Original cartoon by David Gilinski (11th grade)
On November 25, 2016, Cuban people everywhere celebrated the death of Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro. He died in Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba at 90 years-old. Americans learned of his death from his brother Raul, the current leader of Cuba.
Castro will be remembered as someone who made an impact on the world, but not a positive one. Castro, a communist ruler, brought the Cold War to a start and pushed the world towards the possibility of nuclear war. Even though the death of Castro is a great relief, the Cuban people know that his death does not mean the end of communism in their country.
Hebrew Academy students with Cuban roots expressed relief and a glimmer of hope laced with skepticism. “When I was little, my grandparents told me how much they loved living in Cuba and that when Castro came to power, everything changed,” said Aliza Posner (12th grade). “They had to leave the place they loved and I am thankful that this oppressive ruler is dead. However, I don’t think his death will change the communism in Cuba.”
Other Hebrew Academy Cuban-Americans are hopeful that this end will provide an opportunity for change in Cuba.
“To me and many other Cuban-Americans, Castro’s death feels like a great relief,” said English teacher Mr. Adams, who visited Cuba in September. “I can only hope that this will signal an improvement in the conditions for the people who live on the island.”
The Miami Cuban community participated in celebrations of Castro’s death in Little Havana last week. For many, Castro’s death signaled the end of a particularly difficult period of time, and Cuban people everywhere remain hopeful with his passing.
By: Hannah Mayer (10th grade)
Original cartoon by David Gilinski (11th grade)