But the Soviet leaders have outdone themselves in their unsuccessful efforts to smother the noble spirit of Ida Nudel. And it is her plight that I want to direct to your attention today as a graphic illustration of the need for all of the support that we in this Chamber can provide. Nearly a decade ago. the Soviet regime coldly refused Ida Nudel permission to emigrate to Israel. although her husband and her sister were given visas. This is. a familiar and particularly cruel Kremlin tactic of separating families. The official reason given for denying Ida Nudel her visa was that she possessed "state secrets." What a travesty. Her work dealt with hygiene standards in food stores and control of infection in foods. Ida herself said. "The biggest secret I had was in knowing where the mice build their nests." In the 9 years since that first denial. Ida Nudel has sought time and again to get her visa. Beyond that. with great compassion and courage. she did everything she could to assist other Soviet Jews attempting to emigrate. Her devoted efforts on behalf of these refuseniks and prisoners of conscience won her acclaim as the "Guardian Angel of Moscow" and the "Mother of the Prisoners." These efforts also caused the Kremlin to intensify its persecution of this innocent woman. In 1978. the Soviets sentenced Ida Nudel to -4 years in exile in the bleak Siberian wasteland for the crime of displaying a banner from the balcony of her Moscow apartment which read: "KGB. Give Me My Visa." This increased persecution only increased Ida Nudels efforts for freedom. Despite her isolation and despite personal threats and even physical violence against her. she continued to demand that the Kremlin give her the visa. Since adopting her as my prisoner of conscience. I have written a letter each week to Soviet leaders demanding her freedom and have attempted. with limited success. to get our own Department of State more actively involved in efforts to free her.
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