By Max Sutton-Smolin
CHICAGO–This fall, I was selected by the Northwestern University Fielder Hillel Center to travel to the island of Cuba in March 2010. This is a rare opportunity given the travel restrictions to Cuba however; approximately 30 Northwestern students will participate in this humanitarian aid and cultural exchange program. This will be the fourth annual trip to the island sponsored by the Northwestern University Fiedler Hillel Center.
Our trip is focused on providing aid to the small but vibrant Jewish community of Cuba. Due to the current political situation on the island, the people are in dire need. Thus, we bring aid in the form of food, toiletries, medicine and vitamins, and much more.
Additionally, the Jewish community of Havana operates the only free private pharmacy on the Island. They distribute medications to anyone in the local Cuban community regardless of religious affiliation; but the pharmacy is totally dependent on medical donations from groups such as ours. In addition to bringing aid, we will be participating in community service projects with the youth group at the Jewish Community Center in Havana.
I am kindly requesting that my friends and family be involved in this special and once-in-a-lifetime project. You can help by making a tax-deductible donation to Northwestern University Fiedler Hillel Center, and earmark the gift for the Cuba trip. If you would like to help, please kindly send a donation check to: Fiedler Hillel Center 629 Foster Street Evanston, IL 60201. Hillel’s tax ID number is E9988-7101-05, under the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact our trip leaders Drew at
d-kotler@northwestern.edu or Myriam at m-schroeter@northwestern.edu
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Sutton-Smolin is the son of Marcia Sutton and Rocky Smolin