José Miller
Encyclopedia
Dr. Josie Miller was the leader of the Jewish community of Cuba
for 25 years, from 1981 when the community was tiny and endangered, through the 1990s during which they returned to vigorous growth and reemerged on the world stage. He held the dual positions of head of the Coordinating Commission (the official organization of Cuban Jewry) and head of the Patronato (the country's largest synagogue).
Miller was the interface between the Cuban Jewish community, the government of Fidel Castro
, and the world organizations which wished to provide assistance to Cuban Jewry. His skills in diplomacy
and arbitration
allowed him to meld the often conflicting demands of these disparate groups into a compromise which was acceptable to all.
In 1924 Miller's parents immigrated from Poland
to Cuba, where his father became a peddler
and eventually a merchant
. Although his family maintained a traditional Jewish home, in the small town of Yaguajay there were few other Jews, and Miller grew up having close relationships with non-Jewish Cubans, giving him the wide understanding which was to serve him in his career.
In the 1950s Miller was active in the Maimonides Lodge (Havana) of B'nai B'rith
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for 25 years, from 1981 when the community was tiny and endangered, through the 1990s during which they returned to vigorous growth and reemerged on the world stage. He held the dual positions of head of the Coordinating Commission (the official organization of Cuban Jewry) and head of the Patronato (the country's largest synagogue).
Miller was the interface between the Cuban Jewish community, the government of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, and the world organizations which wished to provide assistance to Cuban Jewry. His skills in diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
and arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
allowed him to meld the often conflicting demands of these disparate groups into a compromise which was acceptable to all.
In 1924 Miller's parents immigrated from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to Cuba, where his father became a peddler
Peddler
A peddler, in British English pedlar, also known as a canvasser, cheapjack, monger, or solicitor , is a travelling vendor of goods. In England, the term was mostly used for travellers hawking goods in the countryside to small towns and villages; they might also be called tinkers or gypsies...
and eventually a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
. Although his family maintained a traditional Jewish home, in the small town of Yaguajay there were few other Jews, and Miller grew up having close relationships with non-Jewish Cubans, giving him the wide understanding which was to serve him in his career.
In the 1950s Miller was active in the Maimonides Lodge (Havana) of B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith International |Covenant]]" is the oldest continually operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was initially founded as the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith in New York City, on , 1843, by Henry Jones and 11 others....
.