Speech #920223286

The harsh plight of the Jews in the Soviet Union is wellknown. They are being denied fundamental freedoms to which all men are entitledthe free expression of ideas and exercise of religion. Because they are unable to maintain their religious and cultural identities in the Soviet Union. thousands of Jews have attempted to obtain permission to emigrate to lands where they would be able to practice freely their religion and preserve their rich cultural heritage. The Soviet Union has compounded its offense against its Jewish minority. however. by prohibiting most Soviet Jews from emigrating. In an attempt to alter this intolerable situation. on April 17. the House passed House Concurrent Resolution 471 calling upon the President to request of the Soviet Union that it grant its citizens the right to emigrate to the countries of their choice. as affirmed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. However. there are some Soviet Jews who have been fortunate enough to receive permission to emigrate from the Soviet Union. While in 1970. less than 1.000 Jews emigrated from Russia. and in 1971. 13.000 emigrated. it is estimated that. if the current rate of emigration is maintained. 30.000 Jews will be permitted to leave the Soviet Union this year. Most Soviet Jews who have indicated that they wish to emigrate have expressed their strong desire to settle in a land where they are truly welcomedthe State of Israel. Consequently. Israel now faces the problem of absorbing the large numbers of Soviet Jews who have chosen to settle there. And there are many problems to be overcome. Many of the immigrants lack skills and occupations. Most need intensive instruction in the Hebrew language which they were forbidden to learn in the Soviet Union. Even professionals sometimes face numerous difficulties in adjusting to life in Israel. Doctors. for example. have to learn not only Hebrew but also English which is the principal scientific language of Israel. Many require retraining to meet the standards in effect in Israel. The costs of the programs to overcome these problems and to successfully assimilate these refugees is estimated to be $35.000 per family. Yet. because so many of Israels resources must go for her defense. she is sorely in need of financial assistance to comprehensively deal with this large influx of people. Israels defense budget amounts to slightly over $1 billion. approximately onequarter to onethird of the countrys gross national product. and approximately 40 to 50 percent of the countrys budget.