In response to a request by the Conference on Jewish
Material Claims Against Germany, Agudath Israel World
Organization -- the Conference's sole Orthodox member -- is
endeavoring to provide eligible Orthodox Jewish survivors
with information about a recently ratified "slave labor"
settlement.
Along with the Claims Conference and several other groups,
Agudath Israel World Organization will be co-sponsoring open
meetings on Sunday, February 4 in New York City locations to
explain to prospective beneficiaries the workings of the
settlement, which was recently signed by German government
and German industry and establishes a $5 billion fund to
provide former World War II concentration camp and ghetto
forced workers with compensation payments of up to $7500
each. However, most of the slave laborers during the
Holocaust were not Jewish.
In addition to information about the fund established by the
German Economic Foundation, those in attendance will be
provided with applications forms and assistance in
completing them.
Professor Moishe Zvi Reicher, Agudath Israel World
Organization's director of international affairs and United
Nations Representative, notes that the Foundation will make
payments as well to heirs of former confined forced workers
who passed away on or after February 16, 1999, and that
payments will be made by the Fund to eligible Jewish
recipients through the Claims Conference.
Those already receiving monthly payments from the German
government, the Agudath Israel leader points out, should
have already been notified by mail of the slave labor
settlement, and been provided with an abbreviated
application form.
The public meetings taking place in Brooklyn will be held at
Agudath Israel' s Boro Park Senior Center (5602 11th Ave.)
from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm; Congregation Anshe Sfard (4502
14th Ave.) from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm; Agudath Israel's
Brookdale Senior Center (817 Ave. H) from 1:00 pm until 4:00
pm; and at Murrow High School (1600 Ave. L) from 1:00 pm
until 4:00 pm.
Other meetings on Sunday will take place in Queens and
Manhattan, and others still in Bronx, Manhattan and Long
Island on other days this week and next. Details can be
obtained from Agudath Israel at (212) 797- 9000.
Applications can be obtained directly from the Claims
Conference as well, by calling 212 696-4944, according to
Agudath Israel, and all applications must be received by
August 11, 2001.
A special meeting is being planned as well by Agudath Israel
World Organization for representatives of kehillos, to
discuss the slave labor settlement and other restitution
efforts with Claims Conference officials, and to enlist
kehillos in efforts to help their members apply for funds to
which they are entitled.
