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Matching Action to Word
Zachariah, on the right, with David Thatcher, leader of the Jewish community, in Santa Clara, Cuba.
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A New York Times article published in 2007 describing the plight of Jews in Cuba inspired an ostensibly impossible mission undertaken recently by Zachariah Reitano ’09: to bring a rabbi to Cuba to serve as the spiritual leader for the nation’s Jewish community. Fifty years after the Castro regime seized power in Cuba, the number of Jews left in the nation hovers over just one thousand — a number that pales in comparison to the 25,000 who lived there in pre-Castro years. “My goal is to give the people of Cuba a rabbi — a teacher who will be an example of a life lived according to the Torah,” said Zachariah. Zachariah traveled to Cuba twice during his Sixth Form year and again in July, after graduation, to forge relationships with members of the Cuban Jewish community. He found an enthusiastic supporter of his goal in Marc Fleisher of International B’nai B’rith, an organization that regularly sponsors Cuban Jewish Relief Project missions. Before meeting Fleisher, Zachariah’s rabbi proposal was rejected by everyone he approached. They cited great political obstacles, significant financial hurdles, restrictive laws and overwhelming community needs. Many believed it was simply too late to halt the decline of a strong Jewish community. Working from inexpensive hotels and rented rooms in private homes, Zachariah initiated a community outreach effort for his cause with the help of some supporters. “We met with members of every community, every leader and eventually with Isidro Gomez Santos, the minister of religion,” said Zachariah. “Slowly, the barriers fell, enthusiasm built and failure seemed less certain. Finally, success became the only consideration.” During his most recent trip to Cuba, Zachariah laid the groundwork for the formation of the Cuban Humanitarian Educational Program (CHEP), now in its final stages of organization. CHEP’s early efforts will focus on creating a publicity campaign and a Web site to document its progress and raise money to fund the rabbi initiative. Eventually, CHEP hopes to identify a rabbi for Cuba from Mexico or Argentina. In the meantime, it is busy delivering educational materials, medicine, food, water purifiers and clothes to the people of Cuba. While at Westminster, Zachariah was a day prefect, member of the debate club, and president of the Jewish Student Organization. He also developed a patent-pending design for a cane tip. During his initial trips to Cuba, Zachariah says his Westminster teachers were very understanding of his absences and helped him transition back into his studies each time he returned to school. He credits them with helping him to develop the skills to take on challenges that would otherwise have seemed insurmountable. Currently, Zachariah is attending Columbia University and continuing his efforts to bring a rabbi to Cuba. “We have all spoken of our responsibility to keep alive the memory of those who sacrificed all for their faith, and we have all been vigilant in identifying even the slightest assault on religious freedom,” he said. “This program was my opportunity to match action to word, to be true to myself and to become who I want to believe I am. My work in Cuba is far from over, but so far the Cuban Jews have taught me more than they know. I plan on returning the favor.”