TRAVEL. Havana, Santa Clara, and Cienfuegos, Cuba. Trip 1 January 27 February 3, New York, NY TheJewishMuseum.org.

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1 Havana, Santa Clara, and Cienfuegos, Cuba TRAVEL The Jewish Museum 1109 Fifth Avenue New York, NY Under the auspices of The Jewish Theological Seminary TheJewishMuseum.org Trip 1 January 27 February 3, 2015 Trip 2 February 24 March 3, 2015

2 INTRODUCTION Members of the Jewish Museum are invited to join a special mission to Cuba under an approved U.S. Treasury Department license. The program includes six nights in Havana and an overnight stay in Cienfuegos. Our Havana base will be the Meliá Cohiba Hotel. The hotel, one of Havana s best, is operated by the Spain-based Meliá chain. In Havana, we will meet leaders of the Jewish community in Cuba, participate in moving services at the Patronato Synagogue, hear presentations by local and accompanying scholars, and visit important museums, including the internationally renowned National Museum of Fine Art s Cuban collection and Holocaust exhibit at the Sephardic Center. From Havana, there will be an overnight excursion to the outlying provinces of Santa Clara and Cienfuegos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hotel Jagua is the best in Cienfuegos. (As we will hold the rooms at our Havana hotel during the trip, the excursion only requires an overnight bag.) In the provinces, we will visit Cuba s newest synagogue, in Santa Clara, and meet with members of small but dedicated Jewish communities. To ensure a meaningful experience, it is important that participants not only have an interest in the content of the program, but also are flexible and open to the possibility of itinerary changes outside of our control as we travel. We hope you will come along on this exciting trip. CUBA, PAGE 2 OF 6

3 TENTATIVE DAILY ITINERARY Tuesday, January 27 Tuesday, February 24 Early-morning departure from Miami on charter flight to Havana. Check in to the deluxe Meliá Cohiba Hotel, one of the best in Havana. Overview and presentation: The Jews of Cuba, by Dr. Maritza Corrales, followed by orientation, reception, and dinner at the hotel (included). Dr. Corrales is a Cuban historian and professor who has dedicated her life s work to researching the history of Jews in Cuba. Based in Havana, she has been a consulting scholar to numerous research and academic institutions in Cuba, and has lectured at universities in Israel, Spain, Mexico, and Cuba. Wednesday, January 28 Wednesday, February 25 Morning: Early meeting with Dr. Mario Coyula Cowley, a Cuban architect, architectural historian, and an authority on the history and preservation of Havana. Dr. Coyula served as a Robert F. Kennedy Visiting Professor in Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University. Afternoon: Visit to the Sephardic Center in Old Havana to meet with its president, Mayra Levy, who discusses the role of Sephardic Jews in the resurgence of Jewish life in Cuba. In 2011, the Sephardic Center opened the first exhibit displayed in Cuba about the Holocaust. We Remember The Holocaust and the Creation of a Living Community shines a light on the Cuban Jewish experience of the Holocaust and raises awareness about the small Jewish community that makes Cuba its home. Evening: Dinner on our own; consider sampling one of Havana s family-run Paladares, known for homemade food. Thursday, January 29 Thursday, February 26 Morning: Accompanied by Dr. Corrales, we visit the Ashkenazi and Sephardic cemeteries; time permitting, there will be trips to sites of cultural interest before returning to central Havana for lunch (included). Afternoon: Visit to the Orthodox congregation Adath Israel to learn about its work with the elderly Jewish community in Havana and its needs in order to continue this special project. Evening: Dinner on our own or optional activities. Friday, January 30 Friday, February 27 Enjoy a private guided tour of the National Museum of Fine Arts with a curator who is also a member of Havana s Jewish community. Lunch at El Aljibe restaurant (included). Attend services at the Patronato, a conservative congregation, followed by a festive Shabbat dinner at the hotel (included). Saturday, January 31 Saturday, February 28 Free day to attend services and participate in the Jewish community. Evening: Attend a cultural activity in Havana (optional). Sunday, February 1 Sunday, March 1 Depart Havana for Santa Clara to meet with Jewish community leaders. Following lunch (included) in Santa Clara, proceed to Cienfuegos. Check into Hotel Jagua for dinner (included) and overnight stay. Monday, February 2 Monday, March 2 Morning: Meet with Jewish-community representatives in Cienfuegos; deliver donations and assess needs of community. Depart Cienfuegos and return to Havana. Afternoon: Free to explore Havana on our own. Evening: Closing dinner at the Meliá Cohiba (included). Tuesday, February 3 Tuesday, March 3 Morning: Departure from Havana; return to Miami airport. *Please note: Itinerary subject to change. CUBA, PAGE 3 OF 6

4 ACCOMMODATIONS Meliá Cohiba Hotel Meliá Cohiba, operated by the Spain-based Meliá chain, is located in Havana s downtown neighborhood of Vedado, near the waterfront and the historic center. Hotel Jagua Located in the well-known residential area of Punta Gorda in the southern city of Cienfuegos, Hotel Jagua s unique setting offers exquisite views of the placid bay. Meliá Cohiba Hotel Hotel Jagua CUBA, PAGE 4 OF 6

5 PROGRAM DETAILS Participation Limited to 30 participants, the program will entail considerable walking in Havana, including uneven terrain. Participants need to be in good health, active, able to keep up with the group, ready to travel, and experience group and cultural differences with grace. If you have any questions, call the Jewish Museum Travel Program office at Program Cost $4,250* (plus $75 Jewish Museum membership fee for non-members) Program Cost Includes:* All Cuba accommodations Full breakfast daily; 3 lunches; 3 dinners All group transportation within Cuba via deluxe air-conditioned coach. Round trip air from Miami to Havana. *Per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement available at $450. Gratuities ($150) and Cuban visa fee ($80) additional. Registration To reserve your place, please complete the reservation form and return with a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person (payable to The Jewish Museum ). Second deposit of $1,000 per person due by August 15, Balance due 120 days prior to departure. Changes All rights are reserved by the Program Directors to make faculty substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed. Insurance Participants are urged to purchase travel insurance for losses necessitated by having to cancel participation due to health issues. For your convenience, insurance forms will be sent upon registration, or consult your own agent. Please contact the Jewish Museum Travel Program at for more information. Cancellations Due to the terms and conditions related to visa applications and hotel and air refund policies, there can be NO substitutions of names, nor any refunds for deposits or payments made, associated with this trip. For this reason, we strongly recommend travel insurance for losses necessitated by having to cancel participation. CUBA, PAGE 5 OF 6

6 REGISTRATION FORM Select program dates: January 27 February 3, 2015 February 24 March 3, 2015 Please complete this form and include a non-refundable deposit. Registrations are accepted by telephone or fax. Registration forms may be mailed or faxed. Mail to: The Jewish Museum Travel Program 27 North Chestnut Street New Paltz, NY Tel Fax Name Name 2 Address Billing information: Card # Signature Expiration Security Code Check Encolsed MasterCard Visa American Express Accommodation preference: Double Room Single Room Share my room with: Disclaimer of Responsibility By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against the Jewish Museum, the Jewish Museum Travel office and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. The Jewish Museum, the Jewish Museum Travel office and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft or other conveyance which may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will the Jewish Museum, the Jewish Museum Travel office or their staffs be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, delay or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, weather, strikes, wars and other causes. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, such alterations may be made without penalty. All rights reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant s health and safety, and that of the group in general. CUBA, PAGE 6 OF 6