by Maddie Ulanow Alan Gross is a 60-year-old resident of Potomac, Maryland, a quiet Washington suburb with a thriving Jewish community. A father of two and local synagogue member, Gross is also a specialist in helping obtain satellite signals in remote locations. His background in rural technologies led to his hiring by Development Alternatives, Inc., a State Department contractor, and, in turn, to Cuba, with the goal of aiding the isolated Jewish community. That is, until it all fell apart. On December 3, 2009, Gross was stopped and detained at the Havana airport, and has remained in Cuban custody since. The charge? Espionage. In the two years since his imprisonment, he and his family have suffered tremendous hardship. His daughter has undergone a double mastectomy for breast cancer, and his 89-year-old mother has been diagnosed with terminal lung...

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