Speech #990005485

Speaker. I rise today to protest the growing campaign of antiSemitism in the Soviet Union. While Jews are finding it increasingly difficult to emigrate. they are facing growing persecution In their jobs. in school. and in their neighborhoods as they are being branded by the official Soviet media as traitors. These problems were highlighted to me recently when I received information about a family I adopted last year. Yakov and Olga Galperin of Leningrad. They have applied several times to emigrate to Israel. and each time were refused. After these unsuccessful attempts. their cousin. who lives in my district. completed the extensive visov formsthe official invitation required in cases of reunification of families In December 1984. Yakov went to the official emigration office in Leningrad with his visov to get the forms necessary for him to apply for emigration. The emigration official denied him these forms. telling him that "the issue of reunification of families Is off the agenda." I consider It especially provocative at this time. considering that we are preparing now for a review conference In Ottawa nf the human rights provisions of the Helsinki Final Act. Reunification of families is a right specifically guaranteed by the signators of the Final Act. which includes the Soviet Union. Refusing prospective emigration applicants the necessary and required forms Is In direct violation of the spirit of the treaty. I would like to call to the attention of my colleagues an article which appeared in Febraury 18. 1985 issue of the New Republic. "The Jews Left Behind." I find it particularly Important In that it focuses attention on the extraordinarily virulent antiSemitism