Speech #1000019857

In light of this situation. we must consider these recent developments. The Soviets have spoken in recent days of the policy of glasnost. openness. of supposedly alleviating the brutal conditions that confront Soviet Jews and other oppressed minorities in the Soviet Union. Now. we hear of a prominent Jewish leader predicting that the Soviet Union will permit thousands of Jews to emigrate to Israel this year. and that Jewish religious and cultural freedom will be substantially increased for those who choose to stay in the Soviet Union. What are we to make of these events. As of today. glasnost has not meant much for the oppressed Jews of the Soviet Union. In the first 2 months of 1987. only 287 Jews were allowed to leave the Soviet Union. There are still 400.000 Jews waiting the emigrate from the Soviet Union. For those who choose to practice their Judaism in the Soviet Union. conditions still remain pretty grim. We have yet to hear of the Soviet authorities allowing the teaching of Hebrew to children in schools or synagogues. yet to see increased training of rabbis for the Jews of the Soviet Union. and yet to learn of synagogues being opened in all parts of the Soviet Union where they are needed. The recent predictions of permission for Jews to emigrate by the thousands and for the revitalization of Judaism by the Soviet authorities must be received with cautious optimism. We must await Soviet performance on these actions. to see of they are truly serious about implementing the policy of glasnost. Mr.