Giving » Holocaust Survivor Support
Supporting our Holocaust Survivor Community Supporting our Holocaust Survivor Community

 

 Remember Their Past, Strengthen Their Present, Secure Their Future

In the News: Holocaust Survivor Program Faces $200K Shortfall, RockvillePatch, May 1, 2012

The Cost of Survival: Washington Jewish Week April 19, 2012 story about JSSA's Holocaust Survivor Program

From The Jewish Federation, April 2012...

From the Washington Post, April 26, 2012...

Holocaust Survivor Program
The Jewish Social Service Agency’s (JSSA) nearly 20 year old Holocaust Survivor Program is facing critical funding shortfalls this coming year and for the next 10 or more years. Several hundred frail, poor and ill Holocaust survivors reside in the greater DC area. Due to unprecedented increases in survivor applications for services as this population nears the last few years of their life, their growing need for basic safety net services including personal care, homemaker, health, social services, and financial assistance are currently outpacing available funding. Changing demographics, increasing frailty, the downturn in the economy, and changes in eligibility criteria for Claims Conference (CC) funding have contributed to this dire situation.

How Does JSSA Help:
• In 2011 JSSA served 225 Holocaust survivor clients – 40 of whom were new to the program.
• Two thirds of these clients have annual incomes that fall below 200% of the Federal Poverty level ($21,660 for individuals and $29,140 for couples annually).
• The average age of JSSA’s Holocaust Survivor client is 85. Nearly half of all clients are over 85 years of age and 15% are over 90.
• Nearly 70% of JSSA’s Holocaust survivor clients either require moderate or full assistance with activities of daily living (i.e. many are bedridden or use a wheelchair and need bathing, dressing, and housekeeping assistance). Learn about JSSA's Holocaust Survivor Support Services

Why Your Help is Needed: Up until now, these and other critical social services have been funded by Claims Conference grants, matching JSSA funds, and donations. But a decrease in many of these traditional revenue sources combined with a substantial increase in aging survivors applying for more intensive services has placed our Holocaust Survivors Program in jeopardy. This year alone, JSSA is facing a $200,000 shortfall and we expect the deficit to grow annually for at least another 10 years. Without additional support from generous donors, our ability to provide safety net services for impoverished Holocaust survivors in our midst is in peril.

Our Shared Responsibility: JSSA’s deep commitment to caring for and providing safety net services to the frail, poor and ill Holocaust survivors residing in our community is enduring. To date, JSSA has made deliberate, proactive decisions not to impose limits on service levels and not to stop new survivors from enrolling in our program by creating a waiting list as other communities have done. However, it is clear that the factors impacting our ability to do so for very much longer are intensifying at an unanticipated and alarming rate. Without additional support from our generous community – from you – we will not be able to remain true to our mission of never turning any needy Holocaust survivor away.

Community Supporters

We thank the following congregations who have informed us of their plans to support our fundraising efforts to benefit the Holocaust Survivor Program at JSSA*:

  • Adas Israel Congregation
  • Agudas Achim Congregation
  • Bethesda Jewish Congregation
  • Bet Mishpachah
  • B’nai Israel
  • B'nai Shalom of Olney
  • Congregation Beth Emeth
  • Congregation B'nai Tzedek
  • Congregation Etz Hayim
  • Congregation Shaare Shalom
  • DC Minyan
  • Jewish Rockville Outreach Congregation (JewishRoc)
  • Kol Shalom
  • Kemp Mill Synagogue
  • Magen David Sephardic Congregation
  • Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation
  • Silver Spring Jewish Center
  • Temple Beth Ami
  • Temple B’nai Shalom, Fairfax Station, VA
  • Temple Micah
  • Temple Rodef Shalom
  • Temple Shalom
  • Temple Sinai DC
  • Tikvat Israel Congregation
  • Washington Hebrew Congregation

And thank you also to the special organizations in our community for their support!* 

  • Alpha Omega Foundation
  • Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, staff and students of Upper School campus
  • International Fellowship of Chirstians and Jews
  • The Maimonidies Dental Society
  • The Tribe Motorcycle Club
  • The Washington Post

Educational Materials
You can help us spread the word about the critical need to raise funds to support our community’s holocaust survivors. Download and share the information below:

JSSA's Holocaust Survivor Program Advisory Committee*

Dottie Bennett
Joseph Brodecki
Nesse Godin
James Arthur Weissmann Klein
Maryla Korn
Emanuel (Manny) Mandel
Herman Taube
Rabbi Jonathan Schnitzer
Margo Volfstun

 *Updated as of May 9, 2012

            

Social services for Nazi victims have been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

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