Translation from Hebrew

(transmitted by AMCHA on [H-HOLOCAUST@h-net.msu.edu], 13 Aug. 1997)

1. General

At a meeting held on May 14th 1997 at the Prime Minister's Office, a committee was established for the task of defining who is a holocaust survivor and to estimate the number of survivors living today worldwide.

Members of the committee are: E. Spanic, chairman; H. Factor and V. Struminsky.

The committee held four meetings; its members met with researchers and experts in this field: and in some cases the committee commissioned studies to complement existing data.

2. Findings of the Committee

a) Definition of the term Holocaust Survivor.

A holocaust survivor will be defined as any Jew who has lived in a country at the time when it was

-- under Nazi regime

-- under Nazi occupation

-- under the regime of Nazi collaborators

as well as any Jew who fled due to the above regime or occupation.

b) Estimates of living Holocaust Survivors

3 Explanations

a) Definition of a Survivor

The Committee reached the conclusion that holocaust survivors should be defined inclusively, i. e. to include any Jews who have suffered from the Nazi regime -- be it through limitation or denial of their freedom, or their having to flee their homes due to the Nazi regime or occupation.

b) Estimation of the Number of Living Survivors to Date

Israel

The number of Israeli residents who were born before 1944 in countries qualifying them to be defined as survivors, and who have immigrated to Israel since 1945, is based on the Israel Population Register

Of the 499,428 residents who answer the above definition, 249,055 are originally of the FSU and 250,373 are from other countries.

It is assumed that 10% of FSU residents were not persecuted due to race and only 58,5% have lived before the war in areas that were occupied during World War II. Therefore, the number of holocaust survivors living in Israel who came from the FSU is estimated to be 131,127.

In order to determine the number of holocaust survivors from other countries, approximately 5% need to be deducted from the above data, due to the fact that they have immigrated to Israel after World War II, having spent the war years in other countries.

Therefore, the number of holocaust survivors from relevant countries who are currently living in Israel is 237,854.

In summary, the number of holocaust survivors currently living in Israel is estimated to be 360,000-380,000.

FSU

The estimate of holocaust survivors currently living in the FSU is based on the work of Mr. Arkadi Zeltzer, supervised by Prof. M. Altshuler of the Center of Research and Documentation of Estern Europe Jews of the Hebrew University. Prof. Sergio de la Pergolla has confirmed the approximate sizes of the estimates.

In principle these figures were derived from the following:

-- According to a census held in FSU at the beginning of 1989, the number of Jews born before 1945 who were living in the FSU at the time was approximately 800,000

-- From this number, 275,000 was deducted, which is the estimate of immigrants who have left the FSU 1989-1996 (approximately 30% of the Jewish population that immigrated during those years)

-- In order to arrive at the total number of Jews born before 1945 who at the beginning of 1997 lived in the FSU, an annual mortality rate of 3%-5% was deducted -- 148,000-210,000 people.

-- It therefore follows that the total number of Jews born before 1945 and living in the FSU at the beginning of 1997 is 315,000-377,000.

-- Based on a map of the Nazi occupation during World War II, it was estimated that 58,5% of the FSU Jews have lived under Nazi conquest.

In summary, the number of holocaust survivors currently living in FSU is 184,000-220,000.

USA

The estimates of holocaust survivors currently living in the USA was carried out by Allen Gliksman, a researcher specializing in the holocaust from the Polisher Research Institute.

In principle, these figures were derived from:

-- 33,000 refuges arrived in the USA 1933-1937
-- 124,000 refugees arrived in the USA 1938-1941
-- 119,373 refugees arrived in the USA immediately after the war.
-- 24,090 holocaust survivors arrived in the USA during the 1950's and 1960's
-- 49,416 holocaust survivors arrived in the USA from the FSU during the recent wave of immigration
-- The mortality rate was calculated based on the average white American life span.

In summary, the number of holocaust survivors currently living in the USA is estimated to be 140,000 -160,000

Western Europe

The number of holocaust survivors in Western Europe at the end of World War II was 410,000. Under the assumption that 25%-30% are still alive, their current number is 100,000-120,000

Taking into account that some of these survivors have immigrated over the years, we estimate that 80,000-100,000 survivors are still living in Western Europe.

Eastern Europe and other countries

The data regarding the number of holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe and the rest of the world was gathered from various estimates and approximations available in Jewish organizations.

Summary based on the inclusive definition of holocaust survivors according to the above, the estimates number of holocaust survivors currently living worldwide is 834,000-960,000.

E. Spanic, Chairman Haim Factor Vladimir Struminsky

* FSU: Former Soviet Union.