HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE

Alpert JFS’ Holocaust Survivors Assistance Program is dedicated to easing the lives of survivors of the Shoah.  Our internationally recognized professional staff has expertise in helping survivors identify and address their unique social welfare, health care, and emotional needs. You can trust our professionals to provide services with the utmost sensitivity, and honor the dignity of our survivors.

Alpert JFS Can Provide:

  • Assistance navigating the Reparations Benefits Process
  • Case Management and Care Coordination
  • Consultation and Professional Training
  • Counseling and Support Groups
  • Companionship and Transportation
  • Emergency Response System
  • Respite Care                                                                                               
  • Psychiatry

Alpert JFS offers special social activities for Holocaust survivors that give them an opportunity to enjoy the company of others, and perhaps relieve some of the isolation they may experience.

Café Europa is an annual event that brings together a large group of survivors for some relaxed socializing, a nosh, and song. The event is modeled on the informal get-togethers that arose in Europe in the post-WWII era, when Jewish survivors began searching for living family members or friends from their hometowns. With no homes to return to, coffee shops and cafes were a gathering place for news, and in the process, maybe a little friendship and laughter.

If you would like to be included in the next Café Europa, please call 561-684-1991.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are reparations?

Although it is recognized that the destruction of Jewish lives during the Holocaust is impossible to repair, the governments of various countries which took part in the atrocities have set aside monies to compensate and help provide relief for the victims. “Reparations” is the general term used to refer to the funds made available to survivors for compensation and restitution.

How can I access these funds? 

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) is the organization that has worked since 1951 to negotiate with various governments, including Germany, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, and others, to obtain reparations that provide “a small measure of justice for victims of Nazi persecution.” The Claims Conference makes grants and allocations to organizations that can, in turn, assist survivors with applying for these funds, and obtain social services that may help them meet various needs. Alpert JFS is the social service organization in northern Palm Beach County that has been funded by the Claims Conference to assist survivors of the Shoah who reside in our community.

It can be overwhelming to sort through the list of various funds available to compensate and provide restitution for survivors, and to apply for them. Our expert staff at Alpert JFS can assist survivors with the application process, and help with the emotional experience of having to document specific details in order to determine eligibility.

Who is eligible?

There are many factors that contribute to a determination of who is eligible and, indeed, how the word “survivor” is defined. If you lived in or escaped from any of the countries that were under Nazi occupation or control, and you would like to find out if you might be eligible for reparations, we recommend that you contact us for further information.

The Program receives financing from the Claims Conference (The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany) and also for the Emergency Assistance Program for Nazi Victims at the direction of the United States District Court supervising the lawsuit In Re: Holocaust Victim Assets Litigation (Swiss Banks)

 Social services for Jewish Nazi victims have been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany