When Castro came to power in 1959,
the Jewish population of Cuba numbered 15,000. Though most have
since emigrated, the remaining Jews have had an uncertain fate.
In the 1990s, there is a resurgence of custom and belief among
the Cuban Jews.
The film opens with scenes of
the Jewish cemetery, the ghosts of which haunt and give shape
to the film. Abraham, a
middle-aged man who remembers better times, lives in Havana,
a city with a great Jewish presence. Wanting to maintain his
traditions, Abraham lovingly prepares his son for his bar mitzvah,
the first such event in Cuba in 15 years.
Eugenia lives in a smaller city. She was brought up in a strict
Jewish manner, with her dead father's wish to see his daughter
marry a Jew.
With few potential Jewish husbands
to choose from, Eugenia finally marries an understanding Cuban.
Their two daughters are being raised in the Jewish faith. Without
a synagogue, Eugenia has to piece the tradition together in
part from stories her father told her.
This is a very thoughtful film, easy to view with its large
English subtitles. It is recommended for school and public libraries
that emphasize Jewish, Latin American, or ethnic studies.
