The World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) is distributing more than $10 million to some 4,100 Romanian Holocaust survivors in Israel and the Diaspora – including evacuees from Israeli communities in the North and South, The Jerusalem Report has learned.
“During these challenging times, it is crucial that we continue to support Holocaust survivors around the world,” said WJRO president Gideon Taylor and Colette Avital, president of the Caritatea Foundation, in a joint statement. “The programs for Romanian survivors exemplify our sustained commitment to ensuring that they receive the recognition and assistance they deserve, wherever they may live or whatever challenges they face. In this time of rising antisemitism, Holocaust survivors continue to be inspirational figures to remind us about what is important.”
The funds are made available by the Caritatea Foundation in a partnership between the WJRO and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, and are administered by the Claims Conference.
Some $9 million will be given to 2,842 Holocaust survivors of Romanian origin in 21 countries, spanning from Argentina to Uzbekistan. Simultaneously, $1 million will be distributed to more than 1,200 needy Romanian Holocaust survivors in Israel.
Asia Fagen: A Holocaust survivor forced from her home by Hamas
One of the Holocaust survivors benefiting from the new grant is Asia Fagen, 89, from Sderot, one of the communities that bore the brunt of the brutal Hamas invasion on October 7. She was born in the town of Bender, which belonged to Romania and is now part of Moldova.
In the wake of the Nazi onslaught, her family fled east by train to the Ural Mountains. “Living conditions were very difficult in the village in the Urals where we lived for five years, part of the time in a barn. We slept on a frozen floor,” she recalled.
After World War II, Fagan’s family returned to Moldova, where Asia attained a doctorate in psychology.
In 1997, she made aliyah with her family. She told us her story from October 7, 2023:
“I live in Sderot alone. On October 7, I was at home. I heard a lot of automatic gunfire. I’m lucky I didn’t leave the house. We suffered many casualties. On October 15, I ran away from my home for the second time in my life. The first time it was because of Hitler, and now it was because of Hamas.
“I was evacuated for several months, during which time I stayed with my sons and grandchildren in Prague. After much longing for my home and the people of Sderot, I recently went back to Sderot, which was empty. I saw a woman of Ethiopian origin, and we hugged each other.
“During World War II, no one helped us. We were foreigners, and no one protected us. For five years, no one cared about whether we had food or not, or in what conditions we lived. Many of us were led like sheep to the slaughter. Here [in Israel], on the other hand, we are at home. And although people are having a hard time today, our small country is like one big family. I was not in my home for several months. During this time, I was given financial aid and help.
“Here, I feel that we are a little spoiled. We are surrounded by enemies. No one doubts that home is best, but the evacuees – who are really having a hard time – need to wait to return home and accept that there are times in life when things don’t turn out exactly the way you want. Everything in life is like a wave: You can’t just go up; you also have to go down a little. My fervent prayer is for the return of all the hostages.”