According to the National Insurance Institute's latest report published in 2017, there are currently about 200,000 Holocaust survivors in Israel, of which 25% (around 45,000) live below the poverty line. Approximately 40 Holocaust survivors die every day, which is over 10,000 every year, bringing about a sense of emergency in answering their needs.
Like the rest of the elderly population, impoverished Holocaust survivors deal with challenges brought upon by old age, but these challenges are exacerbated by the mental and physical hardship of destitution and loneliness. Doctor Gideon Cohen, an Israeli researcher, found that Holocaust survivors are less healthy than their peers but outlive them by 7 years. Many survivors are forced to forego food products/medicine/medical assistance because of their financial status and the Israeli government is often unable to provide services in a timely manner. 

Through the "Nutritional Security Initiative", ​Latet operates the largest food bank, providing an ongoing assistance to 60,000 families (about 200,000 individuals), among which 13,980 impoverished Holocaust survivors and elderly. More specifically, Latet’s answer to the needs of impoverished Holocaust survivors was to create the "Aid for Life" program, the only program in Israel providing a comprehensive aid package to 1,200 survivors. The assistance includes monthly food boxes, social support in the form of individual volunteers who visit them regularly and social events, home restorations and an Emergency Fund for medical and paramedical needs; such as dental treatments, eyeglasses, hearing devices, adult diapers, fans and heaters. 

According to Latet's Alternative Poverty Report 2019, 97% of the Holocaust survivors and elderly receiving assistance from Latet state that their pension does not enable them or only partially enables them to meet their basic needs with dignity. Additionally, they often experience electricity cutoffs and lack of winter equipment (such as blankets and heaters) and their financial doesn't allow for enough nutritional meals.

During the winter, their daily struggle is worsened as they have to decide whether to allocate money to food or heating equipment. At Latet, we believe they shouldn't have to choose between these two survival needs. That's why this year again, we are starting a vast fundraiser to distribute winter packages to Holocaust survivors and elderly in the country.
Each package includes a food box, a blanket and a heater. 

Look at the smiles of Henry and Ninelle after they got their winter package last year. 
We just can't let thousands of other survivors and elderly spend the winter thinking they've been forgotten.

Click to donate a winter package: https://www.latet.org.il/source/en/winteritems/
For any inquiry: margauxr@latet.org.il