Petitions and diplomatic visits to free Gross include Jewish leaders and former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.
By GIL STERN STERN SHEFLERalan gross_311 reuters(photo credit: Ho New / Reuters)
Jewish groups will protest outside the Cuban Mission to the UN on Friday morning, calling for the release of Jewish- American Alan Gross who has been jailed in that country for almost two years.The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations together with the New York Jewish Community Relations Council, NY Board of Rabbis, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Jewish Federations of North America and others will take part in the rally demanding that Gross be freed on humanitarian grounds.RELATED:Petition launches to free Alan Gross from Cuba“We call on people of all faiths to unite in prayer and solidarity with Alan Gross and his family,” Conference of Presidents Chairman Richard Stone and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein said. “We will stand together on Friday and call for an end to Alan’s continued imprisonment.”Gross was jailed by Cuba for delivering satellite phones to the Jewish community in Havana to establish a communications center. He was found guilty of “actions against the integrity of the state” and sentenced to eight years in prison.
A simultaneous protest will be held in Washington at the Cuban Interests Section, organized by the local Jewish Federation and the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington.Members of the Gross family will participate in both events.
