Dr. Mayra Levy, President of the Sephardic Center, Havana, Cuba to Speak At B’nai Abraham
On Thursday, May 10, 2012, 7:30 PM, Temple B’nai Abraham invites you to join us for a talk with Dr. Mayra Levy , the President of the Sephardic Center in Havana Cuba and a dynamic leader of the Cuban Jewish community. Dr. Levy is visiting the U.S. and hopes to share with you some of the challenges and opportunities that face Cuban Jews today. Please join her for this rare and exciting opportunity to learn about this small community’s fascinating history and future potential. This event is free and open to the community. For information visit www.tbanj.org or call the office at 973-994-2290.
Along with being the President of the Sephardic Center, the spiritual home of many of Havana’s Cuban Jews (both Sephardic and Ashkenazi) and the site of the first permanent Holocaust exhibit in Havana, Dr. Levy also is a physician with 36 years of experience, a Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the Medical school in Havana, and the author of two books on pharmacology and several scientific articles on pharmacology and gerontological research..
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About 1,300 Jews currently live in Cuba, the vast majority in Havana. Cuban Jews face the same difficult economic and social challenges as do other Cubans due to a bad economy undergoing major reforms, negative repercussions from the global economic recession, continuing domestic economic challenges resulting from the destruction caused by three hurricanes in 2008, and average salaries of about $20 monthly and pensions of $12 monthly. Given these challenges, family and community loom large for Cuban Jews, and Dr. Levy and the Sephardic Center work to help Cuban Jewish families and create a strong community.
In February , 2013, Rabbi Clifford Kulwin will lead a group of B’nai Abraham congregational members on a mission to Cuba. It will be a trip, for temple members only, of discovery and humanitarian efforts as they connect with the Jewish Community of Cuba and experience firsthand its recent growth after years of religious suppression.
