Cuban Jews Push For Better Ties With U.S.

(JTA) — Leaders of Cuba’s Jewish community sent an open letter to the U.S. Jewish community calling for a strengthening of ties and expressing concern over a reversal of policy toward the island nation.

“The Jewish Community of Cuba, since its founding, has maintained ties of friendship and brotherhood and sisterhood with the Jewish people of the United States, even in moments when diplomatic relations between both countries did not exist,” said the letter issued on Wednesday.

“North Americans played a substantial role in the reestablishment of relations between Cuba and the United States, and some of them have even visited our synagogues in Havana. There is a permanent desire to promote the continual development of this relationship and to strengthen the benefits that are starting to take shape, mainly for our people,” the letter continued.

The letter is signed by seven major Jewish leaders in Cuba, including Adela Dworkin, president of the Jewish Community of Cuba; and David Prinstein, vice president of the Jewish Community of Cuba;  leaders of the Sephardic center in Havana and the country’s Jewish community coordinators.

There are about 1,000 Jews and three synagogues on the island.