Mar 02, 2009, 11:02 AM
Cuba trip provides visit to gravesite of great aunt
By Susan Jacobs / Special to the Reporter
Sun Mar 01, 2009, 09:49 PM EST
Marblehead - Shari Frost of Marblehead had never met her Great Aunt Sara Lokomowich, but she knew a lot about her.
“All my life, every time Cuba would make the headlines, I’d hear, ‘You know, you have a great aunt buried in Havana,’” said Frost, who recently returned from a religious mission to Cuba with Congregation Shirat Hayam.
Frost knew that Lokomowich and her family escaped from Russia in the late 1920s. They settled temporarily in Cuba, hoping ultimately to move on to America in spite of a challenging quota system. While other members of the family, including Frost’s grandfather, secured visas to immigrate to the United States, Lokomowich died while waiting for hers to be approved. She was just 31 years of age.
“When the opportunity to travel with the mission came along, and with it the chance to connect with this one small part of my family’s history, I couldn’t sign up fast enough,” said Frost.
According to Frost, “there are very few places left on this earth where I can walk in the footsteps of my ancestors, where the towns and streets they left behind still exist, and very few cemeteries where we can locate and honor family members who have passed.”
Doing genealogical research, Frost learned exactly where her great aunt was buried — in the United Hebrew Congregation Ashkenazi Cemetery in Guanabacoa, outside Havana.
According to Frost, it had been a long time since any members of her immediate family had visited the gravesite.
“My uncle was the last to visit the cemetery in Havana. That was back in 1959,” she explained. “He was fortunate to be in the air, on his way home, as the U.S. severed relations with Cuba. As far as I know, no one has been able to visit my great aunt’s grave since.”
While in Cuba, Frost paid homage to her great aunt. More than 40 members of the congregation joined her in saying kaddish (the Jewish mourning prayer) at the site. In accordance with Jewish tradition, Frost placed a stone on her Aunt Sara’s grave and says now, “It was a powerful moment I will never forget.”
Before departing, Frost said, “Adios Tia Sara. Espero verle otra vez pronto.” “Goodbye, Aunt Sara. I hope to see you again soon.”
http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/ne...great-aunt
By Susan Jacobs / Special to the Reporter
Sun Mar 01, 2009, 09:49 PM EST
Marblehead - Shari Frost of Marblehead had never met her Great Aunt Sara Lokomowich, but she knew a lot about her.
“All my life, every time Cuba would make the headlines, I’d hear, ‘You know, you have a great aunt buried in Havana,’” said Frost, who recently returned from a religious mission to Cuba with Congregation Shirat Hayam.
Frost knew that Lokomowich and her family escaped from Russia in the late 1920s. They settled temporarily in Cuba, hoping ultimately to move on to America in spite of a challenging quota system. While other members of the family, including Frost’s grandfather, secured visas to immigrate to the United States, Lokomowich died while waiting for hers to be approved. She was just 31 years of age.
“When the opportunity to travel with the mission came along, and with it the chance to connect with this one small part of my family’s history, I couldn’t sign up fast enough,” said Frost.
According to Frost, “there are very few places left on this earth where I can walk in the footsteps of my ancestors, where the towns and streets they left behind still exist, and very few cemeteries where we can locate and honor family members who have passed.”
Doing genealogical research, Frost learned exactly where her great aunt was buried — in the United Hebrew Congregation Ashkenazi Cemetery in Guanabacoa, outside Havana.
According to Frost, it had been a long time since any members of her immediate family had visited the gravesite.
“My uncle was the last to visit the cemetery in Havana. That was back in 1959,” she explained. “He was fortunate to be in the air, on his way home, as the U.S. severed relations with Cuba. As far as I know, no one has been able to visit my great aunt’s grave since.”
While in Cuba, Frost paid homage to her great aunt. More than 40 members of the congregation joined her in saying kaddish (the Jewish mourning prayer) at the site. In accordance with Jewish tradition, Frost placed a stone on her Aunt Sara’s grave and says now, “It was a powerful moment I will never forget.”
Before departing, Frost said, “Adios Tia Sara. Espero verle otra vez pronto.” “Goodbye, Aunt Sara. I hope to see you again soon.”
http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/ne...great-aunt