Speech #1000136268

Jews and nonJews. came from all over our country. from as far away as Alaska. from my district in New Jersey. and from virtually every other State. On the eve of the historic summit between President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev. these individuals brought with them one message-"Let my people go." Mr. Speaker. hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews have been waiting years to receive permission to emigrate to Israel. The years of waiting and hoping have been long and painful. It is time to end this struggle and open the doors to peace and to freedom. The Soviet Government has made some progress this year in increasing the number of refuseniks who have been allowed to emigrate to Israel. I recently had the opportunity to join the congregation of Temple EmanuEI in Livingston. NJ. in welcoming the Karlin and Manevich families of Leningrad to their new home and to see them reunited with their children. Cantor Manevich and his wife. Emma Karlin Manevich. However. the people who gathered here on Sunday have reason to suspect that this increase is part and parcel of the Soviet campaign to better their world image and is not a true step forward in reforming their emigration policies. We know of at least 400.000 Soviet Jews who are still waiting for visas. Many of these individuals have been refused again this year. For instance. I learned recently that my adopted family. the Kagans of Leningrad. received permission for their two children to leave. but Abram. their father. was denied. This decision to force this family to separate is contrary to the Helsinki accords. to Soviet efforts at glasnost. and will fuel the fires of suspicion that have for too long clouded relations between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Kagans struggle has served as a constant reminder to me to keep the pressure on the Soviet Union to honor the fundamental rights of individuals to emigrate and of families to be together. This week. President Reagan will discuss this important human rights issue with General Secretary Gorbachev. It is my great hope that the outcome of these talks will be that permission for the Kagans and the countless other Soviet Jews to emigrate is granted. Mr. Gorbachev. please heed the call of the thousands who gathered here in Washington on December 6 and let these people go.