Speech #1010176145

Speaker. the Soviet Union under Michael Gorbachev has undergone enormous change. Unfortunately. the historic antiSemitism within Soviet society remains and had become increasingly blatant. While fear of physical violation and persecution intensify. many Soviet Jews are still arbitrarily denied the right to emigrate by Soviet authorities. The case of Simeon Altberg is one example. Mr. Altberg once worked for a ship building company. but quit his job in 1988 and moved to Vilnius to escape antiSemitism. His femily applied for permission to emigrate In 1989. and in September 1989. his wife and son were given permission to leave the U.S.S.R. Permission was denied Simeon on the grounds that he had access to state secrets. In contrast.