Jews of Cuba - Comunidad Hebrea de Cuba

• Cuban Genealogy Center
• Jubanos Watch Movie
• CNN Steve Kastenbaum Tracing Cuban Jewish Roots

Jewish Cubans, Cuban Jews, or Cubans of Jewish heritage, have lived in the nation of Cuba for centuries. Some Cubans trace Jewish ancestry to Marranos (converts to Christianity) who came as colonists, though few of these practise Judaism today.

There was significant Jewish immigration to Cuba in the early 20th century: from Turkey following the break up of the Ottoman Empire and from eastern Europe and Russia. More than 24,000 Jews lived in Cuba in 1924, and more immigrated to the country in the 1930s.

In the 1930s, additional Jewish immigrants came from Europe as a result of Nazi and fascist persecution; some hoped to get to the United States but decided to stay in Cuba. But during and after the 1959 communist revolution, 94% of the Jews left for the United States and other countries.

In 2007 an estimated 1,500 known Jewish Cubans remained in the country, overwhelmingly located in Havana. Source

• Jews of Cuba
• Jewish Cuba
• Cuba Shavei Israel
• What now for the Jews of Cuba

Families

• Comunidad Hebrea de Cuba
• Jewish Burials
• Rediscovering Jewish roots

Notables

• Fabio Grobart, Communist Party co-founder
• • William Levy, Actor
• • Ruth Behar, writer
• • Olga Guillot, singer
• • José Miller, leader of the Cuban Jewish community

Rabbis

• • Meyer Rosenbaum (Son of Rabbi Issamar of Nadvorna, left Cuba in 1956
• • Raphael Yair Elnadav (1956-1959)
• • Shmuel Szteinhendler—the current Chief Rabbi of Cuba