ISRAEL Parliamentary Enquiry Committee into the Location and Restitution of the Assets of Holocaust Victims The committee was established on February 15, 2000, by the Knesset and is presently chaired by MK Colette Avital. The committee's mandate is to investigate the whereabouts of Jewish monetary and real property assets that may have belonged to citizens of Axis countries (or countries under Axis occupation) and been declared “enemy assets” by the British authorities in Palestine during World War II. Part of this property was allegedly transferred to Israeli financial institutions after the departure of the British and has not been restored to the original owners or their heirs. The committee published an interim report in April 2000, which can be found at http://www.knesset.gov.il/committees/eng/docs/vaadat_chakira_shoah_eng.htm Contact: Colette Avital, Chairman The Knesset HaKiryah Jerusalem 91950, Israel Telephone: +1 972 67 53464 or +1 972 675 3420 Fax: +1 972 64 96539 E-mail: avitalk@knesset.gov.il The World Jewish Restitution Organization Established by the World Jewish Congress in 1992, the World Jewish Restitution Organization (W.J.R.O.) is the umbrella organization that works to return unclaimed public and private properties to their original owners; to arrange for compensation in cases where restitution is possible; and to advance restitution efforts for communities, associations, organizations, and Holocaust survivors. Contact: World Jewish Restitution Organization Radak 7 P.O. Box 92 Jerusalem 92301, Israel Telephone: +1 972 2 561 2497 8 Fax +1 972 2 561 2496 Email: wjro@netvision.net.il Generali Holocaust Fund On June 15, 1998, Generali, one of Europe’s largest prewar insurers, announced a humanitarian fund in memory of those insured by Generali in East and Central Europe who perished in the Holocaust. This US$12 million fund is for “ex gratia” payments to beneficiaries or their legitimate heirs, and assistance to survivors who have not been paid. The fund also promotes humanitarian initiatives and sustains organizations that dedicate their activity to perpetuate the memory of victims. The deadline for applications was September 15, 1998. Contact: Ayelet Soloman 1 Shazar Street P.O. Box 36311 Jerusalem 91360, Israel Telephone: (1) 972 (02) 6558578 Fax: (1) 972 (02) 5383460 E-mail: ayelet@generalifund.org.il The Centre of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel The Centre of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel (COHSI) was established in 1989 to respond to the needs of Holocaust survivors and to serve as a representative agency of survivors’ organizations in the State of Israel. COHSI has initiated and taken part in deliberations both in Israel and abroad on issues of restitution and compensation from Germany, the restoration of personal and public Jewish property, and compensation for forced labor. It also worked to discover and release the dormant bank accounts of Holocaust victims held in Swiss banks. Contact: Shai Csillag, Director 4 Emile Botta St. P.O. Box 7218 Jerusalem, Israel Telephone: +1 972 2 6231 737 Fax: +1 972 2 622 2743 E-mail: merkaz@isdn.net.il http://www.survivors-holocaust.org/english.html The Disabled Victims of Nazi Persecution Law Enacted by the Ministry of Finance within the Bureau for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, this law is an outgrowth of the 1952 Luxembourg agreement between the Government of Israel and the Federal Republic of Germany. In that agreement, Israel agreed to compensate Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel by October 1953 and who, were it not for the agreement, would have received reparations from Germany. Conferences Israel participated in the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets. Proceedings of the Washington Conference may be found at http://www.state.gov/www/regions/eur/holocaust/heac.html. Israel participated in the London Conference on Nazi Gold. Israel participated in the Vilnius International Forum on Holocaust Era Looted Cultural Assets. Proceedings of the Forum can be found at http://www.vilniusforum.lt/proceedings/index.htm.