16 Aug Jewish Federations of North America asks your support

The Jewish Federations of North America is working to build support for two important bills in Congress that impact the Holocaust Survivor community in the United States and asks (also) for (our) support

The Never Again Education Act, introduced as S. 2085 in the Senate and H.R. 943 in the House, would provide public resources to effectively teach about the Holocaust and help combat antisemitism. This legislation would:

• Establish a fund at the U.S. Department of Education to help teachers develop and improve Holocaust education programs;
• Authorize $2 million in federal funds to support this work for each of the next five years while encouraging additional private donations;
• Provide funding directly to teachers to develop individualized programs that best suit their students;
• Cover such expenses as training for educators, textbooks, transportation for Survivors to be brought to a school, and field trips; and
• Create a Holocaust education website as a central hub of resources and best practices for teachers interested in Holocaust education.

The Trauma-Informed Modernization of Eldercare for Holocaust Survivors Act, introduced as S. 2179 in the Senate and H.R. 4077 in the House, would amend the Older Americans Act to help bring care and services to Holocaust survivors and other older adults in a way that considers their unique needs. This legislation would:

• Prioritize the needs of Holocaust survivors  in the Older Americans Act leading to additional resources, although many Survivors have long received some support from the  Older Americans Act for congregate meals, caregiving and other supportive services;
• Create a new position at the U.S. Administration for Community Living that specifically focuses on helping Holocaust Survivors;
• Establish a national resource center to share best practices and promote person-centered, trauma-informed care for agencies that serve older adults (including Holocaust Survivors) who are experiencing the long-term and adverse consequences of trauma; and
• Ensures that providers of nutrition and transportation services can meet the special health-related or other dietary needs and the mobility needs of Holocaust Survivors.

The Jewish Federations of North America wants to send a letter with names of Survivors to Capitol Hill to help encourage Congress to pass the two bills. The letter will become a public document. Survivors should, of course, not feel obligated to sign this letter and if participating in this type of advocacy makes anyone feel uncomfortable, please deny this message. If not, please: copy paste the mail below and sign with your name. Send the mail to:

Stephan.Kline@JewishFederations.org

Dear Senator/Representative,

Seventy-four years ago our worst nightmare ended. As survivors of the Holocaust, we were permanently affected by the actions of the Nazi regime and their collaborators. While we recognize that our collective needs have changed over time, we ask for your help in ensuring that Holocaust survivors around the country who need assistance receive all necessary specialized care. Simultaneously, we need your support to stem the rise in antisemitism, which we believe can be ameliorated by providing resources to effectively teach students about the Holocaust. Today, one-third of the estimated 80,000 Holocaust survivors in the United States are living in poverty. Many survivors face significant physical and mental health challenges, and we experience triggers from daily events that remind us of our psychological scars and our history. This is why we ask you to cosponsor the Trauma-Informed Modernization of Eldercare (TIME) for Holocaust Survivors Act (S. 2179/H.R. 4077). The TIME for Holocaust Survivors Act amends the Older Americans Acts to help survivors obtain necessary care, designates a new Administration for Community Living portfolio to focus on Holocaust survivors, and provides nutrition and mobility support for survivors. The legislation also establishes a national resource center to share best practices, transfer knowledge to the broader aging services network, and promote person-centered trauma-informed care for all older adults (including Holocaust survivors) experiencing the long-term and adverse consequences of trauma. Although we have experienced the worst of human depravity, it is still remarkably difficult for us to see the resurgence of antisemitism sweeping across the United States and the world. Problematically, this comes at a time when, as shown by recent studies, the Holocaust is fading from public memory. We urge you to confront this problem and help provide middle and high school students with effective Holocaust education by cosponsoring the Never Again Education Act of 2019 (S. 2085/H.R. 943). This bill will provide resources to schools and states to empower them to create more meaningful and effective education surrounding the Holocaust, its implications, and its lessons. We hope you will cosponsor both of these important bipartisan bills and join the many other Members of Congress who have already taken these bold steps in assisting Holocaust survivors.

Sincerely,