The overall welfare budget for Holocaust survivors in Israel grew to over 6 billion shekels ($1.7 billion) in 2017, according to the Holocaust Survivors' Rights Authority at the Finance Ministry.
Over the past year, Holocaust survivors received monthly pensions upwards of NIS 3.3 billion ($940 million); NIS 2.3 billion ($650 million) were allotted to those persecuted by the Nazis; medications were fully subsidized at the cost of approximately NIS 435 million ($124,000) and hospice services were provided to survivors at a cost of around NIS 252 million ($71.8 million).
The Holocaust Survivors' Rights Authority currently cares for nearly 220,000 people who meet the eligibility criteria: 72,561 receive monthly stipends and about one-third of those (18,782 people) receive larger monthly allowances. Additionally, 6,996 people receive a monthly stipend due to their spouse and 140,421 are eligible for yearly allotments.
In 2017, two national projects were also launched with the goal of improving the daily lives of Holocaust survivors. The "Array of Support" project is a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind initiative where volunteers from across the country visit the homes of survivors who live alone and keep them company. The project has received a three-year budget of over NIS 7 million ($2 million).
The other project focuses on survivors' mental and emotional health, with an emphasis on tailoring treatment to each person's specific needs and situation. The initiative consists of art therapy, animal therapy, psychiatric supervision for those who need it and more. The budget currently stands at around NIS 500 million ($140 million).
Meanwhile, the Knesset Arrangements Law for 2018 also provides two bonuses. The first is a quarterly grant for those also eligible for reparations from Germany, at an overall annual sum of NIS 60 million ($17 million). Survivors who receive a monthly pension from Germany – within the framework of the West German Federal Compensation Laws (BEG) – will additionally receive a quarterly pension of NIS 2,500 ($710) from the Israeli government.
The second bonus is the continued provision of pensions to the widows and widowers of Holocaust survivors, which comes at a cost of NIS 90 million ($26 million) annually. The new law provides a NIS 2,000 ($570) monthly stipend to each widow or widower.
