Cuba

Cuba is complicated and enticing. Going there is truly a step back in time, a simpler way of life. There are fewer comforts, but more dance, music, and smiles. It’s an inspiration for artists and musicians, a getaway for gangsters, a home of a revolution. There, you can experience natural beauty and history. You can look at art by day, tap your toes to Caribbean rhythms by night, and wash it all down with a mojito. 

I love to visit the gorgeous beaches and hike in tropical forests, but what is really enticing is meeting extraordinary people from interesting walks of life and hearing their stories. We have spent time with different members of Cuba's Jewish community and shared a Shabbat service and meal. We have visited with an independent film maker, a world-famous photographer, a horse whisperer trainer, a tobacco farmer, one of Havana’s architects, and an award winning acapella group - just to name a few.  

Traveling to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited. There are, however, categories of authorized travel. The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued general licenses that offers opportunities for U.S. travelers to go to Cuba under the government regulation titled “Support for the Cuban People.” Discover the island’s vibrant culture through interactions with locals and by supporting independent artisans, musicians, and community projects. Meet the rising entrepreneurs in this extraordinary country now before it changes forever. 

Steppin' Out offers opportunities to travel legally to Cuba under the new OFAC Regulations published June 5, 2019. Following the General License category “Support for the Cuban People,” Steppin' Out programs include activities intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba.