Testimonials

“I am a 92 year old Survivor of the Holocaust. I grew up in Berlin, Germany. I joined the resistance movement at the age of 12. I was imprisoned twice by the Nazi’s and escaped both times. In 1939 I was lucky to be able to flee to England, where I worked in the Hachshara agricultural camp for two years. I immigrated to the United States in 1947.

I am a widow and have no children or any living family members. I have many health problems including high blood pressure and a heart murmur. I live on a very limited income of $1,260 in Social Security and $500 in monthly assistance from Military Women In Need. I live alone in a small rental apartment and pay $1212.80 per month. It’s important to me to be independent, and I want to continue to live on my own for as long as I can. Some months, my medical expenses exceed my income, and I am unable to pay rent. I got behind on my bills. I am grateful that last year the Fund for Holocaust Survivors in Urgent Need stepped in and assisted me with my rent and medical bills. Without their help, I don’t know where I would have gone.”

“I am a 78-year-old Survivor of the Holocaust. I was a child during the Nazi occupation and I was hidden in the countryside by a Christian farm family. Both of my parents perished in German concentration camps. I immigrated to the United States in the early 1950’s. About twenty years ago, I was divorced from my husband,. I have two daughters, but neither of them live nearby.

I live on a limited income. I receive $800 in monthly income from Social Security and a $1,100 monthly pension from Holland. I rent a small apartment on the west side of Los Angeles that costs $1180 per month. I have a lot of medical bills related to hearing loss, arthritis, and, psychiatric care relating to chronic depression.

Last year, I was granted about $4800 from the Holocaust Survivors in Urgent Need Fund. This was a life saver for me. I used the funds to cover dental work and bills relating to my apartment. I am feeling much better and able to eat and chew without pain.”

“I am an 87-year-old Survivor of the Holocaust. I am a widow, and I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment. My income is very limited – I survive on my Social Security alone of $866 a month.

During the war, I hid with my family. We traveled from house to house of Christian families and hid in basements and we went many days without eating one solid meal. After the war, we were able to come to the United States, but I’ve had many health problems all of my life. After my husband died, I turned to my children for support, but they only able to provide emotional support as they are dealing with their own financial hardship.

About a year ago, I started receiving additional assistance and it has been a lifesaver for me. I receive Ralph’s food cards and a taxi book with coupons. I use the taxi coupons to go to my doctor’s appointments. The biggest help was with my dental bills. My teeth had gotten so bad that I could not chew food and I was losing a lot of weight. The financial support I got allowed me to get upper and lower dentures. I feel much better and I am very grateful!”

“We, the Child Survivors of the Holocaust, Los Angeles, understand well other Holocaust survivors’ feelings of powerlessness, hunger, sickness, loss of family and lack of financial support. We understand their loneliness, fear, anxiety and insecurity, since we experienced those same things in our youngest years. While resilience was a strength which helped to pull many survivors through to make the best of their lives after World War II, there are many survivors for whom that was not the case.

Therefore, we fully support the Fund for Holocaust Survivors in Urgent Need. We consider it our moral and ethical responsibility. It is a Jewish humanitarian value to ensure that those who suffered so much can experience the dignity of living with the best quality of assistance available, with the knowledge that they have not been abandoned. We child survivors cannot separate ourselves from them – they are a part of us.”