Mr. Speaker. on this International Day of Concern for Soviet Jewry. I would like to take this opportunity to express my concern for the plight of Jews who wish to leave the Soviet Union and emigrate to their homeland of Israel. Although their goals and means are peaceful. they face harassment and arbitrary imprisonment at the hands of Soviet authorities. In denying Jews in the Soviet Union of the right to practice their religion. maintain their cultural heritage. and emigrate to Israel. the Soviets violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. the Helsinki accords. and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Despite the outpouring of interest in this matter from all over the world. emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union has come to a virtual standstill. In the spirit of international cooperation. I strongly urge Soviet leaders to reverse their policies and to let Jews freely emigrate to Israel. I also urge my colleagues to actively participate in the international effort to work on behalf of Soviet Jews. It is only through coordinated and concerted action on all levels that attention is drawn to individual cases and to the problem as a whole. In my own area of Philadelphia. Americans of the Jewish and other faiths have united in the movement to assist Soviet Jews in their fight to emigrate. For example. members of Congregation Beth Israel in Media. Pa.. have actively worked on behalf of Lev Elbert and his family in Kiev.
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emigrate emigration