The government and negotiators for Holocaust survivors have come to an agreement on an increase in monthly stipends to help them survive the rigors of senior life in Israel.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Noah Flug, head of the Holocaust Survivors organization, announced at a news conference Monday morning they have agreed on a new government assistance program that will rise to 1.5 billion shekels ($375 million) by 2009.
Some 8,500 survivors of the death camps and ghettos will receive a monthly payment of more than NIS 1,000 (approximately $250) under the program, according to a report on IDF Army Radio.
The survivors’ organization earlier rejected an aid program that offered far less. The agreed-on program also covers second-generation survivors.
Flug told reporters he is satisfied with the new package, which will be administered by the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi). The program will be divided into two levels: an allocation of some $247.7 million to benefit all survivors in general, and a second budget of $123.9 million to benefit the especially needy senior citizens.
The new payments to the survivors will be included as a supplement to their monthly Bituach Leumi stipends. Holocaust Survivors’ organization representatives will meet with government officials to decide on levels of assistance in accordance with an eligibility scale yet to be worked out.
At the news conference, Prime Minister Olmert repeated the claim he made when announcing the original aid plan that it would “remove the stain” left by previous governments that ignored the plight of impoverished survivors. “This is an important step,” he said. “I’m proud of this government doing what none of its predecessors has done.”
The government previously resisted increasing benefits beyond a token raise of less than $35 per month, claiming no money existed for a larger hike, despite a current surplus of approximately 15 billion shekels ($4 billion).
Reporters were not allowed to ask questions after the announcement was made.