A key House panel plans to scale back a bill that would allow Holocaust survivors to sue European insurers for unpaid claims and force the companies to publish the names of all policyholders during the Nazi era.
The measure, known as the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act, has divided some in the Jewish community, pitting survivors who believe the companies haven’t paid enough against leaders who say the legislation threatens years of official negotiations for restitution and would undermine American credibility.
Sponsored by two Florida lawmakers, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican, and Rep. Robert Wexler, a Democrat, the original bill would allow Holocaust survivors or their heirs to sue European insurers in American courts, and it would require companies to create a registry of policyholders with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
But five prominent Jewish organizations wrote lawmakers of their opposition to the bill, including the Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith International, and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. They noted that the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, had already succeeded in securing more than $300 million in insurance claims, in addition to more funds for home care and other social service benefits for survivors worldwide.
The House Financial Services Committee will consider the bill tomorrow, but the panel’s Democratic chairman, Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, plans to scrap the registry requirement and limit the lawsuits that survivors can bring.
Some House aides said that although several Jewish groups praised the changes, they remained opposed to the bill.
(Source: NY Sun)
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2 Responses
No amount of money in this world could compensate for what transpired in the Holocaust. That said, I still believe that a survivor should be able to sue and receive the maximum amount of money, care and social service benefits possible.
Holocaust Survivors Deserve-Democracy-Independence-Dignity-Respect
This is a classic case of institutionalism vs. the individual. Mr. Roman Kent and the Jewish leadership are not interested in what’s good for Holocaust Survivors. They are just interested in what’s food for them.
The Jewish leadership in American has a proven history of exploiting and subjugating Holocaust Survivors. With the collaboration and cooperation of the German authorities the American Jewish leadership and the Claims Conference conspired to steal our dignity, our respect, our negotiating rights, our independence and our money. In the most demeaning way possible, all in the name of helping Holocaust Survivors, the hypocritical CC has extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from the German people while leaving Holocaust Survivor out in the cold.
The Germany after WW II embarked on a restitution and reconciliation program for Holocaust Survivors. Without notice the restitution process was taken over by a group of selfish, parasitic, ill mannered, exploitative, institutional Jewish leaders. These greedy, meddling charlatans took maximum advantage of their newly arrived refugee brothers. Before we had a chance to lick our wounds, from our war time experiences and become Americanized, Jewish Holocaust Survivors were ordered to the back of the bus. We were treated like second class citizens, not by the Americans, but by our own Jewish brothers. Instead of helping us, our institutional brothers helped themselves. They betrayed us and took all the Germans had to offer-always evoking the tragedy of the Holocaust. Nothing satiated their voracious appetite for money and power. With the help of the German authorities the hypocrisy of helping Holocaust Survivors has become a business.
The CC and their institutional leeches have hijacked our programs and our benefits leaving Survivors with crumbs. They are guilty of creating situations for Holocaust Survivors that are objectionable and reminiscent of negative treatment we encountered in Europe years ago. Their behavior mirrors that of kapos, collaborators and traitors. Why would a Jewish organization continually repeat the offences of our war time enemies? Why would a Jewish organization behave so poorly toward its own people?
I am appalled by the conduct and representation of the Claims Conference and their institutional partners. They are a degrading, disrespectful and greedy embarrassment. The CC must stop meddling in our affairs, making decisions and negotiating in the name of Holocaust Survivors. Holocaust Survivors like me, my family, my relatives and other fellow Survivors want the Claims Conference out of our pockets, out of our lives and off our backs.
The Jewish leadership has given us years and years of exploitation, secrecy, double talk, hypocrisy, subjugation, wasteful spending and misery. They have double crossed and betrayed everyone. It’s time for them to retire.
Shalom
Carl Minuskin