The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) has announced its largest one-time seasonal award in the organization’s history, distributing $380,000 to aged and needy Righteous Gentile rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust.
Amid the ongoing holiday season, the foundation is sending the funds to remaining rescuers living in 10 different countries, including Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, and Germany. Each rescuer will receive a special award of $4,000 in addition to their usual $2,000 award for the September to December period, marking the largest individual holiday disbursement per rescuer in the JFR’s 30-year history.
The significant increase in funds is intended to allow each of the righteous to celebrate the holidays with dignity, helping to offset the rising costs of groceries, medications, and other essential staples.
“Each of these Righteous Gentiles is a hero who confronted their mortality to save their Jewish neighbors from Nazi persecution during the Holocaust,” said JFR Executive Vice President Stanlee Stahl. “As they continue to age and many face hardship and isolation, we hope that this special award allows them to make this holiday season memorable for them and their families.”
The JFR provides financial stipends to help repay a profound debt of gratitude on behalf of the Jewish people for the heroism displayed by these individuals.
Since its founding, the JFR has provided more than $46 million to an estimated 3,600 rescuers in over 34 countries. As the years pass from the Holocaust, the number of living rescuers continues to dwindle. The remaining Righteous Gentiles receiving this year’s holiday awards live in Australia, Belarus, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and Ukraine.
Stahl emphasized that the foundation’s ongoing financial support helps the rescuers pay for critical needs, including food, medicine, and heating bills. The JFR’s work also extends to Holocaust teacher education, using the stories of the Righteous as moral and ethical exemplars.
