HEBREW TEACHERS IN THE SOVIET UNION

WHEREAS, the following Hebrew teachers; Moshe Abramov, Evgeny Aisenberg, Iosif Begun, Iosif Berenshtein, Yuli Edelshtein, Yakov Levin, Alexei Magarik, Lev Shefer, Leonid Volvosky, Roald (Alik) Zelichonik are currently imprisoned in labor camps for teaching Hebrew language and culture, and for applying for exit visas to Israel; and

WHEREAS, the aforementioned teachers have been imprisoned on erroneous charges such as drug possession and anti-Soviet agitation; and

WHEREAS, Hebrew, like no other national language is forbidden to be taught, and Hebrew teachers are refused national licenses to teach, parts of a methodical procedure to obliterate Jewish culture and religion; and

WHEREAS, Hebrew teachers are deprived of their legal rights as guaranteed in the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the 1960 UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education, in addition to the Soviet Union's own Constitution and laws which prohibit any form of discrimination on the basis of nationality, as well as any preference or limitation regarding the national language of the people of the USSR:

RESOLVED, the American Federation of Teachers on behalf of its members will defend colleagues who are denied their freedom to teach their chosen language or culture; and

RESOLVED, the American Federation of Teachers calls upon the Soviet Union to cease and desist the harassment, intimidation and arrests of all Hebrew teachers who request visas to emigrate; and

RESOLVED, the American Federation of Teachers insists the Soviet Union recognize the right to teach the Hebrew language and culture, as it does other national languages and cultures; and

RESOLVED, the American Federation of Teachers calls upon the American government to intervene on behalf of the Hebrew teachers oppressed in the Soviet Union; and

RESOLVED, the American Federation of Teachers pledges to send to the Soviet Union, every month a letter of indignation for the treatment of their colleagues teaching the Hebrew language and culture; and

RESOLVED, each and every member of the American Federation of Teachers is urged to contact members of the Soviet government through letters, telegrams, visiting Teachers' groups, and any other means possible, on a steady basis, demanding for their colleagues their legal rights to teach Hebrew language and culture, and to emigrate to Israel; and

RESOLVED, continued action from the American Federation of Teachers on behalf of Hebrew teachers in the Soviet Union until all discrimination, intimidation, and arrests cease and desist, and until all Hebrew teachers are granted visas to emigrate.