2 Bris Milahs – 6000 Miles Apart

Chabad Friends of Cuban Jewry’s (CFCJ) has performed two brisim circumcisions in Havana and one across the entire country in a smaller city named Guantanamo.

Over the years, the Sklar family living in Havana has had a very close connection with Chabad’s people. Viviane, the mother of the baby, herself as a youngster joined, among other activities, Chabad’s annual summer camp for many years.

As well later joined Chabad’s Student Placement Program (SPP) whereby spending important time studying in the Majon Ohr Chaya Seminary in Buenas Aires, Argentina..

When Chabad learned that she gave birth to a baby boy, it was clear that the organization would completely undertake the arrangements for the circumcision (bris).

Early Monday morning (the 23rd of Jan.) Rabbi Danny Illoulian – a veteran representative of the CFCJ – traveling many times to the island and has developed a close affiliation with Viviane and her family, flew together with mohel Rabbi Y. Fisher for this very special ceremony.

Upon their arrival, all was set for the performance of this unique and auspicious Mitzvah. After naming the baby Aaron – after the high priest Aaron, and after much celebration they with much emotion they parted from the family, not before leaving behind a complete load of important staples and necessities for the baby and the entire family.

The following day, Tuesday, the 24th of January, they flew 1000km South East of the country to the city Guantanamo. As they pulled up to the home emotions ran high, four generations of the Mizari family, Mari with the baby, her mother and grandmother, were waiting there with much excitement for this very special moment.

For under their circumstances the true essentiality of performing a bris was much appreciated, though due to the remoteness and isolation within the island, it was not easy for them to move forward with the important implementation of the bris, and for that matter at this point the baby was five and a half months since birth.

As of two weeks prior, Chabad emissaries Rabbis Menachem Rosenblum and Menajem Jalusi were painstakingly crossing the island with their Chanukah distributions and gifts.

Small pockets of Jews living in at least 15 cities and towns throughout the interior across the island, most of them have not been privileged to receive neither material nor spiritual assistance for years, maybe decades.

The CFCJ, as per its mandate to reach out to every single Jew on the island, has established a very personal connection with these Jewish families living in these cities and towns, and has undertaken to provide them with their basic needs around the year, and at this time of the year all their Chanukah needs –

These emissaries to the interior at this Chanukah encounter had a serious though tender talk with the Mizari family regarding the realization of this important step, guaranteeing them that there is no real room for any concern (as this is a daily practice done in the thousands around the globe) as well the Mohel himself being a certified physician, the family ultimately unanimously conceded to move forward.

As the Mohel was in this time frame going to perform the noted Havanian bris, the CFCJ immediately orchestrated the Guantanamo bris to be performed in this same journey.

As per their arrival immediately the table was laden with a delicious spread in honor of the occasion. In no time the ceremony began and with the Mohel’s final preparations, the Brocho (blessing) was heard and was deeply felt in the hearts of all.

Rabbi Illoulian was honored with giving the name, Yosef, after our great hero Yosef the Righteous (of the book of Genesis which we have recently concluded). As in the day prior – with much tears and exhilaration Mazal Tov was announced by all.

After much celebration, they were off to the capital, again leaving all the important necessities for mother, baby and the entire family.

Within a few hours after the CFCJ received an e-mail from Mari from Guantánamo.

“Hello, Mary de Guantánamo Cuba writing you, the mother of the child of brit mila, first of all I would like to thank you for taking interest in making my son circumcision despite how far we live and how difficult it is to get here. I would also like to point out that in spite of being Jews we must adapt to the system in which we live, but we are grateful that G -d put His hand in the decision and experience everything went well. My baby has progressed satisfactorily thanks to G -d It is a blessing of G –d this which happened to us, thank you very much again for everything.”

In the past CFCJ has performed many circumcisions, for which the significant majority were adults, and up to the age of 56 years.

“Due to the deterioration of structured Judaism over approximately the past 40 years, (although not as a directed result of anti-Semitism), something as elementary as a Mohel the community did not have,” noted Rabbi Shimon Aisenbach Director of the CFCJ.

“As we began our activities on the island, and upon learning that so many members of the community were uncircumcised this naturally became a main focus of our activities. In one day CFCJ organized 17 circumcisions from the ages 2-26 years.”

“We are privileged and humbled to be of assistance to this isolated community. We have seen much success, thank G-d, and with His generosity we look forward to further help and provide for our fellow Jews in Cuba. Being G-ds messengers to bring light joy spirituality and sustenance all His children.”