Almost a third of Holocaust survivors in Israel live below the poverty line

I-24 NEWS – An Israeli NGO has launched a new website aimed at informing the country’s Holocaust survivors of their rights and how they can access them, the Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday.

The NGO, Aviv (“Spring”), built both Hebrew and English versions of their website, in order, its CEO Aviva Silverman says, to insure as many survivors and their families as possible will be able to make use of the information.

“Elderly Holocaust survivors are left with many questions and few answers,” the Post quoted Silverman as saying.

“Full realization of their rights would insure that they live the rest of their lives with dignity and comfort… and could mean the difference between living in poverty or well-being,” she added.

The NGO has also provided a call center and lawyers in order to help survivors and their family if they are unsure about any of the information on the website or how to proceed obtaining their rights.

Founded by Silverman in 2007, Aviv’s aim is to address the lack of knowledge and misunderstandings among the public about what rights the 180,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel have.

The website’s mission statement reads: “Our vision is that all Holocaust survivors living in Israel should live their lives with the dignity and comfort they deserve, and that they receive respect proper treatment from the various agencies assisting them.

“Thousands of them do not take advantage of all their rights, whether granted to them by law or under various programs,” the website continues.

It adds that Holocaust survivors in Israel are entitled to benefits from the Finance Ministry, Germany, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany and the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel, among other institutions.

According to the Israeli Welfare Ministry and the Authority for Holocaust Survivors’ Rights, which sits in the Finance Ministry, almost a third of Holocaust survivors in Israel — around 60,000 out of some 200,900 — live below the poverty line.