ENGLISH CORNER, CON LINDA JIMÉNEZ – This week’s trivia question: Why does the Jewish population of Cuba fluctuate so much that it makes it difficult to calculate how many Jews there actually are in the country?

Linda Hirsch is a photographer and psychologist from Sudbury, Massachusetts, where she is a member of Congregation Beth El. Although for decades travel to Cuba has been severely restricted for Americans, members of this congregation and other Jewish groups have received special permission from the United States government to visit Jewish communities there, for the purpose of engaging in religious activities. After her first trip to Cuba in 2001, Linda volunteered to coordinate Beth-El’s project known as “Cuba Connection”, which provides assistance in different areas to Jewish communities there. Linda just came back from her seventh trip to Cuba, and we spoke with her about how its Jewish community has evolved over the last 13 years, and what the future may have in store for it, in the light of recent changes in United States policy toward Cuba.

LINKS TO PREVIOUS ENGLISH CORNER PROGRAMS WITH LINDA HIRSCH:

March 14, 2009—The Jewish Community in Cuba

October 19, 2011—Cuba Connection

February 20, 2013—Connecting with Cuban Jews