There are around 88,000 recognized Holocaust survivors living in Israel, according to a Knesset report published Sunday. These survivors make up around 1% of the population and around 16% of the population aged 75 and up.
Over 50% of the survivors are from the former Soviet Union, amounting to nearly 47,000 survivors.The next most common country of origin is Romania, with nearly 14,000 survivors, followed by Poland, with 6,123, and then Tunisia, with 5,298.
Some 91% of survivors live in cities, with around 46% of survivors living in the Tel Aviv area. The city with the most survivors is Haifa, where around 7,000 of them live.
Looking at the socioeconomic status of the cities in which Holocaust survivors live, the report noted that 11% live in areas that are on levels one to three (the lowest levels), 69% live in areas on levels four to seven, and 20% live in areas on the highest levels of eight to 10.
Breaking down the numbers
Nearly half (48%) of survivors receive monthly grants as part of their recognition as survivors. The remainder do not qualify for these grants and instead receive a yearly grant of NIS 7,502, the report said.
The amount of the monthly grants is determined based on the percentages of disability the survivors were recognized with following their persecution, as well as their socioeconomic situation.
The monthly amount varies between NIS 2,806 and NIS 7,046. Survivors with low income are awarded larger stipends (between NIS 6,929 and NIS 12,890), the report added.
In spite of monthly grants, a survey by the Foundation for the Welfare of Holocaust Victims found that nearly half of Israel’s Holocaust survivors have a difficult time covering their monthly expenses, MK Meirav Cohen (Yesh Atid) said in a Knesset committee meeting on poverty in December.
The same survey found that 36% of survivors need help purchasing food and 27% gave up on purchasing some food.
The Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority said at the meeting that no survivors who receive a monthly stipend are below the poverty line, or lacking food security due to financial reasons.
A representative of the retirees union stressed that the measurements and assumptions used to determine poverty are not accurate.