The Foundation for the Welfare of Holocaust Victims held a national event on September 24 to honor the efforts of 3,500 volunteers working with Holocaust survivors in Israel.
These individuals gave their time to support Holocaust survivors living in Israel, working to improve their quality of life by offering social and emotional support and helping with day-to-day needs.
There are 128,000 Holocaust survivors and victims living in Israel. A recent survey conducted by IPANEL for the foundation revealed some striking figures: 36% of survivors live completely alone, and 19% are completely homebound. Furthermore, 40% of survivors report feeling lonely, and 69% require the help of another person just to step outside. Half of the survivors polled said that they would like to go out more often but can't, primarily because they need someone to accompany them.
"Volunteering with Holocaust survivors is of the highest importance to me,” said Limor Russo Oviless, a volunteer with the foundation for two years. “I am aware of their hardships, and I cannot ignore them. I will continue to dedicate my best efforts to helping and volunteering with Holocaust survivors. We must remember that these are their final years, and I hope that more compassionate Israelis will be able to dedicate even just one hour to wish a lonely survivor a happy birthday and show them that they are not forgotten. These individuals are the founders of our nation, and they deserve all the honor and appreciation."
Today, the foundation has nearly 3,500 volunteers from all over the country. The volunteers provide both ongoing support and one-time assistance to Holocaust survivors to ease their loneliness and improve their quality of life—especially now, since the average age of survivors ranges between 76 and 100. Nearly 60% of all survivors in Israel are women.
On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, hundreds of volunteers from all over the country gathered at Beit HaHayal in Tel Aviv for a heartfelt appreciation event. The evening featured a performance by comedian Reshef Levi.
Words of thanks
"The volunteers are a fundamental part of our foundation,” said CEO Eti Parhi. “Thanks to them, we can provide social support to alleviate loneliness and engage in leisure activities for tens of thousands of Holocaust survivors. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our thousands of volunteers for their time and the values they represent, and I hope that we will all have the privilege of welcoming more individuals who will join us in this important work."
Last year, the government allocated approximately NIS 5.6 billion to Holocaust survivors. Germany also recently allocated $114 million for survivors.