We stand in solidarity with the refuseniks. Tragically. the situation in the Soviet Union is growing worse. In 1979. over 51.000 Jews were allowed to emigrate from the U.S.S.R. Last year. Jewish emigration dropped to little more than 800. This represents nearly a 99percent decrease. Conditions for those hoping to emigrate are deteriorating rapidly. Soviet authorities are increasing their already strong pressure on Jews who wish to emigrate. Outrageously. the Soviet Government maintains that only a few remain who wish to leave. We realize that is untrue. it is a lie. There are over 400.000 Jews who have begun the difficult and dangerous process required to leave the Soviet Union. I would like to call attention to one refusenik in particular. Kim Fridman. a radio engineer living in Kiev. applied for permission to emigrate to Israel in 1972. He received his first refusal in January 1973 because of his alleged classified work in the Kiev radio plant where he had access to secret documents. He had left this plant in 1969 in anticipation of applying for permission to emigrate. A number of his colleagues who worked with him at the plant were given permission to emigrate some years &go. Between the years 197476. a month. ly seminar on Jewish culture was conducted in his apartment. He also taught Hebrew.
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emigrate emigration