Speech #990031619

Because in the last year Soviet Jews have endured greater discrimination and persecution than at any other time in recent Soviet history. it is more important than ever that we speak out loudly on behalf of our Jewish brethren in the Soviet Union. Today more than 100 students from the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry are here from New York City and the surrounding area to do just thatto rally and to speak out on behalf of the plight of Soviet Jewry. The year 1984 marked the nadir for Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union. Only 896 Jews were permitted to leave. the lowest single year total since 1970. In fact. the 1984 total represents less than 2 percent of the 1979 peak year emigration figure of 51.320. The reduction in the number of Jews granted exit visas has meant that the number of refuseniks stranded in the Soviet Union has climbed to over 20.000. This figure. however. includes only those Jews who submitted formal applications to leave for Israel and have received official refusals. it does not include the estimated 380.000 others who have initated the complex process of applying for a visa. These numbers are all the more shocking when one considers what is occurring in the Soviet Union right now. namely. a new wave of officially sanctioned antiSemitism. This campaign to eradicate Jewish culture from Soviet society has taken on many ugly forms. including the steppedup harassment of refuseniks and the arrest and imprisonment of several Hebrew teachers. Most Soviet Jews who apply to emigrate are routinely dismissed from their jobs and forced to take menial jobs. In addition. they are often attacked in the media. arbitrarily arrested. and their personal property is confiscated by Soviet authorities. When Mikhail Gorbachev assumed power in the Soviet Union. many hoped that the repression of Soviet Jews would be halted or at least significantly reduced. This has not happened. however. Indeed. only 246 Soviet Jews were permited to emigrate from the Soviet Union during the first 3 months of this year. and the campaign to eradicate Jewish culture from Soviet society continue unabated. I find these developments extremely distressing. It is more imperative than ever that we continue our efforts to