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BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Despite grievances, Cuban olim
feel lucky to be in the Jewish state
By
Avi Machlis
ASHKELON, Israel, Oct. 19 (1999) - (JTA) -- As the dramatic
story of the immigration of 400 Cubans to Israel was broadcast
across the world last week, the new Israelis put the spotlight
to good use and publicly aired their grievances after many months
of silence.
But even the three drab, seven-story buildings where they live
in the Jewish Agency for Israel absorption center in Ashkelon
could not keep the immigrants from bursting with excitement. And
when a government delegation led by Absorption Minister Yuli Tamir
paid a visit to this southern coastal town last week, Grisel Hernandez
insisted on making a statement.
``I am very satisfied in Israel," said the 30-year-old former
English teacher in impressive Hebrew. ``Every day when I wake
up in bed I say thank you."
The combination of grumbling and joy accurately reflects the
complex situation these immigrants feel here today.
Many are angry at how they have been treated in the months since
their arrival, yet most of the immigrants interviewed by JTA say
they are happy to be in the country, and none said they wanted
to leave.
Although they embraced the media spotlight, they are still unsure
how the recent publicity surrounding the story will affect the
chances of their relatives, among some 1,300 Jews left in Cuba,
to emigrate.
An official close to the situation, however, said the latest
group of about 15 people, down form original estimates of 20,
had already departed Cuba and was expected in Israel on Wednesday,
indicating that the publicity has had no negative effect on the
exodus.
Typically, between 15 and 20 Cubans arrive in Israel each month,
the official said.
Only last week did Israeli military censors open the subject
to the media. As details emerged, it became clear that the Jewish
Agency had assisted in the emigration of some 400 Jews since 1995.
The Jewish Agency had entered an agreement with Fidel Castro to
keep the operation quiet in return for an obstacle-free operation.
Although the Cuban immigration was not widely known, one thing
is certain, says Hernandez: Castro ``knew about the entire thing,"
she says, wondering why the mission was shrouded in secrecy. ``Nothing
happens in Cuba that Fidel does not know. And in Cuba, professionals,
doctors and teachers cannot leave without permission from Fidel
Castro or his buddies."
Immigrants here say it is much more difficult for professionals
to secure an exit visa from the country, and Israeli officials
say the majority of the immigrants who have arrived are blue-collar
workers.
In addition, among the Jewish immigrants are many non-Jews who
are eligible for Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return,
which grants even grandchildren of a Jew the right to aliyah.
In a tiny Jewish community like Cuba, say immigrants, intermarriage
is inevitable.
``I am not Jewish, but I feel like a Jew," says Alfredo Sotolongo,
41, wearing a red cap, gold earring and bracelets, a fat cigar
wedged between his fingers. ``During the last 8 years, we were
very active in the synagogue."
Sotolongo came to Israel with Violeta Perez Nieto, his second
wife, and four stepchildren. His stepson Ewduin Perez, 24, is
also not technically Jewish. But when Jews began reviving community
life in the early 1990s after Castro became more tolerant of open
religious practice, the family started going to synagogue.
Perez's grandfather was Jacobo Perez Meshulam, who immigrated
from Turkey to Cuba and was a founder of the local synagogue.
``We lived with him, and during my childhood I always remembered
seeing the Jews swaying at prayer," says Perez, recalling the
small group of Jews who remained devout even when the regime was
less tolerant.
A few years ago, a group of youngsters began organizing activities.
``I began going to Friday night services, Shabbat morning services,
and every Sunday I participated in Hebrew classes," says Perez.
Perez mentions the name of Jose Miller, a community leader who
apparently was close with Castro, as having been one factor in
Castro's decision to let the Jews go. But he, and most other immigrants
interviewed, say they found out they could leave via rumors that
spread through the community like wildfire.
As the word spread, Perez, who was working in a cigar factory,
made his decision, and headed for the Canadian Embassy to submit
his paperwork.
Canada, which maintains relations with Cuba, helped facilitate
the emigration since there are no diplomatic ties between Israel
and Cuba.
Perez does not hide his motives, and does not profess any Zionist
ideology, yet he says he is willing to work hard, serve in the
army and start again in Israel if given the chance.
``I came because life was hard in Cuba," he says. ``We felt
like dogs in Cuba, but here I feel like the same dog with a different
collar."
Eitan Behar, who was known in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba
as Jorge, is one of the immigrants whose desire to come to Israel
stemmed from a reawakening of his Jewish identity.
Behar, a 27-year-old engineer, was the youth leader of Hatikva,
which he describes as ``a small, but very active" group in the
Jewish community in Santiago, which began to hold regular Sabbath
gatherings in 1993.
The renewal of Jewish life was ``very powerful for us, very
intense," he says in a telephone interview from Beersheva where
he lives with his wife, Nili.
``We realized we didn't know how to do services, Kabalat Shabbat,
to sing the tunes."
For help, his community turned to the Jewish community in Havana,
to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and to other
groups from the United States, Latin America and Canada.
Learning about Judaism, he says, naturally led him and Nili
to learn about Israel, where they decided to make a new life.
Behar said things are working out according to his plans, but
he admits, ``As immigrants we have several obstacles to overcome:
language, getting a job, learning a new country."
For most of the immigrants, the biggest problem is that they
have been granted immigrant rights similar to those received by
immigrants from Western countries.
But unlike their Western counterparts, Cuban immigrants were
not allowed to bring any money or property out of Cuba. Their
snappy dress in designer clothing is misleading; two suitcases
of clothing were all they were allowed to take out. The rest of
their property was nationalized.
The immigrants argue they should therefore be eligible for the
same absorption package granted to immigrants from impoverished
countries like Ethiopia. Most importantly, they want to receive
the same amount of assistance for buying an apartment.
Israel's Absorption Ministry says the average Cuban family will
receive up to $30,000 for a mortgage, while the average Ethiopian
family is granted as much as $75,000.
The Jewish Agency has allowed the Cubans to stay at their absorption
centers longer than the usual six- month period, knowing that
their status must first be ironed out.
``I am still optimistic," says Perez, echoing the sentiments
of many immigrants at the absorption center, some who were upset
at the Israeli media for making it sound like many were on the
verge of leaving the country.
``Israel is our country and we love this country," says Alexe
Colon, 23, a fiery redheaded young man who left his law studies
in Havana to come to Israel.
``We do not want to go back to Cuba, but we do want to be given
mortgage rights similar to those of the Ethiopians."
Isis Segal, 29, agrees. ``We have no work yet, and it is very
difficult, but it was very hard to keep quiet for so long," she
says. ``We only hope the publicity will not hurt the chances of
our relatives coming to Israel."
Last week, as the publicity began to dissipate, Cuba appeared
to be dispelling rumors that Jews would be kept from leaving.
Alejandro Gonzalez, Cuba's foreign minster, said Cuba had never
blocked the exit of any Jews nor had they encouraged them to leave.
Reports of a secret deal to allow Cuban Jews to leave were ``cheap
sensationalism," he said. ``We will not stop" them from emigrating,
``nor have we obliged them to do so,'' he said.
(JTA staff writer Julia Goldman in New York contributed to
this report.)
(© Jewish Telegraphic Agency Inc. The above information
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permission from JTA.)