Communicated: TefillaChillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.
tell a friendThe Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington established a legal defense fund for Jews being held wrongfully because of their Jewishness and will assist Alan Gross, who is in prison in Cuba.
Financial contributions will be used to help cover the legal defense of Jews in the United States and throughout the world who the council believes have been wrongfully charged or imprisoned.
Funds also will be used to cover costs associated with advocating for the prisoners.
The council cited the Jewish value of Pidyon Shvuyim, or redeeming the captive, in a statement announcing the new fund.
The tax-deductible charitable contributions cannot be earmarked for a particular person.
The first funds will be used to help Gross, who has been jailed in Cuba since December 2009 and is serving a 15-year sentence for “crimes against the state.”
According to the Gross family and the U.S. State Department, the Maryland man was in Cuba on a U.S. Agency for International Development contract to help connect the country’s 1,500-strong Jewish community with other Jewish communities via the Internet.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington has been advocating on Gross’ behalf, organizing vigils and spearheading legislation to help free Gross.
A U.S. congressional delegation this week arrived in Cuba to press for his release.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu is a graduate in journalism and economics from The George Washington University. He has worked as a cub reporter in rural Virginia and as senior copy editor for major Canadian metropolitan dailies. Tzvi wrote for Arutz Sheva for several years before joining the Jewish Press.
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I've seen no evidence that Gross is being held in Cuba because he is Jewish. Gross is being held in Cuba because Cuba is a totalitarian police state! May Gross and all others held unjustly in Cuba be released, and may Cuba's permit its citizens the freedoms that citizens of free countries have, including the ability to travel outside Cuba.