LEGAL NOTICI BY ORDER OF THE COURT
The plan to distribute the $1.25 billion
Swiss Banks legal settlement has been approved.
This notice describes the claims process.
The United States Court that ap.,
2 Slave Labor I Claims - If you
5.
proved the proposed Settlement be-
performed forced or slave labor any-
Court has approved a claims process
tween Holocaust Survivors and Swiss
where for an entity which operated
to resolve any Nazi-era insurance claim
Banks has now approved the "Plan
under Nazi authority, you are eligible
you have involving Swiss Reinsurance
of Allocation" to distribute the money.
for payment. Certain heirs of former
Company, Swiss Life Insurance and
If you already submitted an Initial
laborers who died after February 15,
Pension Company, and certain affili-
1999 are eligible.
ates. You may exclude yourself solely
the claims process in the mail. There is
3.
Looted Assets Group - Because
Settlement, if vou act before August .
no cost to submit a claim.
all survivors had assets taken by the
5, 2001. If vou do not exclude your-
Questionnaire, you will automatically
get a claim form or information about
If you were persecuted by the Nazi
Regime because you were or were be-
lieved to be Jewish, Romani, Jehovah's
Witness, homosexual, or physically or
mentally disabled or handicapped, you
may be in one of the first five groups
below. The sixth group, Slave Labor
II Claims, is not limited to these "Vic-
tims or Targets of Nazi Persecution."
1. Deposited Assets Claims - if you
had assets deposited with any Swiss
bank, investment fund or other cus-
Swiss Insurance Claims - The
from the insurance provisions of the
Nazis, there is no claims process for
self, you will be bound by the insur-
this group. Instead, needy survivors
ance provisions of the Settlement.
may be eligible for services such as
food packages, medical assistance and
emergency cash grants to be distrib-
uted through Court-approved hu-
manitarian relief programs.
6.
Slave Labor II Claims
If you
plausibly . demonstrate that you per-
formed slave labor anywhere for a
Swiss-run company appearing on a list
issued by the Court, you will receive
Refugee Claims - If you plausi-
payment. Certain heirs of former slave
bly demonstrate that, while seeking to
laborers who died after February 15,
avoid Nazi persecution, you were de-
1999 are eligible.
4.
zerland, or admitted into Switzerland
There were also improvements and
amendments to the Settlement Agree-
todian prior to May 9, 1945 and your
claim is approved, you will receive pay-
treated or abused, you will receive pay-
ment; including: artwork looted dur-
ment. A list of names is available to
help . you determine your eligibility.
ment. A partial list of names is avail-
ing the Nazi era may be recovered in
able. You can submit a claim even if
certain situations; and a list of names
You can submit a claim even if your
your name is not on the list. Certain
in Swiss Bank files relating to accounts
name is not on the list. Certain heirs
heirs of refugees who died after Feb-
that possibly belonged to victims of
of original depositors are also eligible.
ruary 15, 1999 are eligible.
Nazi persecution has been publiShed.
Get a claim form at www.swissbankclaims.com or call:
Type of Claim
Call
Claims Due
Deposited Assets (All)
1-800-881-2736
August 5, 2001
Slave Labor I (Jewish)
1-800-697-6064
August 11, 2001
August 11, 2001
Slave Labor I (Non-Jewish)
1-877-691-2862
Looted Assets
There is no claims process for this group.
Refugee (Jewish)
1-800-564-2895
September 30, 2001
Refugee (N on-Jewish)
1-877-691-2862
September 30, 2001
Swiss Insurance (All)
1-800-881-2736
September 30, 2001
Slave Labor II (All)
1-877-691-2862
September 30, 2001
For general information call 1-888-635-5483
United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, CV 96-4849
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11
two weeks and five days of the Omer.
But math is not the real focus of
counting the Omer. In fact, it has been a
time of great anguish in Jewish history.
During the first 33 days of the Omer,
24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students died in
a plague because, the Talmud says, they
did not treat each other with respect.
Later, there were a series of massacres
of Jewish communities in the Rhineland
during the Crusades in 1096 and 1146,
and then during the Chmielnicki mas-
sacres of 1648-49.
Consequently, Torah-observant Jews
to this day refrain from haircuts (some
men also do not shave), do not have
weddings and other celebrations, and do
not play or listen to live music during
the omer period.
How To Celebrate: Throughout the
Jewish world, Lag b'Omer is enhanced
by the many weddings that take place,
and by parents giving their 3-year-old
sons their first haircuts (another kabbal-
istic tradition), along with hosting a
party to celebrate the event.
Observant men and women also may
take the opportunity to get a haircut,
and men likely want a good shave.
In Israel, thousands of Jews gather in
the northern town of Meron for prayer
and festivity at the tomb of Shimon Bar
Yohai. Others go to the tomb of another
ancient sage, Shimon Ha-Tzadik, in
Jerusalem.
For unknown reasons, some light
great bonfires and children play with
bows and arrows on Lag b'Omer. They
also commemorate Bar Kokhba and his
rebellion against the Roman occupation
of Israel (132-135 C.E.). Why Bar
Kokhba is associated with Lag b'Omer is
a matter of debate.
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