By Sergio Carmona | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
January 20, 2009
During President Barack Obama's campaign, he promised to lift both
family travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans visiting the island and
the cap on how much money they can send to their relatives. He also
mentioned that he would like to meet with Cuban President Raul Castro.
Members of the South Florida Cuban Jewish community discussed what they
feel about Obama's plans for the island.
"We have to understand that there must be a balance between the current
U.S policy and the needs of the Cuban people who have been suffering for
the last decades and the last three hurricanes of 2008," said Marcos
Kerbel, 62, who came to the United States on the Pedro Pan Exodus when
he was 14 and is the president of Temple Beth Shmuel-Cuban Hebrew
Congregation in Miami Beach.
Bernardo Benes, a 74-year-old Surfside resident who arrived in Miami in
1960, expects Obama to make a difference in Cuba.
"People are suffering, families are not united, and it's one of the
poorest countries in the world," he said. "I do expect him to change the
policies in Cuba. He might not, but it will be a disappointment to me
because it makes sense to change the policies of Cuba."
Fabio Nick, a 64-year-old North Miami Beach resident who left Cuba when
he was 14, said that the Cubans' support for Obama during the election
has to do with the fact that they want to go back to see their family.
Nick, who also has family there, would like to visit.
"Me, personally, I would go back in a heartbeat," he said. "My kids want
to see it. They'd love to see where we were born and the schools that we
went to. To them it's something that they want to see."
Stephanie Schmulian, a 25-year old Boca Raton resident, is looking
forward to the possibility of finally traveling to Cuba if Obama can
lift the restrictions.
"Hopefully Obama will be able to open the doors for us so I'll be able
to go and see where our roots are from, see our parents' both homes, see
where they went to school, and see where they ate," she said.
Sergio Grobler, a 67-year-old Miami Beach resident who left Cuba when he
was in his late teens, said that he would not go back to visit because
he doesn't want to support the same regime that has been there for 50
years. However, he does feels that the Obama administration should open
up dialogue with the Cuban government.
"People have to have communication," he said. "You have to speak with
your enemies. If you don't speak to your enemies then they will forever
be your enemies."
Gilda Romano, a 30-year-old lawyer for Arnstein & Lehr in Ft. Lauderdale
and Aventura resident whose parents were born in Cuba, said she doesn't
agree with opening up dialogue right away.
"I think we need to proceed with caution and this needs to be done on a
very step-by-step basis," she said. "I don't think the Cuban government
has earned talks with them [U.S. government] right now."
Romano, however, agrees with Obama in expanding the cap.
"I think its important that community there stop relying on the
government for assistance because it's the only thing they really rely
on for some help but I think if we take off the limits then that will
assist in their own livelihood," she said.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/cuba/sfl-fljjdcinauguralcuban0120jjpnjan20,0,6275640.story
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