Germany Plans Record $1 Billion Global Holocaust Survivor Home Care in 2026

Germany has committed over $1 billion for home care assistance to Holocaust survivors worldwide in 2026, marking the largest annual budget ever allocated for this purpose. The increase, negotiated with Germany's finance ministry and the Claims Conference, addresses the growing and complex health needs of the aging survivor population, whose average age has risen to 88.5 years. Funding will help survivors, many suffering from severe conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia, to age with dignity in their own homes. Non-Jewish rescuers recognized as Righteous Among the Nations will also now be eligible for home care assistance. Additionally, the Hardship Fund Supplemental payments have been extended through 2028, benefiting over 127,000 survivors globally, and Holocaust education funding has been increased to counter rising antisemitism and declining awareness. Claims Conference President Gideon Taylor emphasized the moral obligation to support survivors and preserve the memory of those who perished.