Regrettably. not much. Outside from the few highly publicized releases of Soviet dissidents. glasnost has been an empty promise. In the first 2 months of 1987. with talk of glasnost in the air and after the implementation of the new emigration law on January 1. only 244 Soviet Jews were allowed to leave. This is not a significant improvement over the rates for 1985 and 1986. The grim facts are that nearly 400.000 Jews are still waiting to emigrate. And this number is even larger when you add those who want desperately to emigrate but are afraid to risk dangers of applying for emigration. Although we suffer and sympathize with these refuseniks. we cannot begin to understand their sense of suffering. deprivation. and loss. They suffer because they are brave. idealistic. and loyal to their heritage and people.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration