Speech #980184493

The Passover Seder is an expression of freedom that is not allowed in the Soviet Union. Soviet authorities will not even permit Jews to gather to share the holidays of their history. so central to their faith. One obvious measure of the officially sanctioned campaign of antiSemitism in the Soviet Union is the ease or restrictiveness of emigration. In 1983. only 1.314 Jews were permitted to emigrate from the Soviet Union. This represents the lowest level of Jewish emigration in 20 years. and the declining trend appears to be continuing in 1984. In March. only 51 Jews were allowed to leave the Soviet Union. The Soviet Government. and the official AntiZionist Committee it established 1 year ago. would have the world believe that most of the Jews who wish to emigrate already now have done so. They assert. contrary to all evidence. that religious freedom is not an issue in the Soviet Union. We know this is deception. we must never forget the facts. It is a fact that there are close to 3 million Jews today in the Soviet Union. It is a fact that at least 400.000 Jews have begun the difficult process of applying for emigrant visas. It is a fact that once a Soviet Jew has applied for a visa. he or she is subjected to KGB harassment. physical intimidation. and often outright dismissal from their jobs. Sadly. there is no insurance that conditions for Soviet Jews are improving in 1984. Mr.