Conclusion

I have been honored to be able to engage in this research, to learn about the Jewbans and their trajectory, and even to share some things with the family. As I noted in the Introduction, I do not profess to be an expert on Cuba, Judaism, or Jewbans. I am still a novice, for sure. But here, I am summarizing what I see as some of the key takeaways I have identified, including areas for additional research. I also offer implications for peace educators.

First, the prevailing narrative amongst this family, and it seems among other Jewban families I read about, is that Cuba pre-revolution was a paradise and that all ended when Castro came to power. This view is not inaccurate, but it also is not complete. I believe that it has, however, created a victimization narrative that was reinforced by US policy that gave Cuban exiles the most generous benefits ever (and to this day) afforded to any immigrant group. “What is the ethos of the exile experience for us? The ethos is the sense of loss, the mythology of exile, which is very beautiful. You’re pure because you left. But more than anything else is a sense of honor and achievement. You have to achieve. Because you lost all this, you are called on to be better than anybody else. You cannot be second best. We had that inbred: You have to show people that you came from a great family in a great country that was stolen from you. You have to do great things (Powell, 2022, p. 236).