The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous is sending more than £254k to 83 Righteous Gentile rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust living in 10 different countries –the largest one-time seasonal award in the foundation’s history.
The JFR provides financial stipends for aged and needy Righteous Gentiles, helping to repay a debt of gratitude on behalf of the Jewish people for their heroism.
Since its founding, the foundation has provided more than £35 million to an estimated 3,600 rescuers in more than 34 countries.
As the years pass from the Holocaust, the number of living rescuers has dwindled. The remaining Righteous Gentiles who are receiving this year’s holiday awards live in Australia, Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and Ukraine.
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This year’s disbursements, totalling just over £4k per rescuer, includes around £3k to each of 83 rescuers along with their usual estimated £1,200 award for the September to December period.
The awards mark the largest individual holiday disbursement per rescuer that the JFR has sent in its 30-year history. The JFR disburses its ongoing awards to rescuers three times annually, the third and final in December ahead of the holidays.
JFR executive vice president Stanlee Stahl said: “Each of these Righteous Gentiles is a hero who confronted their mortality to save their Jewish neighbours from Nazi persecution during the Holocaust.
“As they continue to age and many face hardship and isolation, we hope that this special award allows them to make this holiday season memorable for them and their families while the ongoing financial support we provide helps them to pay for their critical needs, including food, medicine, and pay the heating bills. Our support is just one of the many ways we can repay our boundless gratitude for all that they did in risking their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.”
- Since its founding, the JFR has provided more than £35 million to aged and needy rescuers. Its Holocaust teacher education program has become a standard for teaching the history of the Holocaust and educating teachers and students about the significance of the Righteous as moral and ethical exemplars. For more information, click here.
