Synagogues have been closed in almost systematic fashion as a result of both direct and indirect governmental action. The number of synagogues in the Soviet Union has steadily declined from 450 in 1956. to 100 in 1963. until today there are less than 60. It is little wonder then that thousands of Soviet Jews requested permission to emigrate in order to maintain their religious and cultural identity. And while the Soviet Government has allowed for an increased outflow of Soviet Jews in recent months in the face of international attention and pressures. its record is still abysmal. and still runs in direct contravention to article XIII of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: Everyone has the right to leave any country. including his own. and to return to his country. Mr. Speaker. I recently received a copy of a letter which was transmitted to President Nixon on March 20 of this year. signed by 48 Jewish families from all over the Soviet Union. In that letter these families pointed out that more and more applications have been made to Soviet authorities requesting the right to emigrate to Israel. and yet. in their words. "all our applications were unreasonably refused." The letter went on to state most eloquently. and I quote: We see in your forthcoming visit to the USSR a happy possibility to use our influence. not only in solution of urgent international problems. and in the name of general humanitarian purposes. not only for the improvement of SovietAmerican relations. but also for the sake of those people who are M. Speake. I think we owe it to these families and thousands like them in the Soviet Union to demonstrate our humanitarian concern for their plight by the passage of this resolution today. I think we owe it to the President to give. him the full backing of the Congress to raise the twin issues of religious freedoms and free emigration in his forthcoming discussions with the Soviet leadership. This resolution offers an excellent vehicle for that purpose and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for it. At this point in the debate.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration