A group of prominent Soviet Jewish scientists who have immigrated to Israel, warned today that unless Israel’s social structure is drastically changed, the number of immigrants from the USSR would continue to drop and the rate of departure from Israel may further increase.
Although the foremost impediment to emigration from the USSR continues to be the restrictions imposed by Soviet authorities, anxiety among potential olim as to what confronts them in Israel is now a real deterrent, Dr. Victor Polsky said at a press conference at Beth Sokolow here. His remarks were concurred by other Soviet scientists who have been successfully absorbed in the Israeli scientific community. They included Vitaly Ryevsky, a chemist teaching at the Haifa Technion, and Dr. Yuli Nudelman, a surgeon at Rambam Hospital.
They said that some 100,000 Soviet Jews have received notification that they are wanted in Israel. But because of Soviet restrictions and because of social conditions in Israel, many hesitate to come. The scientists noted that many of the Soviet immigrants are highly professional people, by no means refugees fleeing the danger of physical annihilation.
Many of them are appalled by the lack of patriotism, Zionist feelings and concern for the country’s future manifested by the settled population in Israel. This is responsible for much of the emigration which can be halted only by a change of atmosphere, the scientists said.
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