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Jewish Merchants in Cuba Need No Longer Fear Blackmail, Castro Says

September 3, 1959
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Premier Fidel Castro of Cuba gave specific assurances, in a recent 90-minute interview with a Milwaukee attorney, that discrimination against any religious or minority groups including Cuban Jews, would not be tolerated by his regime, it was reported here today.

The assurances were given by the Cuban leader to N. Paley Phillips, former president of the Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Claimants and Compensation Attorneys, during the interview which took place last week. The Cuban leader told Mr. Phillips that “no longer would there he any necessity for Jewish merchants–or any other, for that matter- -to pay protection money’ to stay in business. “

Mr. Philipps also reported that he had talked with many Cuban Jewish businessmen and that they told him they were experiencing more freedom in business and communal activities, as well as in religious practices. Mr. Phillips said he had found that attendance at synagogues had increased in recent months and that more Cuban Jews were attending services than previously.

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