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Line 1: <!--[[image:acchsemble-large.gif\|thumbnail\|right]]--> '''Refusenik''' ([[Hebrew language\|he]]: מסורבים, ''me-su-rav-im''), or '''Otkaznik''' ([[Russian language\|ru]]: "отказник", from "отказ" (refusal, rejection), [[English language\|en]] equivalent) was an unofficial term for individuals, usually but not exclusively Soviet [[Jews]], who were denied permission to emigrate abroad by the authorities of the former [[Soviet Union]]. The term ''refusenik'' has entered colloquial English usage for any type of protestor. '''Allentown Central Catholic High School''' is a [[parochial school]] located at 301 North Fourth Street in [[Allentown, Pennsylvania\|Allentown]], [[Pennsylvania]], in the [[United States]]. It predominantly serves students from the [[Lehigh Valley]] region of the state. As of 2006, the school's total enrollment is 934 students, with a nearly equal number of female and male students. The school competes athletically in the [[Lehigh Valley Conference]] in District XI of the [[Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association]]. It plays its home [[American football\|football]] and some of its [[soccer]] games at [[J. Birney Crum Stadium]], a 15,000 capacity stadium in the city. A large number of Soviet Jews applied for exit visas to leave the Soviet Union, especially in the period following the [[1967]] [[Six-Day War]]. While some were allowed to leave, many were refused permission, either instantly or their case could languish for years in the ''OVIR'' (ОВиР, "Отдел Виз и Регистрации", "Otdel Viz i Registratsii"), the [[MVD]] department responsible for provisioning of exit visas. In many instances, the excuse was given that these persons had been given access at some point in their careers to information vital to Soviet [[national security]] and could not now be allowed to leave. ==School accomplishments== During the [[Cold War]], Soviet Jews were presumed a security liability or possible traitors. Some were arrested or otherwise punished for daring to express a desire to leave the country for [[the West]], thus confirming suspicions of disloyalty. To apply for exit visa, the entire family had to quit their jobs, which in turn would make them vulnerable to charges of [[social parasitism]], a criminal offence. ===Academic accomplishments=== ~~One of the founders (in [[1976]]) and the spokesman of the [[refusenik]] movement in Moscow [[Helsinki Watch Group]] was [[Natan Sharansky]].~~ First place, ''[[Scholastic Scrimmage]]'', 2005 and 2006. Both [[ultra-Orthodox Jews]] who were desiring to emigrate on religious grounds and relatively secular Jews desired to escape an undercurrent of the state-sponsored [[anti-Semitism]]. Also, large numbers of [[Volga German]]s attempted to leave for [[Germany]], [[Armenian]]s to join their [[diaspora]], [[Evangelical]] [[Christian]]s, [[Roman Catholic]]s, and other ethnic and religious groups tried to escape persecutions or desired to seek a better life. ===Athletic accomplishments=== The coming to power of [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] in the Soviet Union in the mid-[[1980s]] and his policies of [[glasnost]] and [[perestroika]], as well as a desire for better relations with the West led to major changes. Most refuseniks were then allowed to emigrate. With the [[collapse of the Soviet Union]] at the end of the decade, the term "otkaznik" largely passed into history. Allentown Central Catholic is particularly known for its highly successful girls [[basketball]] team, which has won the Pennsylvania state championship in four of the past five years. The school's Pennsylvania state championships include: ~~==See also==~~ [[Refusenik]] (disambiguation) * [[Jackson-Vanik amendment]] * [[History of the Jews in Russia and the Soviet Union]] * [[Human rights]] Pennsylvania state champions, boys basketball, 1984, 1986. ~~[[Category:Jewish Russian and Soviet history]]~~ Pennsylvania state champions, girls basketball, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. ~~[[Category:Israeli history]]~~ Pennsylvania state champions, football, 1993, 1998. ~~[[Category:Soviet history]]~~ Pennsylvania state champions, girls cross country, 2002. Pennsylvania state champions, girls volleyball, 2002. ==Notable alumni== [[Michelle Marciniak]], women's basketball coach, [[University of South Carolina]], and former professional basketball player, [[Women's National Basketball Association\|WNBA]]'s [[Portland Fire]] and [[Seattle Storm]]. [[Billy McCaffrey]], former [[college basketball]] shooting guard, [[Duke University]] and [[Vanderbilt University]]. [[Ed McCaffrey]], former professional football player, [[New York Giants]], [[San Francisco 49ers]] and [[Denver Broncos]]. [[Tony Stewart (football player)\|Tony Stewart]], current professional football player, [[Cincinnati Bengals]]. [[Christine Taylor]], actress and wife of actor [[Ben Stiller]]. ==External links== [http://www.acchs.info/ Allentown Central Catholic High School Official Web Site]. [http://www.highschoolsports.net/defaultcal_300.cfm?school=PA181023819 Allentown Central Catholic athletics schedule and scores] at HighSchoolSports.net. *[http://www.lviac.net/central.asp Allentown Central Catholic High School Page at Lehigh Valley Conference Official Web Site]. {{High Schools in the Lehigh Valley}} [[Category:Allentown, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Roman Catholic secondary schools in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown]]

Refusenik and Allentown Central Catholic High School: Difference between pages