The World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) has announced the launch of the Romanian Survivor Relief Program. This program is funded from the restitution of communal properties wrongfully taken from Jewish communities of Romania during and after World War II.

The funds have been made available by the Caritatea Foundation, which is a partnership of the WJRO and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania. The Claims Conference, a WJRO member-organization, is implementing the program on behalf of the Caritatea Foundation.

Applications are being mailed to 4,000 potentially eligible needy Holocaust survivors of Romanian origin – living outside of Romania and Israel – spread throughout 37 countries. Additionally, applications will be available through a network of social service agencies worldwide. The funds will be shared equally amongst all approved applicants who meet the income eligibility criteria. It is antipated that additional funds will become available for this program.

Completed applications to the Romanian Survivor Relief Program must be received by the Claims Conference in New York by November 30, 2018.

Applicants must meet all three of the following criteria:

1. Be a Jewish victim of Nazi persecution.
2. Have resided in one of these areas sometime between 1937 and 1944: within the modern borders of Romania (including Northern Transylvania); in Northern Bukovina or Bessarabia; in Southern Dobruja; or in Transnistria.
3. Have an income below a specified limit

Heirs are not eligible to apply.

For detailed criteria and the application form visit: http://www.claimscon.org/romanianfund