Knesset Allocates One Million Shekels to Holocaust Survivors

YERUSHALAYIM

In what has become an annual gesture toward Holocaust survivors, on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day the Knesset found money that could be used to assist the survivors, many of whom continue to live in poverty in Israel despite repeated efforts to draw attention to their plight.

The Knesset Finance Committee awarded one million shekels ($264,782) to the impoverished survivors on Tuesday.

The funds, which were from a 2015 budget surplus, were transferred after Committee members withdrew their opposition to a request from MK Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid), who chairs the Lobby for Holocaust survivors, Arutz Sheva reported.

Some 45,000 Holocaust survivors live in poverty and 60 percent are worried about their finances, a study published earlier on Tuesday by the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel revealed.

Financial problems are compounded by others no less serious. Fifty percent of survivors say they feel lonely; 60 percent are concerned about paying their bills; and 43 percent fear the Holocaust will happen again.

In addition, at least 50 percent of survivors suffer from poor health, and at least two-thirds have mental health issues.

About 13,000 survivors die every year, according to the report.

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