This year marks 80 years since the victory over Nazi Germany – a historical moment of courage, and the triumph of spirit over evil. Yet today, we must confront the ongoing reality facing approximately 125,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel.
These survivors – ranging from those who were born at the end of the war and are now in their eighties, to others well over 100 – are forced to navigate bureaucratic processes and paperwork that are ill-equipped to address their advanced age.
The rights of Holocaust survivors in Israel were established decades ago, when younger survivors had different needs.
Now, as they enter later stages of life, they face new health and social challenges, making it increasingly difficult to cope with administrative barriers.
Holocaust survivors’ stipends are health-related benefits determined by medical and financial status. Ideally, these stipends would increase as survivors’ health deteriorates; however, this requires dealing with multiple organizations in Israel and abroad, providing medical documentation, waiting for medical committees, filling out forms, and more.
These complicated processes take time – time many survivors, sadly, no longer have.
Outdated bureaucracy
Bureaucratic systems set up 70 years ago are no longer appropriate for dealing with the reality of an 85-year-old survivor who must secure a stipend from the Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority, an elderly care allowance from the National Insurance Institute, a foreign caregiver through the Immigration Authority, and coordinate with a caregiving agency.
Survivors who have supportive family members can sometimes get help with these tasks, but even their relatives attest to the complexity and frustration. What about the thousands of isolated survivors with no family support at all?
Given their age, health conditions, and the challenges associated with this stage of life, one would expect organizations responsible for reparations or services to streamline these processes.
Unfortunately, the opposite is happening. For instance, the Claims Conference – which pays reparations to about 70,000 survivors – recently announced that, starting in 2025, survivors must use a special app for identity verification and annual proof-of-life certification.
This demand has caused significant frustration among an elderly population that often lacks familiarity with or access to such technology.
Worse still, this additional layer of red tape could have been avoided if the Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority in Israel or the National Insurance Institute had shared existing data with the Claims Conference.
This points to the urgent need for a centralized body to simplify bureaucratic procedures and provide comprehensive support tailored to survivors’ needs, including: healthcare, emotional support, and combating loneliness.
The most critical and immediate action is to make it easier for Holocaust survivors to procure their rights, both as survivors and as senior citizens.
The government should adopt a holistic approach that addresses not only financial assistance, but also expands access to healthcare, social services, and housing solutions.
Eighty years after the end of World War II, our moral obligation as a society is to ensure that every Holocaust survivor can age with dignity, living out their remaining years with comfort and security.
Now is the time to act on their behalf, in their memory, and for the future of our society as a Jewish, ethical, and humane community.
The writer is CEO of Aviv for Holocaust Survivors.