Beth Shalom Temple (Havana)
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Script error: No such module "For". Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "check for unknown parameters".Template:Wikidata image Beth Shalom Temple (Template:Langx; Template:Langx), commonly referred to as El Patronato,[1] is a Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the Vedado neighbourhood of downtown Havana, Cuba.
Temple Beth Shalom is the main synagogue serving Havana's Jewish community of 1,500 people. The congregation was founded in 1904[2] and it serves as a hub for Jewish religious and cultural activities in the city. Construction on the current building began in 1951[3] and was completed in 1953. The synagogue receives thousands of visitors each year for both Shabbat and tours of Jewish Cuba.[4]
History
Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Jews arrived in Cuba shortly after the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. Subsequent waves of Portuguese Jews from Brazil and Dutch Jews arrived in Cuba from the 16th through 19th centuries. Ashkenazi Jews from Europe started arriving in Cuba, usually via the United States, following the Spanish-American War. The Beth Shalom congregation was established in 1904.[1]
The synagogue originally opened its doors in 1953 and was among the largest Jewish houses of worship in Havana. The temple's soaring Romanesque features fused European and Moorish-Spanish elements made it a unique, hybrid Modernist style.[1]
By the 1980s, however, shifting political tides had led to a significant decrease in the Jewish population. In 1981, the state acquired a large portion of the building to establish the Bertolt Brecht Cultural Center.[5] The much smaller Jewish population resulted in a lack of upkeep. In 1999 the building received extensive renovations with support from benefactors like the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and under the guidance of Shmuel Szteinhendler.[6]
With the relaxation of religious restrictions in Cuba, Temple Beth Shalom led a revival of public Jewish expression. The temple continues to be a presence which sustains the Cuban Jewish community. The building also houses a library of Jewish and Hebrew books.[7][8][9][10]
Temple Beth Shalom's history and current life make it a site of pilgrimage for Jewish visitors from across the globe.[4] Visitors to the synagogue have included Steven Spielberg, Sean Penn, Fidel Castro and Raul Castro.[1]
since 2017[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., the congregation does not have a rabbi, there are no rabbis residing in Cuba.[11][12]
See also
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References
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External links
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Template:Jews and Judaism in Cuba Template:Havana Script error: No such module "Navbox".
- Pages with script errors
- 1904 establishments in Cuba
- 20th-century architecture in Cuba
- 20th-century synagogues in the Caribbean
- Ashkenazi synagogues
- Ashkenazi Jewish culture in North America
- Conservative synagogues in North America
- Jewish organizations established in 1904
- Modernist synagogues
- Synagogues completed in 1953
- Synagogues in Havana