Today. it is deplorable that antiSemitism and injustice still exist around the world: In parts of Central America. in various Arab countries. and in the Soviet Union Jews constitute an endangered species. In the U.S.S.R.. antiSemitism may be traced from Alexander IIIs policies through Stalins campaign to destroy Jewish culture to present Soviet policies of harassment. And today. the Soviet Jew faces a new crisis: Emigration is virtually at a standstill. In 1979. Jewish emigration reached a highpoint of 51.320. In 1982. the number plummeted to 2.688. This year. a mere 637 Soviet Jews have been allowed to emigrate. We now look upon a Soviet Union that allowed more Jews to leave in the single month of February 1979. than in the past 12 months. As disturbing as these numbers are. it is even more unsettling to learn of the hardships facing those Soviet Jews who simply apply for exit visas. Their first step is to acquire an invitation from first degree relativesimmediate family membersliving outside the U.S.S.R. But often contacts with hopeful relatives are made impossible.
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