Speech #530132401

This day of fasting and prayer will send a strong signal to the Soviet Unionit will show the Soviet Government that the United States will not accept the injustices suffered by millions of Soviet Jews. I believe there is a renewed sense of urgency to act on behalf of Jews in the Soviet Union. Soviet Jewish emigration plummeted from a peak of 51.320 in 1979 to 2.688 in 1982. Then. a new nadir was reached in 1983. when only 1.315 Jews were allowed to join their families outside the Soviet Union. Moreover. there is a new and frightening wave of antiSemitism in the Soviet Union. The Soviet statesponsored antiZionist committee is attacking Jewish cultural efforts with a new vengeance. This Congressional Fast and Prayer Vigil today reminds Soviet Jews that Members of the House of Representatives are aware of their tragic situation. and that we care and want to do everything within our power to help them. I would like to share with others the plight of Lev Blitshtein. one among millions of Soviet Jews who has been denied the right to emigrate from the Soviet Union by the Soviet Government. Last year I also participated in the Congressional Fast and Prayer Vigil on behalf of Lev. and I am deeply saddened to be here again to tell his story. Lev Blitshtein was a national authority in the fields of breeding and meat processing in the Ministry of Meat and Dairy. In August 1974. he and his family applied to leave the Soviet Union. After 6 months of waiting. they were refused permission to leave. The only reason given was that Lev knew "too much about the time for storage of canned meats" and "how to make sausage * * $." OVIR. the Soviet emigration department. said the Blitshteins would receive permission to leave in 1 year. Knowing the experience of many other refuseniks. the Blitshteins were wary of OVIRs promise. Lev then began to write letters to various Soviet officials about the piight of his family.