AntiSemitism is not a new phenomenon in Russian history but. in this latest phase of oppression. the very survival of Judaism in the Soviet Union is threatened. The formal distinction once made by the Soviet Government between "antiSemitism" and "antiZionism" is now openly disregarded. The regular malignment of Jews is no longer restricted to those who seek permission to emigrate. but includes any individual attempting to practice Judaism. The rise in officially sanctioned antiSemitism has been accompanied by a sharp decline in emigration. Between 1968 and 1981. approximately 260.000 individualsnearly 10 percent of the Soviet Unions Jewish populationwere allowed to emigrate. with a peak of 51.320 in 1979. Only 896 managed to get out last year. More than 380.000 Jews remain waiting for visas to leave the Soviet Union. They wait In a country that does not want them. but will not let them leave. Let me relate the case of one courageous Soviet family. the Mark Terlltskys. Mark had a successful career as an architect with a leading government design. firm in Moscow. He worked on a number of large projects. including historic restoration of ancient buildings in the Kremlin. In 1974. because Mark was going to apply for permission to emigrate to Israel. he transferred to another Job where he worked on small residential and commercial projects and where he believed he would be viewed as less of a security risk. The entire Terlitsky family applied to emigrate in 1976. Mark was demoted to a draftsman and. shortly thereafter. lost his job. Marks wife. Svetlana. an economics analyst. also lost her job. Although Marks brother and Svetlanas sister were given exit visas. Mark. Svetlana. their daughter and Marks elderly mother were refused exit visas on the basis of Marks alleged "possession of secret information." The family has reapplied for visas many times over the last 8 years without success. Neither Mark nor Svetlana have been able to find permanent Jobs since they applied to emigrate. On several occasions they have been detained. harassed. and beaten by the KGB. Jews who initiate application for emigration customarily face termination of employment and are ostracized. Their situation is desperate. The Soviet Government has undertaken a systematic campaign to disrupt all Jewish religious and cultural activities.
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emigrate emigration visas