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Tifereth Israel Mission to Cuba
Led by Rabbi Josh Dorsch
November 4-12, 2020

Tour Rates & Dates:

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*Please note that all rates displayed are based on standard room double occupancy.
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Tour Overview:

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Cuba:
A land frozen in time - so close yet decades away.
A Jewish community dedicated to its heritage across half a century of isolation and prevalent atheism.
A rich and vibrant culture, filled with dance and song, class cars and donkey carts, rum and cigars.
Experience all this and more as we step back in time together.

INCLUDED:
1 night in a South Florida airport hotel
5 nights Hotel Iberostar Parque Central, Havana
2 nights Melia San Carlos, Cienfuegos
All touring and sightseeing in a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle with an expert English-speaking guide
Meeting with Jewish leaders and community members
Breakfast daily
6 dinners, including Shabbat dinner in Havana
7 lunches
Dominoes or dance therapy with Sephardic Senior Center
Habana Compas Dance performance
Cigar factory tour
Vocal Clave del Sol program
Optional Fabrica D'la Arte program
Classic car ride
Entrance fees as per itinerary
Porterage
Bottled water on the bus

NOT INCLUDED:
Roundtrip airfare, departure taxes and fuel surcharges (group flights coming January 2020)
Border taxes or visas (visas to be purchased directly at airport from the airline)
Tips to guide, driver and dining room waters ($18 per person, per day; pre-collected)
Meals not listed above
Optional Tropicana show ($120/person)
Items of a personal nature
Travel insurance (recommended - group policy available)

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Wednesday, November 4, 2020: DEPARTURE

• We depart on our flight to South Florida.
• Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel to check in and spend the evening at leisure with dinner on own.

Overnight in South Florida

Day 2: Thursday, November 5, 2020: WELCOME TO CUBA!

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We transfer to the airport for our flight to Havana, Cuba.
• Upon arrival, we meet our guide and driver.
• We begin our tour at the Sephardic Center and meet with Mayra Levy, President of the congregation, who discusses the role of Sephardic Jews in the resurgence of Jewish life in Cuba. While here, we also meet some of the seniors and partake in dominoes or dance therapy.
• Next, we visit the Habana Compas Dance headquarters to enjoy a dynamic musical performance and interact with the dancers and instructors.
• We stop for lunch at San Cristobal.
• After lunch, we set out on a walking tour of Old Havana (Havana Vieja), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Along the way, we learn about the history of Havana as we visit highlights of the city and the colonial plazas, as well as Jewish points of interest such as the Jewish themed Raquel Hotel.
• We check into our hotel with time to refresh, then set out to enjoy a welcome dinner together at El Mediterraneo paladar.
• Optional: After dinner, choose to visit to the artists of Fabrica D'la Arte, a former cooking oil factory, which comes alive on weekend nights and features the best avante garde art in the country (pay your way for taxi).

Overnight in Havana

Day 3: Friday, November 6, 2020: HISTORIC HAVANA

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we learn about the art and tradition of cigar rolling in Cuba on a tour of the Partagas Cigar Factory and see the process from leaf to finished product and ultimately distribution.
• Next, we visit the Patronato/Beth Shalom synagogue and meet with community leaders to learn more about Jewish life in Cuba.
• We stop for lunch together at Mambo.
• Following lunch, we visit Vocal Clave del Sol, a musical education program for children founded in 2009, where we have the chance to interact with some of the students and teachers and learn about the importance of this program.
• Later this afternoon, we take in a panoramic overview of the city including Revolution Square, which is dominated by the José Martí Memorial. This famous square is where Fidel Castro delivered the majority of his lengthy political addresses. We complete our tour today with a stop to view the Rosenberg Memorial and Lennon Park.
• We return to our hotel for a chance to refresh.
• As the sun sets, we join together to participate in Shabbat services with the local community at the Patronato, followed by Shabbat dinner either at the synagogue or nearby.

Overnight in Havana

Day 4: Saturday, November 7, 2020: SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we are free for optional services at the orthodox Adat Israel synagogue, where we pray and hear from community leader Jacob Berezniak (about a 15-20 minute walk).
• After, we return to our hotel for an included dairy lunch.
• This afternoon, we walk to the National Museum of Fine Arts to see the Cuban art collections from colonial to contemporary.
• We continue to the Museum of the Revolution, where we gain an understanding of the momentous change that has occurred in Cuba due to the Revolution over 50 years ago.
• Spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring on own or relaxing at our hotel.
• Free evening for dinner on own (assistance with reservations will be provided).
• This evening, we join together for dinner at Café del Oriente.
• Optional: After dinner, attend the classic “vegas style” show at the Tropicana (separate cost), operating since 1939!

Overnight in Havana
Day 5: Sunday, November 8, 2020: SANTA CLARA TO CIENFUEGOS

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We depart for Santa Clara, an important city founded in the 1600's, where Che Guevara won a significant battle, leading to the success of the revolution in 1959.
• Upon arrival, we view the Che Guevara memorial for a photo opportunity as we learn about this well-known figure of the Cuban Revolution who worked with Fidel Castro.
• We stop for lunch at Aldeaba paladar.
• Next, we meet with David Tacher, a leading representative of the Santa Clara Jewish community. Here, we will learn about the local community and deliver our gifts and aid.
• We transfer to Cienfuegos to check into our hotel and have a chance to refresh.
• This evening, we join together for a lovely dinner at Finca Del Mar overlooking the water.

Overnight in Cienfuegos

Day 6: Monday, November 9, 2020: TRINIDAD

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• Today, we meet with Rebecca Langus and learn about Cienfuegos' Jewish community with time to deliver gifts.
• We depart for the beautiful colonial town of Trinidad, a charming city settled in 1514 and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
• Along the way, we enjoy lunch at San Jose paladar.
• We enjoy a walking tour of historic Trinidad, a 500-year old city with Spanish colonial architecture. Only a few square blocks in size, historic Trinidad is famous for its lovely cobblestone streets, pastel houses with wrought iron grills, as well as beautiful palaces and plazas. Along the way, we'll learn about the efforts to preserve the city's heritage.
• Next, we meet with the famous Santander family, well-known local potters, and visit their workshop and gallery. These artists have been making handmade pottery for over 100 years.
• We return to Cienfuegos for dinner at Villa Lagarto.

Overnight in Cienfuegos
Day 7: Tuesday, November 10: RETURN TO HAVANA

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• This morning, we tour Cienfuegos, including Parque Marti, where we learn about this UNESCO World Heritage site, founded by French immigrants in 1819.
• We enjoy a moving performance by Cantores de Cienfuegos at Museo Provincial de Cienfuegos.
• We travel back to Havana, stopping for lunch along the way.
• Once back in Havana, we visit the impressive Fuster house/studio to see this unique mosaic masterpiece and learn about the artist's project to beautify the community he lives in. This artists' colony is a perfect place to acquire an array of crafts, paintings and sculptures.
• We check into our hotel with time to relax and refresh.
• Evening at leisure and dinner on own (dining options can be provided).

Overnight in Havana

Day 8: Wednesday, November 11, 2020: HEMINGWAY IN HAVANA

• Breakfast at our hotel.
• This morning, we visit nearby Finca Vigia, the villa that Hemingway called home for 21 years. His home is now a museum with many of his personal belongings, and we learn about how Cuba influenced his writing.
• We stop for lunch at Finca Yoandra/Il Divino and take a glimpse into this organic urban farm and community project with a private restaurant in the outskirts of Havana.
• On the way back to Havana, we stop at the Jewish cemetery in Guanabacoa, including a chance to view the Holocaust Memorial, and hear stories of some of Havana's leading Jewish citizens of the past.
• This evening, we enjoy a classic car ride from our hotel to our farewell dinner at El Mediterraneo and reminisce about all that we have experienced together.
• After dinner, we have the option to be dropped off at the famous Hotel Nacional, where we can explore this historic hotel and enjoy a drink in the world-famous bar surrounded by history. Cover charge required (not included) and return to hotel on own by taxi.

Overnight in Havana

Day 9: Thursday, November 12, 2020: DEPARTURE

• Breakfast and check out of our hotel.
• We transfer to the airport for our flight home.



The Memories Last Forever!!
*Itinerary subject to change