The Soviet response was always one of denial and objections to interfering in the Soviet Unions internal affairs. While we often experience a sense of frustration and disillusionment with these endeavors. it is important that we remind ourselves that. if it were not for our appeals. many of these prisoners would be either dead or still languishing in the many gulags throughout the Soviet Union. The level of emigration by Soviet Jewry is down substantially. From 50.000 emigrees in 1979. it has dropped to barely 20.000 in 1980. The statistics are even more dismal in 1981. However. we must not allow these dismal statistics to be a source of discouragement. Emigration has become a vehicle that the Soviets utilize according to which way the wind happens to be blowing. Iosif Mendelevich and others who have found freedom. encourage us to continue our efforts on behalf of those who are still being victimized. We must use every channel of appeal available here in the West.
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emigration Emigration