There are an estimated 200,000 elderly Holocaust survivors living in Israel today, a quarter are whom are living in poverty.
Some 50,000 survivors in Israel are living a low quality of life, according to Aviv for Holocaust Survivors, an organization which works to inform survivors about their rights and helps them navigate the bureaucratic process, all free of charge.
Founded 12 years ago by Advocate Aviva Silberman, the organization has helped Holocaust survivors receive a total of NIS 400 million. She said that she started Aviv because she was seeing how so many Holocaust survivors were struggling with financial woes, and she saw this “as a chance to help them.”
“Thousands of them do not take advantage of all their rights, whether granted to them by law or under various programs,” she explained. “They are unaware of benefits due to them from Israel’s Finance Ministry, from Germany, from the Conference
On Jewish Material Claims against Germany, from the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel, and [from] other agencies.”
She said that over 50% of those who have come to Aviv receive some sort of compensation.
Article by: ILANIT CHERNICK
Full article: https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Quarter-of-Israels-Holocaust-survivors-living-in-poverty-588381
