Alan Gross is Free - The American-Cuban Wall has Fallen

Post date: Dec 23, 2014 12:35:10 AM

By Rabbi Arnold Saltzman

December 19, 2014

Wednesday, I began the day receiving texts, e-mails and phone calls congratulating me on the release of Alan Gross. When I walked into the Educational Directors Council Meeting at the Jewish Federation Building, the meeting stopped, and people applauded. I have worked for four years in order to advocate for Alan Gross’ release from prison in Cuba, demonstrating and writing, giving sermons, going to meetings with officials and organizing. I have spoken at congregations and Educational meetings,, teaching about Alan Gross’ situation to my students.

Some of you joined me at the Vigil for Alan Gross. We are so grateful for his being released ending an ordeal for his family, friends, community and Americans. He has spent the last five years in a Cuban prison, most of it in a high security prison and a prison hospital. He shared a cell with two others. He saw daylight one hour every day. He had deteriorating health, and Cuba was offended when outside medical help was sought. They said we have great doctors, yet, we know that not many people fly to Cuba for treatment or second opinions. That is because better medical care is available elsewhere.

Cuba said they knew he was not a spy. Raul Castro said this to visiting members of Congress. In spite of this Alan Gross was given a harsh and unprecedented 15 year sentence for violating minor infractions of Cuban law. Alan lost over 100 pounds, lost many teeth, and is almost blind in one eye. While in prison, he could not comfort his daughter who developed cancer, he was not able to see his mother before she died, and his brother-in-law, Judy’s Gross’ and Gwen Zuares’ brother, Dr. Robert M. Morgenstein, passed away the same week as Alan’s mother, Evelyn Gross. Judy’s mother died in the previous year, all this during Alan’s incarceration. There was a lot of suffering for him and his family. He had almost given up.

Our goal was religious: Pidyon Shvuyim, to Rescue the Captive, and to Save a Life. These are among the most important Mitzvot, and traditionally, you are even allowed to violate the Sabbath to do them, as rescuing life is most important and takes precedence. Our goal was also to say that wherever Americans are on this planet, our government will protect and defend, and not abandon you. We will bring you home.

There are many historic cases of people being sentenced unjustly, or being held hostage. This was an historic case which involved many countries and leaders in attempting to resolve ALan Gross’ unjust incarceration. Canada, the Unites States, The Vatican under the leadership of two Popes, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis played a key role.

Many centuries ago Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg was kidnapped for ransom and secretly was able to get a message to his community not to ransom him, as there would never be an end to kidnapping. Yet, in another time of hostage taking the Rambam said that you could ransom as long as it did not do irreparable damage to the community - that was the measure.

We persisted in the justice of this cause, which was not shared by everyone, yet we persisted. Many people questioned what we were doing. The Jewish community Relations Council, under Executive Director, Ron Halber, left no area unexplored to achieve this goal. Judy Gross was an ardent and articulate spokesperson for her husband.

I began attending the Vigils four years ago and realized that beyond people being there, someone needed to take charge of what was being said, and a focused message needed to be stated each week that ‘we are here’. I wrote every week for the Monday Vigils for years, brought posters donated by Ed Apple a member of my congregation in Prince Frederick who knows Alan Gross, we used a Bull Horn to project the message into the Cuban offices, and began to see regulars every week. Organizations, Congregations, Rabbis and Interfaith leaders, including Rev. Gail Holness, and Clark Lobenstine of the Interfaith Council joined us.

Mostly, it was lonely out there each week with a handful of demonstrators, a dependable group, we never let up even in the worst weather. The Secret Service showed up every week to protect us, and to check our permits. We could demonstrate on one side of the fence, yet, there was silence on the other side as we watches the blossoms on the shrubs bloom, and fall, for a number of years. Cubans and tourists seeking contact with the Cuban Interest Section looked at us in amazement from across the street. Why did they notice us? We could do what could not be done in Cuba. We could demonstrate without fear and raise our voices. Many people also read my words each week so that the message could be heard above the noise of the busy street. Free Alan Gross! Some days I stood alone.

This past spring we (me, Mona Birch and Gary Isen) met with high level State Department Officials, Deputy Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, Secretary Alex Lee, to find out if more could be done for Alan Gross. I expressed concern that the story in the press, his story was being distorted in the news which seemed to blame him for being in prison. Once we articulated this, within weeks there were stories which came out to set the record straight. We felt we had done something important.

In the spring the Jewish Community Relations Council presented me with an award for my efforts on behalf of Alan Gross, presented by Gwen Zuares, Judy Gross’ sister. I am the only recipient of this award and I treasure it, just as I know that what we have done is an affirmation. Alan Gross is a free man. I have spent the last couple of days fielding interviews from Ron Halber’s office at the Jewish Federation at Ron’s invitation.

I have to take a step back now in order to assess what we did, what we accomplished, and to see that we did this with faith in God, faith in our Government, and faith that persistence in the right of this cause would win out.

We played a part in freeing an American who was in prison unjustly for five years. We saved a life! It is good to give thanks, and to know that saving this Jewish man, this American, is good for everyone who believes that what is right can triumph. In the process, the ‘wall’ that separates Cuba and the United States is beginning to crumble. Amazing!

The Press Release the Federation and JCRC sent out all mention me for organizing the Vigils. There were many who participated and helped, we are grateful to everyone even as we savor the joy of being free on the festival of Hanukkah! Bayamim Hahem, in those days & Bazman Hazeh - and in our time, a glorious