The Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets was established in 2007 under Israeli law in order to do historical justice with the victims of the Holocaust and reinstate with their legal heirs those assets located in Israel and which were purchased before they found their death under the Nazi regime.
Thousands of Jewish people invested in pre-state Israel before World War II. Believing in a Jewish state, they opened bank accounts, purchased stocks, bonds and real estate. 60,000 of these assets have been located by Hashava, which is actively seeking the rightful heirs.
The Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets has the following published goals:
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The location of Holocaust victims' assets located in Israel and the transferring of these to the Company's trust so they may be administered in accordance with the Law, employing all powers of investigation and examination entrusted to by the Law.
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Initiating independent activities aimed at obtaining information regarding assets that belonged to Holocaust victims, and the last rightful owners of these, as well as the location of beneficiaries and other holders of rights in the assets.
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The reinstatement of Holocaust victims' assets or their fair value to those eligible for these, in accordance with the Law.
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Aid to Holocaust survivors in the fields of medicine, care and welfare, psychological and economical support, and support for those agencies and entities that assist Holocaust survivors.
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Support for institutes and entities, initiated activities aimed at commemoration, documentation, education and publicity regarding the Holocaust and the bequeathing of a heritage of remembrance for future generations, so that the memory of the victims will not be forgotten.
The Assets Law stipulates that the primary task of the Company is the identification of Holocaust victims' assets that are located in Israel and the location of legal heirs in order to unite the two. The law also determines that assets whose owners cannot be found will be transferred for aid to Holocaust survivors in need, as well as for education,and commemoration projects related to the Holocaust and its victims. The Company's internet site includes a list of assets in Israel whose owners most probably died in the Holocaust, so that the offspring of the Holocaust generation - or any person with information regarding relatives who lived in Europe and died in the Holocaust - may examine it and locate the assets of their loved ones. The Company was incorporated as a private corporation on August 31, 2006. Its shares are held by the State, and it is obligated to act for the public's benefit without profit (NPO).
Published on the Hashava/Company site is a list of assets located in Israel which belonged to families and which are available to be reclaimed. This can be searched at
http://www.hashava.info/assetList/Types of assets administered by the Company for Location and Restitution of Holocaust Victims' Assets include:
Real estate - apartments, buildings, land plots and subdivided plots in Israel.
Monies - accounts opened in Israeli banks, shares and bonds. Monies acquired through the
sale or expropriation of real estate, and the compensation received from profitable assets
rental fees on apartments and land.
Jewish Colonial Trust (JCT) shares - Shares in the Jewish Colonial Fund established by
Bejamin Ze'ev Herzl in 1899 to serve as the Zionist Movement's financial arm.
Contents of safes and art pieces
Also published on the website, is a list of names of asset owners. This is on the webpage http://www.hashava.info/assetList/
The site provides details of how to make an application
The homepage of the website is http://www.hashava.info/default.aspx.
Contact Details The Company for Location & Restitution of Holocaust Victims’ Assets
18 Hasivim St.
Petach Tikva 49250
Israel : Tel: + (972)-3-516-4117
Source:
Hashava website accessed most recently on 2 April 2013