Speech #1000135240

Yiddish publications and Yiddish language instruction are extremely limited. and fewer than 60 synagogues remain open. Rabbinical training is nonexistent. To add insult to injury. the Soviets have severely restricted Jewish emigration. From 1980 to 1986. Jewish emigration dropped dramatically (see chart below). At its peak in 1979. over 51.000 Jews were permitted to leave. In 1985. only 1.140 Jews were reported to have emigrated and in 1986. only 914 were permitted to emigrate. According to the U.S. Council on Soviet Jewry and the Israeli Embassy. nearly 400.000 more have shown an interest in leaving the Soviet Union. Jewish emigration from the U.S.S.R. statistics 1970 .......................................................... 4.235 1971 .......................................................... 13.022 1972 .......................................................... 31.681 1973 .......................................................... 34.733 1974 .......................................................... 20.628 1975 .......................................................... 13.221 1976 .......................................................... 14.261 1977 .......................................................... 16.736 1978 .......................................................... 28.864 1979 .......................................................... 51.320 1980 .......................................................... 21.471 1981 .......................................................... 9.447 1982 .......................................................... 2.688 1983 .......................................................... 1.314 1984 .......................................................... 896 1985 .......................................................... 1.140 1986 .......................................................... 914 1987 .......................................................... 7.250 To date. Source: Congressional Research Service. While we have seen a recent increase in Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union. there remains cause for alarm. Recent laws which have enabled this outflow appear to be far more restrictive than past laws. If the new