba, he spent time listening to stories from the past: pogroms, Holocaust, anti-Semitism. For that time that was the only Jewish concepts he knew.

“When he was 17, he went to the Soviet Union to study Physics at the University of Kharkov. That was the time of Perestroika, Glasnost and the beginning of the revival of Jewish life there, which gave him the bit of opportunity to appreciate and pursue his yiddishkeit.

“In August 1993, my father came back to Cuba, and Cuba was then changed for the worst. The collapse of the Soviet Union affected Cuba more than a war; there was no food, electricity and public transportation…

“The next day he went to the Synagogue in old Havana, there was a minyan of very old people, most of them came to the synagogue to have breakfast and to play Domino after the service. But there were two young Lubavitcher rabbis that came to work that summer with the community. One of them was Rabbi Shimon Aisenbach.

“Since then, for almost two years my father was in Cuba, the CFCJ emissaries to the island took much care to provide my father all the needs to keep a Jewish life, from his first set of Tefilin, books, classes to the basic needs like kosher food, humanitarian aid and the most important, being the address for the spiritual and living problems living in such a complex place in such a complex age.

“The manner in which the CFCJ representatives conducted themselves inspired him to go in that very way, helping and sharing with those that need help. That was the way he built his home in Israel, and the home where I grew up, hosting people, helping, and dedicating his time to the needs of the community.

“But it was not only the self-sacrifices helping and taking care of the spiritual and material needs of fellow Jews what impressed my father, but also the courage, and the withstanding all the adversities from within the community and from Cuban government.

“One story exemplifying the above my father shared with me, was about an uprising that took place in Cuba one summer. It was the only time since the beginning of Cuba’s 60 years of Communist revolution when people desperate by the hard-living conditions went out to the streets to protest. The streets were full of police and soldiers, myriads of people jumped into the ocean with rafts (and without!) to try and escape.

“In the middle of all this chaos, there were the young CFCJ Rabbis, running a summer camp for 40 Jewish kids with transportation to parks, attractions, books, and meals that attracted many parents to take part of the camp activities and traveling around the country to provide Jews in remote towns with basic needs. Of course, the local State security, what I understand is a copy of the KGB, tried to stop them. They invited them in for a talk and intimidated them, but they did not stop and the camp successfully continued!

“In April of that year, my father with his family finally left Cuba, but the relationship with Rabbi Aisenbach was not interrupted. The CFCJ took care to make sure my father had all that was necessary for him to build his family. I am the oldest daughter born after that wedding and the even now years later, as you can see, that relationship that started in an island in the Caribbean is still alive…

“Of course, I would like to use this opportunity to thank him personally, and to expresss our gratitude to him, his family and to all the people who support the CFCJ activities. I am sure I am just an example among many others of the fruits that the CFCJ has produced along many years helping people no matter how complex and even dangerous it may be.”

The feedback to Chava’s words, from many of the attendees (additional to the immediate emotional round of applause), was indeed profound and very overwhelming.

The keynote speech was followed by a unique musical presentation by singer-songwriter Evan Malach. He performed in the past for the CFCJ events, and was much favored by the audience. He was invited back to enhance this year’s event, which he indeed did with a few of his new hit songs, capturing the audience’s hearts with his performance.

Special recognition and gifts were presented to the recipient of the Dinner Award, and then to the representatives of the “Ten Commandments”, the Honourary Chairs, and corporate sponsors of the grand dinner.

The evening concluded with the live auction, the important raffle with four unique items – including significant electronics/tech items.

The crowd slowly began dispersing not before overwhelmingly demonstrating their appreciation and congratulatory remarks of the beautiful ambiance, unique and meaningful evening they experienced.
As the CFCJ looks forward only to expand its work in different ways for the spiritual and material benefit of our brothers and sisters living on the island, awaiting the final “kibutz ni-dchai Yisrael” b’karov mamash.