Chabad Friends of Cuban Jewry (CFCJ) Welcomes Back the Nissan – April Shluchim
The CFCJ welcomes back the Nissan shluchim Rabbi’s Shloime Carciente, Ahron Elberg, Avrohom Junik, Dovid Weiss from Cuba whom were sent to the island to celebrate the entire Pesach Yom Tov/holiday.
With an intense, though b”H successful, three and a half weeks of activities; starting with Rabbi’s Avrohom Junik, Dovid Weiss crossing the island from the west to the far east of the country, covering ten cities and towns in a span of 1100KM! This group of shluchim began with the important door to door Pesach distributions; containing hand baked Shmurah Matzah, wine and other Passover/Pesach goods and Spanish Passover guides. Their mandate:
Primarily providing EVERY Jew in the entire interior of the island with ALL their necessary Passover/Pesach needs. Ensuring that our less fortunate brethren living in these remote areas should as well, by means of Passover/Pesach distributions, have the ability to celebrate the holiday with dignity, celebration and joy. Following immediately with the important preparations for the se’da’rim in the far east coastal city Santiago de Cuba. Whereby, in addition to the participation of the local Jewish community, for the (about) Fourteen families who partake in CFCJ’s Kolel – Kolel Menajem. Baruch Hashem the sedaraim were celebrated with much success, indeed profoundly appreciated by the entire community.
To note: the shluchim spent the Shabbos prior, pre Nissan 11 – the Rebbe’s birthday, with the community in Saniago, in da’ve’ning, learning, and meaningful farbrengen.
An additional group, Rabbi’s Shloime Carciente, Ahron Elberg, were sent to the capital – Havana, whom began their shlichus with their door to door distributions with all the Pesach goods for our brethren living in the capital. Immediately followed by the intense preparations for CFCJ’s grand se-darim in the capital.
The first night seder was filled to capacity b”H. Aside for the participation of the local community there were about 50 tourist (the significant majority Israeli tourist) joining the seder celebration! The tourists in particular were extremely moved and impressed by the Chabad presence in Cuba, and were amazed by the beautifully prepared seder, with hand baked shmurah matzah, exquisite wine, and full splendid meal, beautiful haggadot, meaningfully reliving the exodus of Egypt, with much joy, song and dance.
The second night was more intimately celebrated namely with the community with fewer tourist families.
On chol hamoed/the intermediate days, the shluchim of the interior of the inland joined the Havana shluchim, which of course brought additional excitement to the community. And they immediately began preparing for the last days, Shvii and Achron shel Pesach culminating with a grand Moshiach seudah, which was celebrated with great ecstasy, in accordance with the spirit and content of the evening; Moshiach and redemption!
Throughout the entire yom-tov, for every te’fila, there were min’yanim and ke’rias ha-Torah in both locations, Havana – Santiago!
Immediately post the holiday Rabbi Menachem Cadaner devotedly flew down to the island to orchestrate the resumption CFCJ’s woman’s (and men’s) Mikvah project.
“Thank G -d the emissaries were very successful in their multiple missions; namely underscoring the spirit that every Jewish home in this 1100km strip would be connected to, and have the ability to fulfill the important mitzvos (precepts) associated with, the yom-tov/holiday of Passover. In the spirit and in conjunction with the famed messianic prophecy: “Ve-atem Teluktu L’Eachad Echad Beis Yisrael” – “And you, the house of Israel, will be gathered one by one”, noted Rabbi Shimon Aisenbach, Director of CFCJ.
