This year has seen continued high inflation in Cuba, where JDC’s ongoing humanitarian support — food, medicine, and Jewish programming — are a lifeline for more than 600 members of the Jewish community.
The Shabbat Dinner program, a centerpiece of JDC’s presence in Cuba since 1995, brings together Jews of all ages in Havana’s Patronato Synagogue to light Shabbat candles, recite prayers, and share a meaningful community experience while enjoying a healthy, protein-rich meal. JDC provides wholesome food to 120 struggling families, snacks and nutritional supplies to students at the island’s JDC-supported Sunday school, and nourishment for both body and soul at community events.
To mitigate the effects of frequent medicine shortages on Cuba’s Jews, JDC continues to promote the community’s pharmacy, opened in 1996, that serves more than 450 individuals. For those who are homebound or living with disabilities, the Kesher program matches them with a volunteer who makes regular home visits — a poignant example of how JDC bolsters Jewish identity and involvement across the globe through Jewish volunteerism.
