We would be false to our history and to all we profess to believe as freedoms best friend and ultimate shield. if we were to ignore the plight of Soviet Jews today. As recently as 1979. only 50.000 of their number were permitted to leave Russian soil. Between 1968 and 1981. only a quarter million Soviet Jews were permitted to emigrate to Israel. which is less than half the 600.000plus invitations issued from Israel during the same period. What. we must ask. of the guaranty of unfettered emigration in the Soviet Constitution? Even worse is the trend of emigration since 1981. While many Soviet Jews have already for 10 years or more applied for the chance to foresake their hostile environment. discouragement bordering on despair has been their lot. For last year. only 896 applicants were actually permitted to leave. In the first 5 months of 1985. the figure stands at 463. The free emigration guaranteed by the Soviet Constitution has slowed to a pathetic trickle. Nor will things improve if we in this country look the other way. or pretend that we have no stake in basic decency and fundamental human rights. As many Soviet Jews as have already applied. more still would Join the tide were it not for harassment. and the fear of unemployment or arrest sure to follow in the wake of any formal application.
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emigrate emigration