Letters from Cuba

This summary includes the following letters: “Havana, December 19, 1938,” “Havana, January 8, 1939,” “Havana, January 16, 1939,” “Havana, January 22, 1939,” “Havana, January 26, 1939,” “Havana, January 27, 1939,” “Havana, February 2, 1939,” “Havana, February 4, 1939,” and “Havana, February 5, 1939.”

Esther and Papa prepare to leave for Havana. Señora Graciela urges Esther to keep the sewing machine. Francisco gives Esther a fine, decorated porcelain teacup he brought from China. He has a matching cup and imagines that when she drinks tea in Havana, he will drink tea in Agramonte. They wish each other good luck rather than saying goodbye.

In Havana, Rifka gives them keys to the shop and the apartment. Out of grandmotherly affection for Esther, Rifka enrolled Esther in the school for Jewish children and paid for the first term. Rifka is glad Esther will be with other Jews, but Esther knows if she had only stayed with the Jewish population, she would not have met her friends or truly experienced life in Cuba. Rifka tearfully leaves on her journey to New York. Esther and Papa settle into their new home, appreciating the new sounds and sights of life in Havana.

Esther has kept up well with her studies. Although kids at school tease her about living in the “jungle,” they stop when she tells them about Señor Eduardo and the Nazi presence in Cuba. Everyone worries about their extended families in Europe. After school, Esther helps Papa run the store.

Esther and Papa visit the steamship ticket office: The ship with Malka and the rest of the family should arrive in 10 days, but there is a rumor that the Cuban government may deny entry to Hebrew refugees. Papa prays, and Esther also prays privately.

Esther prays that Malka is not seasick, that Mama will be happy in Cuba, that Bubbe realizes how much Papa wants to see her, that her brothers mind their manners, that Malka loves Cuba, and that she sees Malka again and distance has not changed their relationship.

When the ship arrives, Papa and Esther wait eagerly outside the immigrant building in Triscornia. Health inspectors board the ship and some passengers emerge, but night falls with no sign of the family. Papa and Esther try not to lose hope. They return the next day, and Esther’s three brothers run to them, followed by Mama. Mama looks exhausted and is missing a front tooth. She immediately beings crying. Mama explains that Bubbe did not come with them. Bubbe felt she was too old for the difficult trip and did not want to leave her homeland. She hopes they will return to Poland someday. Papa is crushed.

Malka, depressed and worried about Bubbe, suffered from seasickness on the trip. A doctor is examining her to see if she is healthy enough to enter Cuba or whether she may be returned to Poland. The family waits anxiously to see if Malka will join them.

Malka finally emerges—thin, frail, and listless. Papa and Esther support Mama and Malka as they travel to the shop. Mama is glad to see Havana is an attractive city, not a jungle. Mama likes the sunshine and the shop and apartment. Malka is uninterested in her surroundings. Esther decides to keep writing letters since Malka seems so distant and because writing consoles Esther. She will someday get journals for herself and for Malka.

Esther gives Mama a dress she has made for her, and Mama praises her work, even telling Esther she is proud of her. Mama is no longer angry with Esther and Papa for going to Cuba, but she is upset by the political situation that forced the family out of Govorovo and is worried about the people back home. Esther assures Mama there are kind people in Cuba. Mama explains that she lost her tooth when she tripped and fell. Malka eats sparsely and stays in bed: Esther knows she needs to release her sadness.

Saturday, when the rest of the family is at synagogue, Malka begins to come out of her depression. She eats breakfast and wears the green dress Esther made for her instead of her heavy woolen dress. Malka suggests she could embroider details on Esther’s dresses as Bubbe taught her. The two take turns reading Esther’s letters aloud. Malka is surprised that Esther wrote them all for her. Esther admits the writing also helped record her memories. The girls keep the letters secret. When the family returns home, they are happy to see Malka looking better.

As they drink Juan Chang’s sour cherry tea, Malka enthusiastically declares that she wants to meet Esther’s friends in Agramonte. Esther and Malka take the train to Agramonte the next day. They visit everyone. Señora Graciela and Doctor Pablo invite them in for food, which Malka eats with gusto. They see Esther’s old house. They visit Juan Chang and Francisco. Juan gives Malka more sour cherry tea, and Malka says “gracias,” her first Spanish word. Francisco gives Esther a drawing of a ship filled with refugees.

At Ma Felipa’s house, Malka tastes water from the Yemayá fountain and sugarcane that Mario José brings her. Manuela now attends secondary school.

Malka sees the ceiba tree, hugs it, and begins to cry. Ma Felipa and Manuela sing the Yemayá song while Mario José drums. Malka finishes crying, and Esther sees that her sadness is gone. Malka returns to herself and wants to read all the rest of Esther’s letters. Esther welcomes her to Cuba.