No Todos Nos
Fuimos:
Oral Histories from the Cuban Jewish Community
“No Todos Nos Fuimos [Not All of Us Left]”
will be a one hour documentary exploring the history, memory,
and everyday lives of the Cuban Jewish community in their own
words. By interweaving oral histories, archival images, home movies,
voice overs of memoirs and poetry, and trips through Jewish neighborhoods
old and new, the film will chronicle recurring waves of community-building
and diaspora.
Project History
The originators of “No Todos Nos Fuimos” were
members of El Patronato Community Center in Havana - such as Lourdes
Albo Puentes, Adela Dworin, and Dr. José Miller. They felt that
it was urgent to begin recording the memories of “los de tercer
edad” [the senior citizens], as they were the last surviving members
of the community who had lived through, and could remember, the
bulk of its history. This sentiment was supported by younger members
of the congregation - such as Liver Maya, Deborah Bradman, and
Alberto Popovsky - who felt such a project would be a valuable
legacy for their generation, many of whom grew up without ever
being exposed to this history.
New York-based
director Miriam Greenberg became involved after travelling to
Cuba in 1998 as a translator on the American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee’s [JDC] medical aid mission. Once she found out
about the oral history project, she volunteered to coordinate
the effort, and was provided with initial start-up funds by the
JDC. Since then she has worked with members of El Patronato to
record over 60 hours of oral histories with members of the community
around Havana — including El Patronato, Chevet Achim, and
Adath Yisroel congregations —
as well as across the island — including Santa Clara, Camaguey,
and Santiago de Cuba. She is working now to weave these into a
documentary film, and to create a permanent video archive at El
Patronato.
Project Themes
The interviews cover the following historical
themes:
• The early waves of immigration from the
United States, Turkey, Syria, and Eastern and Western Europe,
in the terms of the forces driving them and the experience of
discovering Cuba.
• The economic, political, and cultural
life of the earliest “barrios Judios,” [Jewish neighborhoods],
such as Havana Vieja, and how they developed in the 20’s, 30’s,
and 40’s.
• The experience of WWII, in terms
of the shock of hearing about the Holocaust, the response of the
community, and the arrival of the refugees at that time
• The post-WWII economic boom, when many Jews
were able to move into middle class neighborhoods and build new
synagogues.
• The impact of the Cuban Revolution after
which 90% of the community left for the U.S, Latin America, and
Israel -- how this was experiened by those who left, and those
who stayed behind.
• The aftermath of the Revolution, in terms
of the new life those who emigrated created in Miami, and the
efforts of those who stayed “to keep the candle of the community
lit” in the face of many difficulties.
• The period after 1989, when religious
restrictions were loosened in Cuba, and since when what some call
a “renacimiento” [rebirth] of Jewish traditions and education
has occured
Within these broad historical parameters,
“No Todos Nos Fuimos” seeks to be as representative as possible,
gathering oral histories from Ashkenazis and Sephardis; orthodox,
conservative, reform, and secular Jews; men and women; and those
to the right, left, and center of the political spectrum. And
while the majority of the interviewees are members of the older
generation, we seek the perspective of those of the second and
third generation as well.
Cinematic Approach
The oral histories themselves take
place in people’s homes as well as in places of historical significance
to the Cuban Jewish community, such as synagogues, old Jewish
neighborhoods, and the sites of old cultural organizations and
schools. In addition, through voiceovers the film will incorporate
a wealth of poetry and prose produced by the community in a number
of Cuban Jewish newspapers, publications, and personal memoirs.
Both the interviews and voiceovers will be intercut with archival
footage including: photographs, home movies, newsreels, newspaper
articles, maps, and other important documents.
Schedule
After taking
three trips to Cuba, and shooting 60 hours of footage, Miriam
Greenberg is now working on editing a final cut of the film.
How
you can help
In order to make No Todos Nos Fuimos
a reality, we desperately need your help! This production is a
volunteer effort completely funded through individual donations
and grants, and any contribution you might be able to offer, large
or small, would be deeply appreciated. In addition, any information
about people who would be important to interview, or about photographs,
home movies, poetry, memoirs, articles, stories, or anything else
that would enrich the piece, would be very helpful. Contact
Miriam Greenberg at mgreenbe@pratt.edu.
Background of the
director
Miriam Greenberg has been an independent
documentary producer and video teacher for many years, with a
particular interest in oral histories. This began with a project
gathering oral histories from the longtime residents of East Palo
Alto, California, which was ultimately made into the award-winning
documentary, East Palo Alto: Dreams of a City. She also spent
five years helping to create the El Puente Media and Technology
Center in the Puerto Rican and Dominican neighborhood of Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. There she worked with young people to produce videos
on a topics ranging from youth culture to lead poisoning, which
aired on public access and PBS stations nationwide. She is also
pursuing her doctorate in Sociology at the City University of
New York Graduate Center, and is Assistant Professor in Media
and Cultural Studies at Pratt Institute.