Israel cuts budget to help survivors

By · August 4, 2008

Israel cut its 2008 budget in order to channel more assistance to Holocaust survivors.

Every ministry except defense and education will have its budget reduced by 6 percent in the cuts approved Sunday.

The $209.4 million in savings from a fiscal plan of $89.1 billion will go toward implementing the recommendations of the Dorner Commission, which studied Holocaust survivor stipends. Some of the money also will be used to hire 1,000 new policemen.

The commission’s recommendations, which were presented June 21, call for a monthly increase of about $283 to $566 for Holocaust survivors in Israel who were not covered by other programs.

Some 250,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel, at least one-third in poverty.

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