The organization representing Holocaust survivors, known as the Claims Conference, announced on Wednesday that Germany has agreed to provide an additional $1.076 billion (923.9 million euros) for home care services for Holocaust survivors worldwide for the upcoming year. This significant funding represents the largest budget allocation in the history of the organization for the home care of frail and vulnerable Holocaust survivors.
This historic funding increase addresses the complex and growing needs of survivors globally. Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, emphasized the urgency of this support, stating, "While we are losing survivors at a rapid pace each year, those who remain are older, frailer, and in greater need than ever before." Taylor highlighted that the budget is essential for allowing survivors to age in place, providing them with the dignity that was denied to them in their youth.
According to data from the Claims Conference, the average age of survivors receiving home care support has risen from 86 in 2018 to 88.5 in 2024. The organization has also noted an increase in complicated health issues among survivors, with the number requiring full-time assistance due to extreme disabilities—such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia—nearly doubling during this period.
Furthermore, the Claims Conference revealed that supplemental payments from the Hardship Fund, which were previously assured annually to eligible Holocaust survivors until 2027, have been extended through 2028. Survivors will receive an amount of $1,450 each, impacting over 127,000 individuals globally. The Claims Conference estimates that approximately 200,000 survivors remain alive, primarily residing in Israel, the United States, and Europe.
Notably, non-Jewish individuals who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust—referred to as righteous rescuers—will also be eligible for home care support similar to that received by Jewish survivors. This initiative aims to ensure that all individuals who played a role in resisting oppression can live their final years with dignity in their own homes.
Colette Avital, a Holocaust survivor and member of the Claims Conference negotiation team, expressed the significance of the German government’s continued responsibility toward Holocaust survivors eight decades after the liberation. She stated, "Every survivor and every rescuer deserves to live with dignity and to be seen, heard, and cared for."
The funding for Holocaust education has also been extended through 2029, amounting to a total of $175 million. This initiative is particularly timely as there is a noted decline in knowledge about the Holocaust and a sharp rise in antisemitism. The education funds will support various programs, including teacher training, academic research, and the creation of mass-market mediums such as films, games, and virtual reality experiences aimed at reaching a broader audience.
Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference, underscored the moral obligation to invest in Holocaust education while living witnesses are still able to share their experiences. He remarked, "This is our moral obligation to the survivors of the Holocaust and to the 6 million who were murdered."
