Israel, local survivors seek control of Holocaust Claims Conference

By Amiram Barkat

Israel is trying to gain control over one of the world’s richest Jewish organizations, in the name of promoting the welfare of Holocaust survivors.

A group of Israeli organizations headed by Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners), who holds the Diaspora affairs portfolio, announced this week that Israel wants the right to appoint half the members of the executive of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, a U.S.-based organization that represents world Jewry and Holocaust survivors in their negotiations over reparations from Germany.

Eitan estimates the Claims Conference’s financial reserves at some $1.7 billion. Every year, the conference gives grants totaling about $90 million to organizations worldwide that help Holocaust survivors or are involved in Holocaust education and memorialization. About half of this money goes to Israeli organizations.

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ORATORIO TEREZÍN – A POWERFUL WORK FOR LARGE ORCHESTRA, CHORUS AND SOLOISTS BY RUTH FAZAL –
TO BE GIVEN ITS U.S. PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2007,
8 P.M., AT THE TILLES CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS,
AND THURSDAY, 8 FEBRUARY, 8 P.M., IN CARNEGIE HALL

PERFORMERS TO INCLUDE YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHORUS OF NEW YORK CITY, SINGERS FROM TORONTO’S NEW STREAMS CHILDREN’S CHOIR AND BRATISLAVA BOYS CHOIR, TORONTO MENDELSSOHN SINGERS, CONDUCTOR KIRK TREVOR,
AND SOLOISTS TERESA MARIA GOMEZ, HUW PRIDAY,
AND NATHANIEL WATSON

The U.S. premiere of Oratorio Terezín, a powerful work for large orchestra, chorus and soloists by British-Canadian composer Ruth Fazal, will be performed on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, at 8 p.m. at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts (on the C. W. Post campus of Long Island University in Brookville, New York) and in Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium (57th Street and Seventh Avenue) on Thursday, 8 February 2007, at 8 p.m.

Inspired by the book, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, the work sets poetry by children in the Terezín concentration camp and text from the Hebrew scriptures. Oratorio Terezín is scored for orchestra, children’s chorus, mixed adult choir and three vocal soloists, juxtaposing the children’s and adults’ voices, along with those of the Voice of the Prophet, the Voice of God, and the Voice of Suffering. The young singers’ preparation for the concerts is not only musical, but also includes Holocaust education and cultural awareness and exchange.

The work will be led by conductor Kirk Trevor, and will feature the Young People’s Chorus of New York City joined by singers from Toronto’s New Streams Children’s Choir and the Bratislava Boys Choir. The performances will also feature the adult choir Toronto Mendelssohn Singers and soloists including the soprano Teresa Maria Gomez, tenor Huw Priday and baritone Nathaniel Watson.

Tickets for the Tilles Center performance range from $20 to $45, and are available at the Tilles Box Office, or by calling TillesCharge at 516-299-3100 or online at www.tillescenter.org. Tickets for the Carnegie Hall performance range from $25 to $55 and are available at the Carnegie Hall box office beginning December 8th or by calling CarnegieCharge at 212/247-7800; or
online at www.carnegiehall.org. Discounted tickets for students and seniors are available for both performances.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION THE ORATORIO
“In the summer of 1998,” says composer Ruth Fazal, “I was given a book called I Never Saw Another Butterfly, a collection of poetry and art by children from the Terezín concentration camp from 1941 to 1943. Inspired by the book, I was compelled to memorialize the children’s naiveté and hope, beautiful in contrast to the awful suffering. I created Oratorio Terezín as a love song of hope, in the midst of darkness.” Survivors from Terezín whose poetry was published in I Never Saw Another Butterfly are expected to attend the New York performances, as well as the survivor and Holocaust spokesperson Elie Wiesel.

ORATORIO TEREZÍN – A POWERFUL WORK FOR LARGE ORCHESTRA, CHORUS AND SOLOISTS BY RUTH FAZAL –
TO BE GIVEN ITS U.S. PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, 7 FEBRUARY 2007,
8 P.M., AT THE TILLES CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS,
AND THURSDAY, 8 FEBRUARY, 8 P.M., IN CARNEGIE HALL

PERFORMERS TO INCLUDE YOUNG PEOPLE’S CHORUS OF NEW YORK CITY, SINGERS FROM TORONTO’S NEW STREAMS CHILDREN’S CHOIR AND BRATISLAVA BOYS CHOIR, TORONTO MENDELSSOHN SINGERS, CONDUCTOR KIRK TREVOR,
AND SOLOISTS TERESA MARIA GOMEZ, HUW PRIDAY,
AND NATHANIEL WATSON

The U.S. premiere of Oratorio Terezín, a powerful work for large orchestra, chorus and soloists by British-Canadian composer Ruth Fazal, will be performed on Wednesday, 7 February 2007, at 8 p.m. at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts (on the C. W. Post campus of Long Island University in Brookville, New York) and in Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium (57th Street and Seventh Avenue) on Thursday, 8 February 2007, at 8 p.m.

Inspired by the book, I Never Saw Another Butterfly, the work sets poetry by children in the Terezín concentration camp and text from the Hebrew scriptures. Oratorio Terezín is scored for orchestra, children’s chorus, mixed adult choir and three vocal soloists, juxtaposing the children’s and adults’ voices, along with those of the Voice of the Prophet, the Voice of God, and the Voice of Suffering. The young singers’ preparation for the concerts is not only musical, but also includes Holocaust education and cultural awareness and exchange.

The work will be led by conductor Kirk Trevor, and will feature the Young People’s Chorus of New York City joined by singers from Toronto’s New Streams Children’s Choir and the Bratislava Boys Choir. The performances will also feature the adult choir Toronto Mendelssohn Singers and soloists including the soprano Teresa Maria Gomez, tenor Huw Priday and baritone Nathaniel Watson.

Tickets for the Tilles Center performance range from $20 to $45, and are available at the Tilles Box Office, or by calling TillesCharge at 516-299-3100 or online at www.tillescenter.org. Tickets for the Carnegie Hall performance range from $25 to $55 and are available at the Carnegie Hall box office beginning December 8th or by calling CarnegieCharge at 212/247-7800; or
online at www.carnegiehall.org. Discounted tickets for students and seniors are available for both performances.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION THE ORATORIO
“In the summer of 1998,” says composer Ruth Fazal, “I was given a book called I Never Saw Another Butterfly, a collection of poetry and art by children from the Terezín concentration camp from 1941 to 1943. Inspired by the book, I was compelled to memorialize the children’s naiveté and hope, beautiful in contrast to the awful suffering. I created Oratorio Terezín as a love song of hope, in the midst of darkness.” Survivors from Terezín whose poetry was published in I Never Saw Another Butterfly are expected to attend the New York performances, as well as the survivor and Holocaust spokesperson Elie Wiesel.

Government, Jewish Agency recruit attorneys, private investigators in bid to locate assets of Holocaust victims. Israel demands increased share of Claims Conference’s payments

Zvi Zinger Published: 11.28.06, 09:38

The Office for Location and Restitution of Assets of Holocaust Victims has decided to launch a large investigation campaign and has begun recruiting layers, accountants and private investigators for this purpose.

In advertisements published this week, the office demands that banks, real estate firms, and other bodies that are in possession of Holocaust survivors’ assets, report about the properties that are in their hands.

Those who fail to report, stand to face an arrest.

The office has been founded following the findings of a parliamentary inquiry committee, which probed the issue of Holocaust survivors’ bank accounts.

According to the office’s attorney, Nadav Haetzni, the office has gathered plenty of information about the bodies through which Jews have conducted their investments in Israel prior to World War 2. This information will provide investigators with leads that will help locate the lost assets.

“We will leave no stone unturned until we locate the property of Holocaust victims,” Haetzni said.

Israel wants greater representation

For the first time since the establishment of the Claims Conference in the 1950s, the government
of Israel, the Jewish Agency and Holocaust survivors’ institutions are launching a struggle against the policy of the distribution of restitution, in a bid to increase Israel’s representation in the conference’s bodies.

The Claims Conference, which is based in New York, works to secure compensation and restitution for survivors of the Holocaust and heirs of victims. The Conference has distributed payments of some USD 90 million annually in the last several years as restitution and for organizations meeting the social service needs of Holocaust survivors, and engaging in education, research, and documentation of the Shoah.

However, the government, the Jewish Agency and the survivors’ organizations claim that the key used for the allocation of the funds fails to reflect reality.

Minister for Pensioners Affairs Rafi Eitan said Monday that “the survivors should be granted the money they deserve while they are still alive.”

Eitan called to increase Israel’s representation in the Conference’s bodies to at least 50 percent. “It’s unacceptable that a small group of people sitting in New York independently determine in matters that are so traumatic for the Jewish people,” Eitan stated.

The Claim Conference said in response that issues concerning the organization’s structure and management can be brought before the Conference’s board, which will convene in July. It further stated that 55 percent of its payments have been allocated to Israeli groups or survivors.

We’d like to invite you to the Second Generation group, a monthly group
for children of Holocaust survivors, sponsored by The Living Room at
Jewish Family Service of Bergen County in Teaneck. This month’s topic
is “Exploring our Legacy: Looking at the World Through the Lens of a
Child of Holocaust Survivors.” Carol H. King, LCSW, Senior Staff
Clinician at Jewish Family Service of Rockland County and Senior
Counselor at the Jewish Theological Seminary, will present and
facilitate a discussion. Join us Thursday evening December 14, 7-8:30
pm, at Jewish Family Service, 1485 Teaneck Road, Teaneck.

Open to all, free of charge. For questions or to RSVP, please call
Laura at 201-837-9090, or send us an e-mail at
thelivingroom {at} jfsbergen(.)org .

November 27, 2006, Law Firm Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C. announces that a settlement has been reached In re: Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. Holocaust Insurance Litigation, No 1374 filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, USA, between Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. and individuals persecuted by the Nazis who owned Generali insurance at the time of their persecution.

“This will be an opportunity for many people to finally receive funds that are owed to them and their families,” said Robert Swift who has served as one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs who have been engaged in several class action lawsuits against Generali for more than nine years.

Individuals or their ancestors who purchased Generali insurance between 1920 and 1945 and who owned a policy or were a beneficiary of a policy that was in force immediately prior to their persecution by the Nazis or their allies are eligible. Mr. Swift continued, “Many of these people were persecuted due to their religion, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or political beliefs. They include but are not limited to Jews, Romani, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Political Prisoners, and Homosexuals.” One important limitation is that if Generali has already compensated an individual for their policy, they are not eligible for further compensation in connection with this Settlement.

A SIMPLE CLAIMS PROCESS THAT WILL BE SUPERVISED BY THE COURT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SETTLEMENT INDIVIDUALS SIMPLY NEED TO CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-217-4455 AND ASK FOR A NOTICE AND CLAIM FORM. ALTERNATIVELY THEY CAN GO TO WWW.NAZIERAINSURANCESETTLEMENT.COM AND DOWNLOAD THE NOTICE AND A CLAIM FORM AND MAIL IT POSTMARKED BY MARCH 31, 2007, TO:

Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A.

Policy Information Center

Piazza Duca Degli Abruzzi, 2

34132 Trieste, Italy

“It is not necessary to have the actual policy to participate in this Settlement. If individuals believe their families owned or were beneficiaries of such a policy they should make a claim,” Mr. Swift explained.

Claim Forms will be processed and funded using the claim validation procedures established by the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims (”ICHEIC”). The Settlement includes all claims received by ICHEIC that have not yet been processed, as well as new ones. Validated claims will be processed based on the amount due, but a minimum payment of 1,000 USD has been set for all eligible claims.

A Hearing to consider final approval of the Settlement will be held at 10:30 a.m. on January 31, 2007, in Courtroom 15D of the United States Court at 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York 10007, USA.

CONTACT: Anya Verkhovskaya, Senior Vice President, A.B. Data, Ltd., Notice Administrator, (414) 963-6441, info {at} abdatalawserve(.)com.

Anya Verkhovskaya

Senior Vice President

A.B. Data, Ltd.

Class Action Administration

Phone (414) 963-6441

Cell (414) 617-4403

Fax (414) 963-7950

anya {at} abdata(.)com

www.abdatalawserve.com

4057 North Wilson Drive

Milwaukee, WI 53211

Report on antisemitism in Australia from October 2005 to September 2006, prepared by Jeremy Jones and tabled at the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) annual conference in Melbourne at the weekend.

INTRODUCTION: The Year in Review

In contemporary Australia, to accuse any person or organisation of antisemitism is to allege that their behaviour is antisocial and unacceptable. No one with aspirations to public credibility admits to holding antisemitic views or to associating with openly antisemitic organisations.

While individuals and organisations associated with the political left who promoted extreme anti-Israel racism, which sometimes included offensive and gratuitous anti-Jewish imagery, were particularly keen to assert that they were not antisemitic, even far-right and neo-Nazi groups publicly professed to be “anti-Zionist” rather than anti-Jewish, although the material they distribute can give the lie to any such distinction.

Further, Holocaust deniers, including those who present the claim the Holocaust is a Jewish confidence trick played on gullible Christians as one part of a raft of anti-Jewish slurs, generally claim they are only “researching” historical subjects. The small number of individuals holding public office who have associated with anti-Jewish groups always maintain that they have contact despite the latter’s promotion of antisemitism, not because of it.

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The Associated Press
Published: November 27, 2006

JASENOVAC, Croatia: Massive glass walls bearing the names 70,000 World War II concentration camp prisoners — a quarter of them children — dominate a newly expanded memorial at Croatia’s infamous Jasenovac camp which opened Monday.

The ceremonial opening, attended by Croatian government officials and Jewish, Serb and Roma representatives — whose people suffered in the pro-Nazi Croat regime’s 40 WWII camps — marks another step in Croatia acknowledging its vicious past after years of seeking to justify it.

The memorial serves as a “lesson about what happens to people and peoples when they forget that no goal can justify the crime,” Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said. “Today’s Croatia does not want to stay silent about the dark pages of its past.”
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HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR RUTH KLÜGER
“Vienna Reeks of Anti-Semitism”

German studies professor Ruth Klüger discusses her autobiography, “To Continue to Live” and stations in life that took her from Vienna to Theresienstadt to Auschwitz and California.

Ruth Klüger was born in 1931 to a Jewish family in Vienna. In 1992 she published the story of her ordeal in numerous Nazi concentration camps in her highly praised memoirs “To Continue To Live.”
Großbildansicht
Monika Zucht / DER SPIEGEL

Ruth Klüger was born in 1931 to a Jewish family in Vienna. In 1992 she published the story of her ordeal in numerous Nazi concentration camps in her highly praised memoirs “To Continue To Live.”

SPIEGEL: Ms. Klüger, at the moment you have a research post at the University of California in Irvine, and before that you were a guest lecturer at the University of Göttingen. Do you sometimes go back to your home town Vienna?

Klüger: Yes.

SPIEGEL: But the emotions you experience in Vienna must be very different to how you feel in Göttingen?

Klüger: Yes, what is strange is … how should I put it? Our personalities are such that we instinctively rely on our own experiences rather than using our brains. For me Göttingen is not a Nazi town, even though I know that Braunschweig is very nearby…

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Holocaust survivor to attend ceremony honoring Boca’s Barry Kaye

Published Sunday, November 26, 2006
by Dale King

The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous will present its prestigious Recognition of Goodness Award to Carole and Barry Kaye of Boca Raton at its annual dinner Tuesday at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

At the dinner, attendees will also pay tribute to Giedrute Ramanauskiene, a Lithuanian rescuer, and Lea Ingel-Port of Tamarac, Fla., the survivor she and her family saved during the Holocaust. They were reunited for the first time in 61 years at JFK Airport on Friday. The JFR organized her rescuers’ trip to New York.

More than 600 business, civic and religious leaders are expected to honor the Kayes and to welcome the visitors from the Holocaust era.

“The JFR is proud to honor Carole and Barry, who exemplify the spirit of civic responsibility that the Recognition of Goodness Award embodies,” said JFR Executive Vice President Stanlee Stahl. “Barry’s extensive charitable work has placed his business among the top community leaders that epitomize civic responsibility.”

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