Center for Holocaust Survivors

The "Center for Holocaust Survivors", provides a warm caring home for survivors, a place for survivors to come on holiday and rest and recovery after illness. The Center also hosts reconciliation meetings and receives groups from around the world to connect them to the past.

Home for Survivors

The home was originally created for survivors who are:

Alone or without family
Without adequate financial resources
Were unable to immigrate unless they have a home to come to

This home is in Jerusalem, rented on a long term lease. The residents, as far as they are able, contribute financially to the cost. The deficit needs to be covered by donations. Several Holocaust survivors have lived at Ner Yaakov for some years, until later they moved close to family members or received a own flat from the government. Others live at the home now more than 9 years, together with the volunteers who care for them in daily tasks.

Testimonies:

"My name is Alexander Kaplan. I was born in 1928 and have survived the ghetto in Minsk. On February 10th, 2004, I immigrated to Israel from St. Petersburg. I was very weak and sick at that time. Since my arrival I have been living in the Ner Yaakov home and I like it very much. I receive a lot of help and attention. Because of this good care I was able to go the doctors and hospitals. Now I feel a lot better and I am so thankful to the volunteers. They go shopping for me and get everything I need from the shops or the pharmacy, clean my room and sometimes even cook for me. In the house there is good unity and we help each other in our lives."
Alexander (Has moved and in 2009 has received a flat from the government)

"Our names are Raja and Sachar Rotkin. Through an invitation from Inge Buhs, we immigra- ted on 11 July, 2001 from St. Petersburg to Israel. Ner Yaakov welcomed us like family into their very hospitable house. They take good care of us and do everything to make it comfort- able for us. Since our arrival we have needed a lot of medical treatments. Selflessly the volunteers have taken us to doctors appointments. I had several operations and so did my husband Sachar. All of them were complicated! If we had remained in St. Petersburg, we would not have survived. It is impossible to put into words what Ner Yaakov has done for us - and we thankful from the depths of our hearts. We wish you good health and long life!"
Raja (Raja and Sachar Rotkin live more than 9 years in the home)

Holiday and Rest

Holocaust survivors and their families come on holiday and to rest to the Ner Yaakov home

Testimonies:

“The Holocaust survivors are elderly people with failing health, scarred, both physically and mentally from deep wounds of the past. They need warmth, love and much attention. As the head of the Israeli Holocaust Association it is important for me to say, that the Ner Yaakov house is an important and necessary place, for the sake of Holocaust survivors-- especially for lonely people, whether they stay continuously at the home come for medical recovery, or are guests who come for a holiday.”

“The activity of volunteers from Germany breaks the stigma of the past years about the German people!”
Gita Kaufman - Chairman of the Association for Holocaust survivors

“We survivors of the Holocaust were very happy about the time we had at Ner Yaakov. We were delighted by the attention we received. It was a great surprise for us to be able to speak here in Yiddish. We are so thankful that we saw the historical places of Jerusalem. Through the volunteers we learnt to love the Holy City Jerusalem and now we say: Next year again in Jerusalem! We bless you!”
Michael and Ida Lewin

Gita Kaufman & Polina Jana, Chana, Julia, Inge & Solomon

Recovery after Illness

Testimony:

"In the beginning of this year the deputy chairman of the Holocaust Association, Dr. Sergei Soushon stayed in the Ner Yaakov home after having open heart surgery and other severe medical problems. After two months of staying at Ner Yaakov and receiving the dedicated treatment of the team his situation improved and he was able to go back home. Today, thank God, he is active in our organization again!”

Gita Kaufman

Sergei at Ner Yaakov recovering and celebrating his birthday

Reconciliation Meetings

Christian groups come to meet and learn from the Holocaust survivors

“The ‘Grafted ICEJ Group’ has been privileged to contribute though our project and most of all to listen to the stories of the survivors, so that we may carry these stories with us to the Nations. We love you all and we will continue to pray for the vital work you do. May the Lord bless you and keep you!”
The Grafted Team

“We pray that really needy survivors come into this comfortable home. It has such a comfortable -"homey" atmosphere,- just blessed. May God keep this place as a place for visitors, as a connection-place between the “nations of the world” and Israel! We were very blessed there and our problems seemed suddenly so small when we heard the stories of the people you are taking care of. Encounters and meetings happen here that we won't forget for the rest of our lives."
Sylvia Eisen, Germany

“In a few years there will not be any more survivors left and I almost cannot believe that young German people come and help. That touches me very much and gives me comfort. Who would have ever thought, that I would sit together with Germans…?”
Statement of a Holocaust Survivor