Cantor Lisa Levine

The Shabbat Shirah weekend at Temple Beth Shalom in San Juan Puerto Rico was delightful from beginning to end. Thank you Sue and Jimmy Klau, Rabbi Larry Rubinstein, Roz Ianneli and her children the Simcha Quartet, Emily Krasinski on piano and the welcome and warm hospitality from all. The TuBishvat concert at Moises and Trudys hacienda in the country was spectacular. Can't wait for next year's concert!

My love affair with the Jewish community of Cuba began with my first mission in 2005. With the help of Stanley Cohen and B’nai B’rith International, my synagogue spent a week getting to know the Jewish Community there. When I arrived I learned quickly that my guitar did all the talking. (to see the full article go to archive section...Cuba Captivates the Heart) My mission to help continued recently when I traveled to Cuba on my third trip, again sponsored by B’nai B’rith International during the days of Chanukah. There were so many highlights. The Sephardic synagogue hosted me in concert on the first Shabbat of Chanukah followed by dinner for the entire community of about 200 people. It was exhilarating to lead everyone in Chanukah and familiar Ladino songs where everyone was clapping and singing. No microphone and a 95 degree room did not deter our enthusiasm. Festivities continued on Sunday morning during the religious school celebration at the Patronato Jewish Community Center where the size of the school has almost quadrupled since I was there 2 years ago. After that celebration we moved on to the Orthodox Synagogue, Adat Israel, where on the rooftop enclosed air conditioned terrace, this time with a microphone, I performed my final concert of the weekend, again to over 200 people. As I sang the children and several adults got up and started Israeli dancing. I kept the music going for as long as possible, not wanting to break the joy and celebration. At the end of our trip, Steve Yoselevich our B’nai B’rith leader, presented me with a token of the Congregation’s esteem for my performance: a beautiful original oil painting done by a Cuban artist given to me by the President Jacob Berezniak. I was deeply moved and honored and will treasure that gift forever. There were other highlights in Santa Clara and Cienfuegos, the outlying regions in which Jews struggle to keep the flame alive: The new synagogue in Santa Clara and David Tacher leading a Holocaust Memorial Service at their cemetery…Claudia Barliya, a beautiful girl 9 years of age who sang Jerusalem of Gold and played Hatikva for us on her violin…lighting of Chanukah candles at the home of Rebeca Langus Rodrigues, President of the synagogue in Cienfuegos. All stand out as memorable events on the trip and important stops as we distributed gifts from B’nai B’rith International. I could talk about the people and Jewish community of Cuba for days, but words are not sufficient to express my love for this community and the wonderful people I have established relationships with over the years. At the end of the trip I gave the guitar I carried down with me to Juan David Rodriguez, a Jewish young man and son of my friend Ana Maria. I expect that when I return to Cuba the next time, I will hear that guitar playing the story of the Jews of Cuba: a story of survival, of rebirth and reconnection with the Jewish community of the world.

Lisa had a great group very early Thursday morning of the Biennial who participated in Yoga Shalom. Thanks to everyone who got up to experience prayer embodiment and a great way to start the day! Yoga Shalom will be published by URJ Press and is to be released in 2011.

Lisa had the great opportunity to work with the TAP (Teens Arts Program) teaching some Jewish Gospel to the teens. The two week camp culminated with a concert at the ARC Performing Arts Center in D.C. where we performed Reaching For Peace in the showcase. It was such a blessing to be part of the program and thanks to Tony Small for making it happen!

Lisa was recently invited to sing her concert "My Songs For The Jews of Cuba" for the Leisure World B'nai B'rith meeting. A large enthusiastic audience gathered to hear the story of her missions to Cuba along with many of the Ladino, Yiddish and Hebrew folk songs that make up her CD recorded especially to raise money for the B'nai B'rith International Jewish Cuban Relief Fund.