Yuli was sentenced on December 19 to 3 years in prison camp for illegal drug trafficking. the maximum sentence under article 224 of the Soviet criminal code. Prior to the sentencing. I placed a phone call to the Soviet Judge handling the case to make a plea on Yulis behalf. Any discussion of the matter was flatly refused. Yet. despite the official sentence. it is clear enough that Yuli Edelshteins real crimes were applying for permission to emigrate and teaching Hebrew. In the face of an intensified and vigorous antiSemitic propaganda campaign by the Soviet Government. and under the everpresent threat of KGB searches and seizures. arrest or exile. many Soviet Jews. like Yuli. have refused to renounce their religious and cultural heritage. Like many others.
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emigrate