Sephardic Jews in Cuba - From all their Habitations

Table 4

Burial of Turkish Jews in Cuba According to Sex

Years    Male   Female

1912-20    15       4
1921-30    45      31
1931-40    63      45
1941-45    45      34
Total     168     114

The lists of burials in the Jewish cementaries of Havana are also useful in determining the countries of origin of the immigrants. Almost 90% of the Sephardic Jews born outside Cuba were born in Turkey (See Table 5). The number of Jews from Syria who had immigrated to Cuba was probably higher than the 3.5% that appear in the burial lists. Between 1925 and 1935 Jews from Syria had their own religious organization, but most of them reemigrated, preferring to join their communities of origin in Mexico or in New York. (Interviews: Jose Credi, Salomon Garazi. Information about the organization of Syrian Jews-Maguen David-is recorded in the Minutes book of Bikur Holim, Archives of the Patronato, Havana.)

Table 5

Country of Origin of Sephardic Jews Buried in the Jewish Cemetery of
Havana


Turkey                       252 (89.4%)
Syria                         10 (3.5%)
Greece                            6
Italy                             3
St. Thomas                        2
Bulgaria, Palestine, France   6 (2 each)
Algiria, Tunisia, Persia      3 (1 each)
Total                            282

(22.) Interviewees remember Silivria (Silivri)--a small town in the outskirts of Istanbul, with a Jewish population of 1,200 persons prior to emigration Bulletin de l'Alliance israelite Universelle 29 (1904), p. 165-as the most important source of Sephardic immigration to Cuba, followed by Kirklisse (Kirklareli)-a small town close to Edirne, with 1,000 Jews. The survey among Sepharadim in Miami shows that 121 persons (28 interviewees, 46 fathers and 47 mothers) were born outside Cuba, 95% of them in Turkey. The largest group came from the region of Istanbul: 38 were born in Silivri, 37 in Istanbul, and 5 in Chorlu. The other group came from Thrace: 16 from Kirklareli and 17 from Edirne. Though Havana was the main center for immigrants from Istanbul and Silvri, several natives of Siivri settled in Camaguey, while those born in Edirne and Kirklareli lived in the province of Oriente.

(23.) C. R. Cameron, "Trends of Migratory Movement to Cuba," 29 September 1934, NA, 837.55/142.

(24.) Interviews with Jack Barrocas, Carmiel 1983, Group from Santiago de Cuba, Miami 1984, ICJ, Cali and Elias Maya, Miami 1984, ICJ.

(25.) Interview with Julio Crispin, Miami 1984, ICJ.

(26.) Interview with Alegra Fins.

(27.) Harry Viteles, Report on the Status of the Jewish Immigration in Cuba, February 1925 (mimeographed).

(28.) Moises Mitrani, "De La Habana," israel (Buenos Aires) agosto de 1926.

(29.) This process is partly reflected in the survey among Cuban Sepharadim in Miami: the number of residents in Camaguey and Santiago increased between 1934 and 1945, but declined following World War II (Table 6):

Table 6

Geographical Mobility of Sephardic Jews

Town                    Up to 1933  1934-45  1945-59

Havana                      14        29       40
Pinar del Rio                4         3        3
Matanzas                     3         3        2
Camaguey                    10        17        5
Santiago de Cuba             4        12        6
Oriente (exc.Santiago)       6         4        2
Other                        7         2        1