The following are the upcoming changes
German Social Security (ZRBG), commonly known as “Ghetto Pensions"
The German Parliament approved to amend this program to allow recipients to receive payment retroactive to 1997 (instead of the prior policy that only paid back for up to 4 years prior to the approval of the application). Recipients will receive a letter from the German Social Security authorities, likely in July, giving them the option to receive the back payment in a lump sum and thus receive smaller monthly payments afterwards, or to continue receiving the current higher monthly amount but with no back payment.
According to the UJO Holocaust Fund staff, heirs may also benefit from these change, but only if their parents already applied for the fund.
Article 2 Fund/CEEF
Negotiations in 2013 resulted in two changes to eligibility criteria to these programs:
1) Eligibility for survivors of “open ghettos” - according to the UJO staff this will benefit survivors from Czech and similar countries, where Jews were deported directly from their homes to the camps, instead of being placed in Ghettos. They will now qualify the article 2 fund;
2) The permitted income limit will be increased to USD $25,000 or the equivalent in local currency (which are listed at the end of the eligibility criteria on www.claimscon.org).
For more information about these funds and their changes, and for assistance with the various holocaust funds, please contact Mrs. Sofer at the UJO, om 718.643.9700 extension 224.
