On April 12, Germany issued $236 to each Holocaust survivor living in Israel as a means of assisting the coping process as a result of the Hamas-Israeli War, given that 113,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel.
Over the course of the war, Holocaust survivors had been riddled with devastating impacts. “Many Holocaust survivors were hit particularly hard by the Hamas attacks, whether through the loss of their homes [or] support systems in the form of care,” a German finance ministry spokesperson told CNN.
Given that the Hamas-led attacks was the deadliest day in Israeli history with at least 1,200 killed and 250 kidnapped, German politicians claim to owe it to Israel to help its people in any tragic situation due their relations to the Holocaust, during which Germany was responsible for the death of over six million Jews under the rule of Adolf Hitler.
As a result, Berlin plans on providing all of the Israel-based Holocaust survivors with $27 million as a means of compensation. It will also be providing $236 to each Holocaust survivor individually to show solidarity after the attacks that resembled those that they endured as children during the Holocaust. Germany is also planning to fund Holocaust-related organizations with over $1.4 billion, which is the most money ever given, as a way of expressing its support for caring for the elderly survivors.
“Supporting Holocaust survivors is always our number one concern,” Gideon Taylor, the CEO of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, said, according to Haaretz. “Immediately following the horrific attacks of October 7, we began working to ensure every survivor was first safe, then secure in a location where they would be comfortable, and to ensure that they have financial support while the conflict continues. This additional symbolic acknowledgment payment by Germany to Holocaust survivors in Israel is a message of solidarity.”
Despite other pressing issues making headlines, the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel continues to be a prominent issue within global politics. By providing money to the Israeli Holocaust survivors, Germany has shown the world the crucial nature of acknowledging historical trauma, as well as the power of empathy and solidarity during times of crisis.
