Speech #990005118

I am honored to join with my colleagues today in paying special tribute to the unsurpassed courage and tremendous strength of Soviet Jews in the continuing struggle for freedom and the preservation of Jewish culture. As we are all aware. the Soviet Unions repression of Soviet Jews is intensifying. In 1984. only 896 Jews were permitted to emigrate from the Soviet Union and join their families in Israel. the lowest level since records have been kept. In addition. there has been an alarming increase in the number of Hebrew teachers who have been arrested and convicted on charges of "defaming the Soviet State." Just because of their overwhelming desire to keep their Jewish faith alive. this trend is particularly troublesome as it suggests that Soviet authorities are attempting to completely eliminate the dissemination of Jewish cultural heritage and tradition. The situation for Jews is further jeopardized by a dramatic rise in antiSemitic propaganda. By releasing its prisoners of conscience and granting religious freedom. the Soviet Union would indicate to the world not only its respect for the principles outlined in the Helsinki Accords. but also its desire to improve the strained relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. I fervently hope that Secretary Chernenko will finally seek to reverse the drastic decline in Soviet Jewish emigration and curb his governments policy of discrimination against and abuse of Soviet Jews.*