October 11, 2011 was a very special day for the Jewish community in Cuba. On that day, the Sephardic Center, which serves all of the Jewish community in Havana, opened the Mitrani Senior Center to help meet the needs of elderly members of the community.

Forty people attending the first day opening participated in a range of workshops including exercise, stretching, art, and ceramic classes. All were given a nutritious breakfast and lunch, and several arranged to have a massage and met with the nurse on staff. Dr. Mayra Levy, the Director of the Mitrani Senior Center and also head of the Sephardic Center, is a physician with 36 years of experience and is lending her expertise to the Center.

In the coming months, more people will be attending the Center and more workshops and services will be added.

The Mitrani Senior Center is key to helping elderly members of the Cuban Jewish community meet their emotional, psychological, social, and medical needs. The Sephardic Center has stepped up to the plate to help fill these essential needs: Cuban pensioners receive an average of only $12 monthly and spend 80% of their income on food; many are without a support network because family members have made Aliyah.

Dr. Levy and staff of the Mitrani Center hope that one day soon more than 100 elderly Jews will be able to attend the Senior Center. You can help make that happen. For more information or to send a tax-deductible contribution, please contact Jewish Cuba Connection at jewishcubaconnection@gmail.com.