~ On inion
Untruths About Claims Conference
New York/JTA
A
t
Rosh Hashanah 5706, 65 years
ago, World War II had just ended.
For those few European Jews who
had survived the Holocaust, the end of
the war meant a slow and painful process
of beginning anew and trying to rebuild
shredded lives.
For 59 of those 65 years, the Conference
on Jewish Material Claims Against
Germany (Claims Conference) has been
there to help those survivors rebuild, estab-
lish lives and obtain a small measure of jus-
tice. Through decades of negotiations with
governments and industry, of issuing pay-
ments and recovering assets, of continually
pushing for historic recognition of victims'
rights, the Claims Conference has been a
singular, historic endeavor.
There is no making whole again or set-
ting right what was destroyed, but we must
achieve recognition of suffering and some
relief to those who suffer today.
Critics of the Claims Conference who
claim to have the best interests of Holocaust
victims at heart have publicly voiced
untruths recently about the organization
that ultimately can harm survivors. The
myth has been perpetuated that the Claims
Conference has $1 billion at its disposal
that could be used to aid elderly survivors
in need.
The billion-dollar myth arose from
willful misinterpretation of the publicly
available year-end statement of Claims
Over recent years, Claims
Conference liabilities and net
Conference negotiations with
assets. Even a cursory review
Germany have resulted in pen-
of these financials debunks
sions and one-time payments for
the myth.
Holocaust victims who previous-
The statement details how
ly were ineligible for payments
Claims Conference funds, as
under German government
of Dec. 31, are earmarked for
guidelines.
programs and payments to
We are working intensively to
benefit Holocaust victims and
press the issue of property resti-
their heirs. Funds are desig-
tution in Eastern Europe. Jewish
nated for payments to certain
Julius B erman
assets in many countries still
heirs of properties lost in the
Spec ial
have not been returned or com-
Holocaust; allocations already
Comme ntary
pensated for, and governments
made to organizations provid-
have been unwilling to enact laws
ing vital services to Holocaust
to ensure that Holocaust victims
victims like food packages,
or their heirs are able to file claims to
home care and emergency cash aid; and
for grants over the next four years in order recover family properties that were stolen
or lost so many decades ago.
to continue these services as restitution-
Restitution of communal and heirless
related funds dwindle.
assets in these countries could translate
Perpetuating the billion-dollar myth as
into hot meals, wheelchairs and housing
fact misleads needy Holocaust survivors
aid for elderly survivors. We will not be
into believing that there is a pot of gold
deterred by intransigence on the other side.
on the other side of a locked door that, if
In just a few more years, most of the
opened, would greatly alleviate the physi-
Claims Conference funds that provide
cal and mental conditions in which they
vital services for Holocaust victims will be
are suffering. This is the height of irre-
gone, but many elderly survivors will still
sponsibility and is shameful.
The damage to survivors from the myth be with us. Holocaust victims who have
been receiving food packages, medicine,
runs even deeper. If governments are led
home care and emergency cash grants
to believe that the Claims Conference has
cannot suddenly be cut off from these
$1 billion at its disposal, why would they
vital services.
provide restitution at this stage?
The Claims Conference has been work-
Despite all the obstacles, the Claims
ing
to identify and obtain additional
Conference has been uniquely successful in
sources
of funding to continue paying
increasing the funds available for survivors.
for these and other services to Holocaust
victims, but we cannot do it alone. Rather
than criticizing the Claims Conference —
the one organization that distributed more
than $700 million last year for survivors
and heirs — others in the Jewish commu-
nity would better serve Holocaust victims
by engaging in dedicated fundraising in
order to continue providing them with
dignified and substantive care.
With such pressing tasks confronting us,
nothing will deter us from our mission.
Julius Berman is chairman of the Claims
Conference. He is a JTA board member.
Peace Talks from page 31
are doomed. Iran may play a role in such
a strategy
Second, if Abbas cannot secure real con-
cessions from Israel, he and the P.A. will
likely not survive a legitimacy crisis.
Finally third, if Netanyahu is playing for
stall, not for real, the talks will produce
little.
Then, ironically, having entered into
talks may not be such an achievement
at all, but rather a stimulus for renewed
violence in the ongoing Israel-Palestine
cauldron. 17
Kenneth Waltzer is director of Jewish studies
at Michigan State University.
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