It is clear that the importance of our vigil has grown in the last year. Our efforts must continue. helping to sustain the hope and courage of Jews who continue to face oppression and reminding the Soviets and the world that we are aware and care. Last year. the gates of Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union were virtually slammed shut. The tragically low number of 2.688 Soviet Jews were allowed to leave. the lowest level since the current phase of emigration began in 1971. This is an alarming 3year drop of 95 percent since the 1979 peak of 51.000. A crisis situation has arisen. Hundreds of thousands of Jews who want to emigrate face increasingly severe harassment and bureaucratic obstacles. At the same time that the number of Jews allowed to leave the Soviet Union has rapidly diminished. the incidence and severity of discrimination against the Jewish population has grown. The denial of equal rights persists in education and employment. barriers to religious and ethnic expression abound. and propaganda promoted in the media prevails.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration