Israeli NGO aids in cleanup of ransacked Holocaust survivor home

Last week, in Tel Aviv’s Ramat Aviv area, the apartment of a Holocaust survivor and activist was ransacked.

The 93-year-old woman returned home to find that not only had her home been broken into, but people had also been squatting (unlawful occupation) there. Several important documents relating to the Holocaust had been scattered throughout her home and damaged, along with other valuables and household items.

On Sunday morning, thanks to a community effort, a cleanup of her apartment took place. It was spearheaded by Noam Atia, who heard about the break-in, and reached out to organizations that assist Holocaust survivors.

Atia said he was disappointed by the lack of response, but he eventually managed to receive assistance from Adopt-a-Safta, an NGO that works with social workers and other community members, to identify both Holocaust survivors and lonely elderly people throughout the country. The organization pairs them with young people who “adopt” and embrace them as if they were one of their own family members.

Adopt-a-Safta comes to the rescue

Atia contacted Jay Shultz, Adopt-a-Safta’s founder, who sent out a message calling for volunteers to assist in the cleanup effort, though the project did not fall under their normal remit. However, Shultz knew he had to help and quickly gathered more than 100 volunteers.

“Loneliness and isolation impact survivors in a different way,” Shultz told The Jerusalem Post. “This isn’t what the organization typically does, but we do organize special projects that require bringing together as many volunteers as possible to help someone, like in this situation. The need is clear and present so we had to act fast,” he added.

THE VOLUNTEER coordinator and Shultz both said that one of the volunteers involved in the cleanup effort was an archivist/historian who had previously worked at Yad Vashem for many years. This person was able to bring his valuable skills to bear, helping to sort through significant documents, which were then organized, identified, and preserved in boxes.

The home was so dirty, it took 12 volunteers a whole day to sort out, during which time they collected and removed over 50 bags of trash.

“This covers maybe 10% of it all, we are nowhere near done,” Atia stated. “It is a big home with many memories,” he said, adding that police responding to the break-in, allegedly told the victim that they were sorry it happened, but they could do nothing because they didn’t have the time or the necessary manpower.

“I just don’t really understand how someone can live like this, and how the municipality and government would somehow not know what’s going on… or know, and just not do anything about it,” he told the Post.

Atia also noted that it was unclear what the suspects, who are still at large, were looking for.

Now, he wants to know what the next steps will be. He has reached out to local officials for help but was met with radio silence. “The municipality didn’t call me back. I want to understand how we can help her,” Atia said.

He feels that olim (immigrants) have more sympathy and support for Holocaust survivors than those born in Israel. “I’m ashamed of my country, and something needs to be done to help these people in the future,” he said.