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Amid jubilation by relatives and friends, a ‘Hannukah miracle’ for Alan Gross Amid jubilation by relatives and friends, a ‘Hannukah miracle’ for Alan Gross
(about 1 hour later)
Alan Gross was just about at the end of the line.Alan Gross was just about at the end of the line.
Imprisoned in a Cuban military hospital for five years with arthritis and vision problems, he reportedly had lost 100 pounds, grown despondent and announced that he wanted no more visitors.Imprisoned in a Cuban military hospital for five years with arthritis and vision problems, he reportedly had lost 100 pounds, grown despondent and announced that he wanted no more visitors.
In desperation, he went on a hunger strike in April.In desperation, he went on a hunger strike in April.
Gross, 65, who lived in Potomac, Md., was arrested in Cuba five years ago this month while working as an international aid contractor to improve Internet service and set up an intranet for Cuban Jewish communities.Gross, 65, who lived in Potomac, Md., was arrested in Cuba five years ago this month while working as an international aid contractor to improve Internet service and set up an intranet for Cuban Jewish communities.
The Cuban government accused him of trying to destabilize its government by bringing sophisticated technical equipment into the country, and sentenced him to a 15-year term. Cuba accused him of trying to destabilize its government by bringing sophisticated technical equipment into the country, and sentenced him to a 15-year jail term.
On Wednesday, he was released. He arrived, to jubilation, in the United States as the government announced that it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in decades.On Wednesday, he was released. He arrived, to jubilation, in the United States as the government announced that it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in decades.
At the start of a 2 p.m. news conference at his lawyers’ office, Gross sighed and said, “This is great.” At the start of a 2 p.m. news conference at his lawyers’ Washington office Wednesday, Gross sighed and said, “This is great.”
“Today is the first day of Hanukkah, and so far it’s the best Hanukkah that I’ll be celebrating for a long time,” he said. “What a blessing it is to be a citizen of this country,” he said.“Today is the first day of Hanukkah, and so far it’s the best Hanukkah that I’ll be celebrating for a long time,” he said. “What a blessing it is to be a citizen of this country,” he said.
He thanked his wife, Judy, President Obama, members of Congress, Jewish groups and other religious communities. He also praised the people of Cuba.He thanked his wife, Judy, President Obama, members of Congress, Jewish groups and other religious communities. He also praised the people of Cuba.
“In no way are they responsible for the ordeal to which my family and I have been subjected,” he said. For the most part, Cubans “are incredibly kind, generous and talented. It pains me to see them treated so unjustly as a consequence of two governments’ mutually belligerent policies.”“In no way are they responsible for the ordeal to which my family and I have been subjected,” he said. For the most part, Cubans “are incredibly kind, generous and talented. It pains me to see them treated so unjustly as a consequence of two governments’ mutually belligerent policies.”
Gross, who is missing several front teeth, seemed upbeat as he spoke to reporters for about 10 minutes.Gross, who is missing several front teeth, seemed upbeat as he spoke to reporters for about 10 minutes.
Elsewhere, there was joy among his family members. Jill Zuckman, family spokeswoman, said that Gross was notified of his release Tuesday morning in a phone call with his lawyer, Scott Gilbert.
Zuckman said that when Gross first heard the news, there was a long pause on the line, then Gross said to Gilbert: “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Gross’s wife boarded a U.S. plane at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington, on Wednesday morning bound for Havana, along with Sens. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
The group spent about 30 minutes on the ground in Cuba meeting with Gross before they boarded the plane back for the United States.
A bowl of popcorn and a corned beef sandwich on rye with mustard awaited Gross when he stepped onto the aircraft — two delicacies Gross said he’d missed during his five years in captivity.
Gross also ate latkes with apple sauce and sour cream, a traditional dish to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
In the Cuban prison, Gross lost much of his weight and had a number of health issues, Zuckman said. His front teeth have fallen out and others had begun to break apart. Zuckman said that Gross will be seeing physicians in upcoming days.
After his release, Gross spoke to his daughters on the phone and told them both, “I’m free.” He also talked to Obama and thanked him for negotiating his release.
Meanwhile, family members rejoiced.
“We’re like screaming and jumping up and down,” when they learned of his release, Gross’s sister, Bonnie Rubinstein, told the Associated Press from her home in Texas.“We’re like screaming and jumping up and down,” when they learned of his release, Gross’s sister, Bonnie Rubinstein, told the Associated Press from her home in Texas.
Estelle Gross Bogdonoff, Gross’s second cousin, called his release a “Hanukkah miracle.”Estelle Gross Bogdonoff, Gross’s second cousin, called his release a “Hanukkah miracle.”
In his old Potomac neighborhood, Arnie Feldman, 75, a retired orthodontist who lived next door, said he was delighted and noted that Gross had been imprisoned for a long time. In his old Potomac neighborhood, Arnie Feldman, 75, a retired orthodontist who lived next door, said he was delighted, and noted that Gross had been imprisoned for a long time.
“He’s missed a lot,” Feldman said.“He’s missed a lot,” Feldman said.
A gregarious, bearded man who often played the mandolin in the backyard, Gross wore a blue shirt and khaki-colored pants as he stepped off a government jet Wednesday and was met by his wife, Judy, and officials. A gregarious, bearded man who often played the mandolin in the back yard, Gross wore a blue shirt and khaki-colored pants as he stepped off the jet at Andrews on a sunny, pleasant morning.
He arrived on a pleasant, sunny morning at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington.
In communist Cuba, which has tried to limit Internet access, Gross had been working through a pro-democracy project of the U.S. Agency for International Development.In communist Cuba, which has tried to limit Internet access, Gross had been working through a pro-democracy project of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
He testified during his trial in Cuba that everything he brought into the country passed through customs. But he had made numerous trips to the island in a short period of time and attracted the attention of Cuban security officials.He testified during his trial in Cuba that everything he brought into the country passed through customs. But he had made numerous trips to the island in a short period of time and attracted the attention of Cuban security officials.
The Cuban government accused Gross of “actions against the integrity of the state.”The Cuban government accused Gross of “actions against the integrity of the state.”
His wife insisted that his motives were humanitarian. “He’s not a political guy,” she said in a 2012 interview with The Washington Post.His wife insisted that his motives were humanitarian. “He’s not a political guy,” she said in a 2012 interview with The Washington Post.
“I asked him once if he wanted to run for the state Senate — he’s so outspoken,” she said. He declined. “I hate politics,” she said he told her.“I asked him once if he wanted to run for the state Senate — he’s so outspoken,” she said. He declined. “I hate politics,” she said he told her.
Last spring he went on a hunger strike to protest his treatment by the Cuban and U.S. governments, his attorney said at the time. Gross grew up in Baltimore, helping in his father’s window-cleaning business. He earned a master’s degree in social work and got involved in oversees humanitarian projects in the Middle East and Africa.
Cuba was his latest project.
Last Spring, he went on a hunger strike to protest his treatment by the Cuban and U.S. governments, his attorney said at the time.
“I am fasting to object to mistruths, deceptions and inaction by both governments, not only regarding their shared responsibility for my arbitrary detention, but also because of the lack of any reasonable or valid effort to resolve this shameful ordeal,” Gross had said in a telephoned statement to his legal team.“I am fasting to object to mistruths, deceptions and inaction by both governments, not only regarding their shared responsibility for my arbitrary detention, but also because of the lack of any reasonable or valid effort to resolve this shameful ordeal,” Gross had said in a telephoned statement to his legal team.
In the years since Gross’s imprisonment, his family had often talked about his desire to be reunited with his mother, Evelyn Gross, who had lung cancer. That’s impossible now. Evelyn Gross died in June at 92. In the years since Gross’s imprisonment, his family had often talked about his desire to be reunited with his mother, Evelyn Gross, who had lung cancer. But Evelyn Gross died in June at 92.
Ed Gross, 67, Gross’s second cousin, said Wednesday that he was surprised by Wednesday’s news because the Gross family had been very pessimistic that the Obama administration would make his cousin’s release possible.Ed Gross, 67, Gross’s second cousin, said Wednesday that he was surprised by Wednesday’s news because the Gross family had been very pessimistic that the Obama administration would make his cousin’s release possible.
Ed Gross said the family thought the administration should have long ago swapped the five Cuban intelligence officers convicted in the United States in 2001 in exchange for his cousin’s return.Ed Gross said the family thought the administration should have long ago swapped the five Cuban intelligence officers convicted in the United States in 2001 in exchange for his cousin’s return.
“I don’t want to throw cold water on everything,” he said. “Obama did do it, finally. But Alan has suffered a lot.”“I don’t want to throw cold water on everything,” he said. “Obama did do it, finally. But Alan has suffered a lot.”
Still, Ed Gross said family members are ecstatic.Still, Ed Gross said family members are ecstatic.
He said he first learned about Alan Gross’s release when his secretary texted him with the news. Ed Gross turned on the radio and couldn’t believe the reports. He had just spoken to his cousin on the phone a couple of weeks ago, he said, and he made no mention of any imminent release.He said he first learned about Alan Gross’s release when his secretary texted him with the news. Ed Gross turned on the radio and couldn’t believe the reports. He had just spoken to his cousin on the phone a couple of weeks ago, he said, and he made no mention of any imminent release.
“He and I were talking about when he comes back he’s going to have a big book deal, and he should be making notes, and he was telling me about the drawings he was doing,” Ed Gross said.“He and I were talking about when he comes back he’s going to have a big book deal, and he should be making notes, and he was telling me about the drawings he was doing,” Ed Gross said.
“He talked about Nationals baseball,” he said. “He was able to watch some games. He’s a very upbeat kind of guy. He’s a very optimistic sort of person. He’s not a person to wallow in his own sorrow.”“He talked about Nationals baseball,” he said. “He was able to watch some games. He’s a very upbeat kind of guy. He’s a very optimistic sort of person. He’s not a person to wallow in his own sorrow.”
Before Gross began working in Cuba, he and his wife lived in upscale, suburban Potomac. She has since moved to an apartment in Northwest Washington. .
She grew vegetables and tended azaleas and worked part-time. Her husband built a successful business as an aid and development contractor. Ian Shapira and Bill Turque contributed to this report.
His plight has drawn the support of Jewish groups, and congressional resolutions called for for his release.
Jewish leaders reacted with joy Wednesday morning.
“Everyone is jubilant, ecstatic,” said Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer of the Bethesda Jewish Congregation, president of the Cuba America Jewish Mission, which has been working since 1996 to support Jewish communities on the island.
Greg Rosenbaum, chairman of the National Jewish Democratic Council, said in a statement:
“Today is truly a remarkable day for the American and Jewish communities, but I can only imagine the jubilation felt by Alan Gross’s family — particularly his wife Judy, who has fought so hard and so long for his release,” he said.
“For the past five years, Alan has unjustly been a prisoner for nothing more than working to provide internet access to the Jewish community in Cuba,” Rosenbaum said. “We could not be more grateful for the work done by President Obama to bring Alan home at last, so that he might be able to reunite with his wife and family.”
Like others, Rosenbaum said the release was particularly timely, given the holiday.
“This week, as the Jewish community celebrates the miracles of Hanukkah, we are grateful to celebrate the release of Alan Gross,” Michael Siegal, chairman of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America, said in a statement.
“We also remember that there are hundreds of innocents held captive throughout the world — many of whom are American citizens — and we hope they too are returned home to their families as soon as possible.”
Since the beginning of Gross’s incarceration, Jewish Federations has worked toward his release, he said. “Over the years — and as recently as this week — we have spoken publicly and privately to the very highest levels of the U.S. government — and with key influential players to advocate for his freedom.
“We stand in awe of Judy Gross’s determined campaign to ensure that the world would not forget her husband. We are thankful to President Obama and Vice President Biden for their instrumental role in bringing about Alan’s long-overdue return trip home.”
T. Rees Shapiro and Bill Turque contributed to this report.