Breaking the Cycle of Poverty among Holocaust Survivors

April 20, 2017

by: Itay Blumental

Friday, 21 April 2017 | A new piece of legislation designed to provide greater economic benefits to Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel after 1953, in an effort to break a prevailing cycle of poverty, was announced Wednesday.

The joint legislative proposal is being spearheaded by MKs (Yesh Atid) and Dov Khenin (Joint List) with the aim of significantly increasing the annual financial allowances of post-1953 immigrant survivors.

Approximately 78,000 Holocaust survivors currently live in Israel who made aliyah after 1953. As a result of their comparatively late arrival in Israel, they were not entitled to a number of rights granted to “Disabled Victims of Nazi persecution,” which included those who made aliyah prior to 1953.

If the legislation passes in the Knesset, the financial injection would constitute a significant difference in compensation currently awarded by the state.

While huge gaps would remain in the sums received by the two groups even after the bill passes the new legislation seeks to boost the allowance for post-1953 survivors by 1,000 shekels per month, three times the sum they currently receive.

MK Stern, who also chairs a lobby group on behalf of Holocaust survivors, said during a press conference which took place on Wednesday that “The State of Israel needs to go to the Holocaust survivors and not wait for them to go to the State.”

“In the last few years, Israel has take action for the Holocaust survivors but there are still some who have been left behind.  

Editor’s Note: The needs of Israel’s poor, including Holocaust survivors, are being met in a number of ways. Bridges for Peace, through its Food Project, purchases nutritious food locally and provides it to many in need. Please consider helping us in this effort by sending a donation.

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Posted on April 20, 2017

Source: (Ynetnews originally published this article on 20 April 2017. Time related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Isranet