Study finds 16% of Holocaust survivors in Israel are over 90 years old

Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Israel’s Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority has just released data on survivors living in Israel.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Holocaust survivors renew their wedding vows after 70 years in a ceremony organized by the Claims Conference. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Holocaust survivors renew their wedding vows after 70 years in a ceremony organized by the Claims Conference.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
According to a study by Israel’s Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Authority, 192,000 survivors live in Israel today, as reported by Israel Hayom. Some 39% are more than 85 years old, 16% are over the age of 90, and less than 1% (839) are over 100.
In addition, 64% of survivors were born in Europe and 18% are from Morocco and Algeria where they suffered from harassment during the Vichy regime.
The authority emphasizes that the number of Holocaust survivors is dropping. In 2019, 14,800 of them passed away. These figures are particularly alarming in the context of rising antisemitism and increasing indifference toward the Holocaust. As Shulamit Imber told the Jerusalem Report, "we need to ensure that we keep the survivors' memory alive."
Days before the World Holocaust Forum, President Reuven Rivlin also said that, “we will come together to think about how to pass on Holocaust remembrance to generations who will live in a world without survivors, and what steps we must take to ensure the safety and security of Jews – all around the world.”
Today, the authority receives more than NIS 4 billion annually to support Holocaust survivors in Israel, who receive benefits of up to NIS 6,000 every month.
Understanding that many survivors are unaware of their rights, the Authority launched several projects in the past two years, such as over 51,000 visits to the homes of survivors, sending letters and making phone calls, to ensure that survivors know about their rights.