JEWISH Havana

Authentic Havana Tour, Cuba

and 5 other Tours

Guides

Carlos

and 1 other Guides

Hotel Inglaterra

and 2 other Hotels

Virtual Tours in the Diaspora

Jibaro's

and 3 other Restaurants

קבלו השראה! Get Inspired!

Holocaust Memorial

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Jewish Story Videos

Instagram: Restaurants

Shabbat Around The World

Urban Trails

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Jewish Heritage Tours

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אתרים מומלצים Sites to see

Sites

Beth Shalom Synagogue

Beth Shalom Synagogue, built in 1952, is a synagogue located in the Vedado neighbourhood of downtown Havana. In 1981, much of the original building was sold to the state, and was then turned into the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center, including a theatre, a music venue, a gallery and a bar. Only part of the structure remains in Jewish hands today. Extensive repairs were undertaken in the 1990s. Beth Shalom is considered the headquarters of the Cuban Jewish Community. The building also houses a Jewish library.

Sites

Adath Israel

Adath Israel is the city's Orthodox synagogue, sitting almost unnoticeableon a crowded, narrow street in the Old Havana district. After WWI, there was only the Ashkenazi synagogue in Havana, the United Hebrew Congregation. Religiously, it was very liberal with a wealthy, English-speaking membership. This was not a comfortable place for the Yiddish-speaking immigrants from Eastern Europe to worship. In 1923, a Lithuanian immigrant, Ben Zion Sofer, started a minyan in his apartment at Calle Paola No. 17. By 1925, the minyan developed into Congregation Adath Israel, located on the second floor of Calle Jesús María 103. The shul was basic, but served the congregants. The majority of Ashkenazi immigrants were not strictly observant; therefore, Adath Israel was only nominally Orthodox. The prayer services were traditional. Eventually it was decided to build the new synagogue in Vedado, the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Habana Vieja (old Havana). Architect, Oscar Baisman, and construction engineer, Jacinto Feh Leonard, constructed a modern sanctuary with seating for six hundred people, a chapel and a reception hall. The cornerstone for the $100,000 synagogue was laid in April of 1956 and it was completed on October 9, 1959. Monies were recently been granted to renovate the area, which included the synagogue. The Havana Restoration Commission worked with Jorge Herrera on plans regarding the synagogue restoration, which included full restoration of the sanctuary and an innovative frame for the roof to be used for celebrating Sukkot. Most of the money for the synagogue restoration was donated by wealthy businessmen from Panama and Venezuela. Currently, there are 400 members in the congregation. The congregation has a program to supply vitamins, some medications and toiletries to members who are in need and live nearby. Adath Israel has remained intact through the years, its doors have never closed, carrying out the religious services of Shajarit, Minja and Arvit daily, maintaining alive the traditions of our Fathers.

Sites

Sephardic Center and Synagogue

In 2007 Centro Hebreo Sefaradi Synagogue was described as "the only remaining institutional legacy of the Sephardic presence in Cuba.” Construction originally began in 1957 and the synagogue was completed in 1960 with a 726-seat sanctuary. The main sanctuary was later rented out to the Afro-Cuban band Síntesis for their rehearsals while weekly religious services were held in a small room next door. As of 2010, the synagogue had eighty families constituting 320 members. The majority of congregants were 60 or older. Centro Hebro is affiliated with the Conservative Jewish movement in the United States. There is a small Holocaust memorial at the synagogue with quotations from José Martí. Image Attribution: Lebrsm, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

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Tours of Havana

Authentic Havana Tour, Cuba

Experience Cuba and discover for yourself why this enigmatic Caribbean island creates such a compelling narrative. Cuba is an exhilarating feast for the senses! Intriguing architecture, beautiful classic cars dotting the streets, world-famous drinks and cigars, festive entertainment, and warm locals who genuinely love hosting contribute to the amazing atmosphere. While you may not consider a tropical island as a place steeped with Jewish tradition, Cuba was once the hub of Caribbean Jewish life. The history of the Cuban Jews stretches back to 1492. It is believed that Marranos (Spanish Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism) accompanied Columbus on his voyage, making Jews some of the first Europeans to set foot on the island. Hear and see the fascinating story of Cuba’s Jews, while soaking in everything this exotic destination has to offer! Cuba’s authentic flair and lively spirit are felt throughout every corner of Havana’s vibrant streets and breathtaking natural sites.

Judaism in Havana: A Tour of Jewish Cuba

Jewish communities have traveled far and wide for hundreds of years, settling in countries open to trade and closed off from the rest of the world. Your custom tailored tour takes you through the stunning landscape of Cuba and immerses you in the Cuban Jewish lifestyle. Light the Shabbas candles with a local family to celebrated the end of another week. Peruse the library of one of the oldest synagogues in the country. Visit the only kosher butcher on the island. Learn about the heritage of the Cuban people and experience the unforgettable sensation of the Jewish community.

Havana's Jewish Heritage

Delve into the history of Jewish immigrants who moved to Cuba in the early 20th century, 1920's & 1930's. Visit existing and important landmarks, synagogues, and meet members of the local Jewish community. Highlights: - Meet with a member of the Jewish community to tour Sephardic Synagogue in Vedado and see two others - Visit Menorah Square, dedicated to the holocaust victims - The Jewish cemetery in Guanabacoa - Have a cocktail and admire the unique decor of Hotel Raquel - Tour is OFAC compliant under the general license “Support for the Cuban people” 515.574

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מסעדות בסגנון יהודי JEWISH STYLE RESTAURANTS

Jibaro's

Jibaro's is an authentic Cuban restaurant located in a restored colonial mansion on the outskirts of Old Havana’s oldest quarter. They are known for their mocktails (unusual nonalcoholic cocktails), and local dishes that take a modern twist. Be sure to try their stuffed tostones (fried plantain), Cuban chicken, ropa vieja (shredded beef) and black-bean cream! The restaurant offers both vegan and vegetarian options.

La Guarida

Welcome to La Guarida, an opportunity to travel in time in a place that respects tradition but also bets on the future. An authentic space for those interested in getting to know the real Cuba and immersing themselves in our culture, customs, and way of doing things. Everything started with a movie. Strawberries and Chocolate, the first, and as of now only, Cuban film nominated for an Oscar (in 1994), motivated many travelers to come to Cuba to experience the reality behind the fiction. They came with the idea of experiencing the places they’d seen in the film and to enjoy the Cuba that seduced its protagonists. The film’s directors Tomas Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabio had decided to use our home as La Guarida de Diego, or The Den of Diego, the protagonist of the movie who sent the world a message against intolerance. In 1996, after the filming of this famous movie, we decided to take on the adventure of transforming our home into what the world knows today as Paladar La Guarida.

Beirut Shawarma

Beirut Shawarma is an authentic Lebanese restaurant located in Vedado, Havana started by Syrian immigrants. The restaurant has a varied menu of Middle Eastern cuisine, is highly rated, and overlooks the emblematic Malecón.

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מדריכים בעיר CITY GUIDES

Guides

Carlos

Private sight seeing tours for any size group. See the local sights in Havana, or Travel to the Beaches of Cuba and other well known cities. Sample some of the best restaurants in Cuba. Travel in the old cars of Havana, air conditioned provided vans or local taxis, all tours are customized to your personal needs. Want to see the Cuban night scene? Nightlife and club tours are availabl . Don't know where you want to stay? Accommodations can be arranged for you. Enjoy all the beauty that Cuba has to offer without any travel hassles.

Guides

Darien Paez

I am specialized in tailor made guided tours in Havana and the whole country. I arrange for you every little detail of your stay in Cuba: Transfers, accomodatiosn, restaurants, itineraries... I know Cuba like the back of my hand, because when I was studying at the university, my classmates and I organized great trips around Cuba visiting the most beautiful places and meeting the most amazing people of this country. I am greographer, so I know every detail of Cuba and its people. I have worked in the Ministry of Tourism for several years, so I perfectly know this bussiness. I would like to take you in a different journey through Cuban colonial and not colonial cities and towns, Natural Parks, exotic beaches, and mainly through its people.I know Cuba like the back of my hand, because whilst in university, we organized great trips around Cuba visiting the most beautiful places and meeting the most amazing people of this country. I am greographer, so I know every detail of Cuba and its people. I have worked in the Ministry of Tourism for several years, so I perfectly know this bussiness. I would like to take you in a different journey through Cuban colonial and not colonial cities and towns, Natural Parks, exotic beaches, and mainly through its people.

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קראו עוד בלוגים וספרים אלקטרוניים READ MORE BLOGS AND EBOOKS

World Jewish Travel Official July 13, 2022

Havana, Cuba: A City Rich in Coffee, Cigars, and Synagogues

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Hotels in Havana

Hotel Inglaterra

Hotel Inglaterra, of 4 stars category, is the oldest hotel in Cuba and one of the most classic hotels in Havana. Hotel Inglaterra, considered the doyen of the tourist establishments of the island of Cuba, it is located in Paseo del Prado Ave. #416 between San Rafael and San Miguel Street, Old Havana, City of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1875, Hotel Inglaterra has a neoclassic style, with elements that give it a touch of originality like the mosaics from Alicante in Spain and grilles brought especially from Seville, Spain. The Hotel Inglaterra is located in an exceptional way in the most authentic heart of Old Havana. Near Paseo del Prado, Central Park and of the Great Theater of Havana, this hotel is the starting point to discover the charms of Havana. Nowadays the emblematic Hotel Inglaterra puts at the service of its invited guests comfortable rooms equipped with the service and all that is necessary to guarantee your pleasant stay on it, within a classical colonial atmosphere. In Hotel Inglaterra its traditional restaurants for sure they will become of your delight, like is it the restaurant “El Colonial”, with a specific menu for each season of year. At its portals we can find the very well-known “El Louvre” Coffee Shop, this one linked with the transcendental moments of war of independence, where the visitors can enjoy the daily Cuban life from a sidewalk that shows slabs wich on its top have engraved works for prestigious artists of Cuban plastic arts.

NH Capri La Habana

The NH Capri La Habana is in Vedado in downtown Havana. The area is close to well-known nightclubs, La Rampa art and craft market and the famous Malecón – plus it’s a short taxi ride to some of the city’s top sights. - Less than 10 minutes’ drive to Plaza de la Revolución - Around 30 minutes’ walk to Capitolia Nacional - Near the Malecón, with pastel-coloured houses lining the waterfront Our refurbishment finished in May 2014, giving guests 220 sparkly new rooms to stay in. You can choose from Standard, Superior, Duplex and Suites – and they come with either city or sea views. Duplex rooms are set on 2 floors with a separate sitting area and come with a whole host of extras lots of connecting rooms available. 18th floor Suites have direct access to the swimming pool and close to the La Florentina Restaurant which serves an exclusive breakfast for those staying in the suites. The hotel has a two restaurants as well as 3 bars – 2 of which come with a fantastic city view. And if you like the sight of Havana spreading out before you, you’ll love our rooftop swimming pool. - Bars with live international and traditional music - Large gym with sauna - Choice of restaurants