The best way to connect with Jewish heritage in Havana

Jan 30, 2024By Abel Hernández Eskenazi
Abel Hernández Eskenazi

If you are planning a trip to Havana, Cuba, and are interested in exploring the Jewish heritage and culture of the city, then a Havana Jewish Tour is a must-do activity.

What is Havana Jewish Tour?

At Havana Jewish Tour, we are proud to offer tour guide services focused on showcasing Havana's rich Jewish heritage and current affairs from the perspective of the members of this community themselves. Our mission is to create attractive and educational tourist experiences focused on blending Cuban Jewish heritage with the enjoyment of the local attractions of the Cuban capital. 

Abel, our tour guide

Our guide, Abel Hernández Eskenazi, has been an active member of the Jewish community since he was a child. He is part of several of the community projects such as the Albert Einstein Sunday School, the youth organization and religious services. Abel has a degree in Telecommunications and Electronics Engineering, but he is also an enthusiastic student of Jewish history in Cuba. This combination of backgrounds led him to participate in the development of the app "Jews in Cuban History" about the impact of the Jewish minority in the different Cuban historical periods.

Abel, the guide of Havana Jewish Tour
Abel Hernández Eskenazi, our guide.

What do we offer at Havana Jewish Tour?

In Havana Jewish Tour we can offer a series of services that seek to connect the visitor directly with the heritage and current affairs of the Jewish community in Havana. 
In Walking Jewish Tour we walk through some of the most important Jewish places in the history of the Jewish presence in Havana. It can be offered both in the Vedado neighborhood and in Old Havana. It can include visits to the 3 active synagogues in Havana, a holocaust memorial museum, a library, classrooms of the only Jewish school in the country, the community pharmacy and the building of the first Jewish institution in the country. Taking a taxi can also include a visit to the only kosher boutique hotel in the country, Chateau Blanc, and a kosher lunch, should the visitor so desire. For more details about this service please visit the Walking Jewish Tour here.

Walking Jewish Tour in Havana
Walking Jewish Tour in Havana

In Classic Car Jewish Tour we offer the possibility of visiting the Jewish sites mentioned above, both in Vedado and Old Havana, from the comfort and elegance of a vintage car. We also include the possibility of visiting the Jewish cemetery of Guanabacoa, which due to its remoteness can only be included in a tour with transportation. It also has the possibility of including the visit to attractive places in Havana such as the Capitol, the National Hotel, the Malecon, El Morro Fortress, etc. For more details about this service please visit the Classic Car Jewish Tour here.

Classic Car Jewish Tour
Classic Car Jewish Tour

 At Havana Jewish Tour we complement your visit to Cuba's Jewish heritage with local attractions in Havana. That's why we also offer you the possibility to tell us which places in the city or the country you wish to visit and then we will prepare an itinerary that will make your wishes come true. To learn more about our On Demand service, please visit here.

On Demand tour in Cuba
On Demand Tour

The connection of Cuban culture with dance and music is well known in the world. At Havana Jewish Tour we offer salsa and rikudim (traditional Jewish dances)  lessons to immerse you in the best of Jewish and Cuban tradition and create an unforgettable experience for any visitor. To learn more about our Salsa/Rikudim lessons, please visit here.

Salsa/Rikudim lessons in Havana
Salsa/Rikudim lessons in Havana

We also want you to take a piece of your journey home with you and share it with the rest of your family. That is why we offer the sale of Jewish-Cuban souvenirs that will allow you to immortalize your Jewish heritage trip. To learn more about our Cuba Jewish Souvenirs, please visit here.

Cuban Jewish Souvenirs
Cuban Jewish Souvenirs

Likewise, from Havana Jewish Tour we can offer virtual tours about the history of the Cuban Jewish community, as well as about the current situation of this community and the challenges it faces. If you represent an educational center that wants to address the subject of Jews in Cuba or a virtual tourism agency also focused on Jewish heritage, you can contact us to organize a virtual tour for your audience. To learn more about our Jewish Cuba Virtual Tour, please visit here.

Jewish Cuba Virtual Tour
Jewish Cuba Virtual Tour

Why Havana Jewish Tour is the best option?

Havana Jewish Tour is a tourist experience project specialized in the public interested in learning about the history and reality of the Cuban Jewish community, therefore employing a guide who is one of the most active members of the community and who is involved in more projects of the community. We can also complement the Jewish heritage tours with attractions in Havana such as classic cars or visits to tourist sites in this city and the country in general. We give you the opportunity to participate in a unique dance class of its kind in the country, in which we mix salsa and traditional Jewish dances. We offer you personalized souvenirs with a Cuban Jewish theme. We can arrange your visit and accommodation in a kosher hotel and your participation in the religious services held in Havana's synagogues. What else do you need? 
We are the best way to connect with Jewish heritage in Havana.