Pastor Raphael Cruz

He's more than a friend; he's family. A survivor of oppression in Cuba, he embodies the American Dream, arriving in Texas with little and rising to success. His life's mission, echoed by his son Senator Ted Cruz, is to restore America to its Biblical and Historical roots.

Has become family to us. We actually met him at a Shabbat dinner of Diane and Jerry Benjamin's. Since then, he has been our guest when he preaches in our area. Words cannot express his great personal blessing to our family, our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He is the American Dream personified. Born in Cuba, he lived a life as a teenager under the oppressive regime of the dictator Batista. He began to fight the regime but was imprisoned and tortured. A miracle story is how he arrived in Texas in 1957 on a student visa, not speaking English, with only $50.00 sewn into his underwear by his mother. He got a job as a dishwasher making 50 cents an hour but quickly moved up to a short-order cook. He has a wonderful story of how he learned to crack two eggs in one hand. He has demonstrated his expertise at breakfast on our stovetop! There is so much to his story, but the fact is God had a call on his life and, through his life, a call on his son's life, Senator Ted Cruz. His call is for pastors to return their pulpits to America's Biblical and Historical foundations. I found this on Youtube, his story.