Jewish Tourism to Cuba Explodes

Our bags, tagged for Cuba, were crammed with things we were told Jewish Cubans needed: antibiotics, pain relievers, reading glasses, pens and pencils, art supplies, Spanish childrenâ??s books on Hanukkah, guitar strings, baseballs, and deflated soccer balls, each with its own inflation pin taped to the side. Heavy on pharmaceuticals, our luggage was light on bathing suits. The fabled beaches of Cuba, filled with Canadian and European tourists sipping mojitos, were not for us. United States policy has limited travel to Cuba since 1963, so group trips with an educational or religious focus are the only legal way for Americans to visit. In return, Cuba restricts U.S. groups to tours led by Cuban government guides, who leave little time for lounging on the beach.