LIFE CYCLE EVENTS: OBITUARIES
 

BARUKH DAYAN HA'EMET

It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the death of

José Isedoro Barlîa Loyarte

October 7,1952 - October 4, 2010

 

Words from Rabbi Elhanan 'Sunny' Schnitzer

 

 

It is with great sadness that we must say goodby to Franco Nissim from Camajaunay. He was a kind man who enjoyed his long life and his friends will miss his cheerful face.




Franco was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Santa Clara just before Passover began in April 2010.

 

Our dear friend, Isaac Rousso, president of B'nai B'rith Maimonides Lodge, died on March 10, 2008 after a difficult struggle with cancer. He was an inspiration to all who knew him and his memory will surely be for a blessing as we move forward fulfilling his dreams for the future of the Cuban Jewish community. B'nai B'rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project


Isaac Rousso and his wife, Flora
November 2007

 

 

Of Blessed Memory: Dr. Jose Miller Fredman
February 27, 2006
President, The Joint Coordinating Committee --Comision Coordinadora.
Interview with Dr. Miller from March 2004

Send a wheelchair to Cuba in Memory of Dr. José Miller Fredman
The Jewish Cuba Connection has a project to send wheelchairs to Cuba. Currently, there is a special project to honor the memory of Dr. José Miller Fredman, president of the The Joint Coordinating Committee --Comision Coordinadora by presenting 75 wheelchairs to the Jewish community on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first organized Jewish synagogue and the purchase of the first cemetery. If you want to help, go to http://www.jewban.org/

 

Linda Hirsch has informed us, with sadness, of the death of Rebeca Leon. She was the wife of Samuel Leon, Cienfuegos Jewish community's oldest member who is 75. Rebeca had suffered from Parkinson's and respiratory illness for years. Those of you who met Samuel, may recall his wonderful hugs, love stories, and sense of humor despite the challenges of his wife's failing health. Rebeca was the mother of several sons, one daughter, and had several grandchildren, including Amaya, a medical student, now in Israel.  Their daughter, Raquel, is a banker who lives & works in Cienfuegos.  She provided constant care for her mother. 

May the family be comforted among the mourners of Zion, Jerusalem, and the World.
 


ISAAC GELEN

 

IN MEMORY OF ISAAC GELEN: past president of Maimonides Lodge of B'nai B'rith in Havana and a good friend to all.
by Isaac Rousso, Maimonides Lodge president

I met him in the School of Economics at the University of Havana in 1962. Those were the historical days of the October Crisis (Missile Crisis). Everyone was passionately arguing about those events. We all felt we were able to give our own opinion about what the leaders Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy, and Nikita Jruschov's subsequent steps would be. While debating, Isaac did not speak loudly, but he was energetic throughout. Looking at his biotype, I realized he was a Jew; just like me. We introduced each other, he was named Isaac; just like me. I knew he had studied in the Centro Israelita School during his childhood. And I also knew he had been a member of the Hashomer Hatzair, a left-winged Youth Zionist Organization that was considered to be a communist -like organization after World War II. In fact, communism was a very serious issue at that time. McCarthyism was quite a controversial leading matter not only in United States, but also in other countries, including Cuba, where United States had a strong influenced. After completing our studies at the University, Isaac and I started working for different Ministries. Isaac worked at the Electric Company, and I worked at the Ministry of Agriculture. We only saw each other occasionally. As time went by, we met only occasionally. In 1991, we ran into each other again. He told me he was attending the Beth Shalom synagogue (Patronato) and the B'nai B'rith lodge meetings. He invited me to attend the next B'nai B'rith meeting to be held in the Shevet Ahim synagogue, on Inquisidor Street, in Old Havana. I really appreciated his invitation as it meant a lot to me. On one hand, it meant going back to the place in which the Theodor Hertzl School was; the place where I received elementary education. On the other hand, it also meant joining the B'nai B'rith lodge, where I had started working when I was a teenager. Over the years, the B'nai B'rith Maimonides Lodge, founded in 1943, seemed to disappear. It was precisely then when the organization was at its lowest function, when Isaac Gelen became president of the Lodge. His efforts to strengthen it began from that moment on. One of his first endeavors was to review the lodge bylaws that had been passed fifty years ago. I remember one of his first proposals was to reconsider the male-chauvinist wording; as the lodge was only meant for men. All the participants agreed on Isaac's proposal. At this time, we believed that the decision taken was a very revolutionary one for bringing an end to that absurd women's segregation. Later, we did learn the B'nai B'rith had changed to a new perspective by allowing women to become active members, but we did not knew that. As President of the B'nai B'rith Maimonides Lodge for almost nine years, Isaac Gelen kept his hard work to strengthened the lodge's growth and development. In the year 2000, there was a sad turning point in his life. His dear wife passed away and from that moment on Isaac began fading away like a candle. His health was slowly getting worse until he died on December 6th, 2004. However, we do keep in our memories, his hard work. We want to pay a tribute to his memory saying: Thank you Isaac!

 


SALIM TACHE JALAK

 

"Blessed be the true Judge, who causes life and death."

Salim Tache Jalak died  Tuesday, August 14, 2001 after more than 2 weeks in an Intensive Care Unit.  The burial was Wednesday morning, August 15, 2001.  May his memory be a blessing for both family and friends who mourn his passing.

tache.jpg (15373 bytes)

Salim Tache, known simply as "Tache" to most who knew him, was administrator and official welcomer of visitors to Adath Israel, the Orthodox synagogue in Habana Vieja.  Tache, a Syrian-born Jew, was a very complex man with a big heart.  He leaves behind a loving wife and daughter and many, many good friends who remember him for his warmth and strong devotion to God and the Orthodox Jewish community.

Jon Adams, a photographer, writes the following:

"Tache is both generous with his time and with whatever sparse accommodations are available at the Orthodox synagogue ... Tache is a good listener and almost never says no...a member of the Communist Party and a true believer in the Revolution.  And so it is difficult for anyone with the North American notion of what a Communist is to reconcile his kindly compassionate demeanor and his political credentials."

 


In Memory of Isabel Maya

 

IsabelMaya.jpg (6006 bytes)

 

We regret to announce the death of Isabel Maya in Havana on May 3, 2001. She passed away shortly after a surgical procedure.  Her daughter, Maria del Carmen survives her.  The informant continues, "All the community is very sad. We will work on Maria del Carmen's well-being". May she be comforted among the mourners of Israel and Zion.

 

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In Memory of Luis Chanivecki



1927 ...  2000

We lovingly remember our dear friend Luis Chanivecki, a professional musician, composer, and a devout Jew. 

Luis was born in Cuba in 1927 and died there in June of 2000.    

Barukh Dayan Ha'Emet

His father, immigrated from Kiev, Ukraine, to Budapest, Hungary in order to study violin. After his first wife died, he sailed for Cuba where he met and married Luis' mother. First his sister, and then Luis, was born in Havana.  Although this was to be a temporary asylum on the way to the U.S., the family settled permanently.  Luis studied music and helped out in the family business. Later in life he was named a member of ICRT, Instituto Cubano de Radio y Televisión, where he became well known as a musician and composer of popular romantic songs, boleros, and background music for television. He also composed a musical score based on "The Diary of Ann Frank.  In his spare time, he trained himself to lead religious services and leyn Torah.  During his last years, he prided himself on being able to speak about the Jewish community and answer questions for visitors. To those of us who knew him, he will be remembered for his friendliness, warm smile, and devotion to Torah study. He was always concerned for the well being of the Patronato community and never failed to have a smile for his friends.   May he rest in peace.

Read My Friend Luis by Arturo López Levy

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