Campaign expands to TikTok, where Holocaust survivors and youth speak about seeking justice for the unprecedented theft of property from Jewish people and communities during the Shoah and its aftermath
To coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD) today, the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) launched the third annual social media campaign, #MyPropertyStory: Speak About Justice, to shine a light on the unprecedented theft of property from Jewish people and communities during the Shoah and its aftermath. The five-week campaign will run from Thursday, January 27 and continue through Sunday, February 27.
Over the last two years, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world engaged in the #MyPropertyStory campaign. People participated through social media in response to stories of lives that were forever changed by the Holocaust and their homes, land, businesses, and personal possessions that were powerful links to their pasts.
This year, 77 years after the Holocaust, their stories will be powerful additions to the campaign, which is expanding to TikTok and other social media platforms.
“The #MyPropertyStory social media campaign has been extremely successfully across generations of Holocaust survivors and their families, and it is important that we continue to reach out to younger generations. This year’s campaign will focus on youth speaking about justice for property wrongfully seized by the Nazis and their allies during the Holocaust and its aftermath. It will serve as a powerful reminder that even 77 years after the Holocaust, survivors and their families continue to await justice for the largest theft in history,” said Gideon Taylor, Chair of Operations, World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO).
“#MyPropertyStory is an important social media campaign directed toward youth to elevate the issue of Holocaust era property restitution and shine a light on the stories of Holocaust victims who have lost so much. For Holocaust survivors, restitution or compensation for property is about justice and fairness. It is an acknowledgement of the destruction of their families and an opportunity to restore and reconnect with at least a small part of a life and culture that was so wrongfully taken from them. These stories will help ensure that the histories of survivors will not be distorted so that other generations can learn the truth and that justice may be attained,” said Mark Weitzman, Chief Operating Officer, World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO).
WJRO is asking people to engage with our #MyPropertyStory:SpeakAboutJustice campaign on TikTok. We are also asking participants to post their own stories, photos, and videos on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram and include the #MyPropertyStory and tag @WJRORestitution. People can also go to http://www.wjro.org.il/mps for easy access to one-click sharing of WJRO’s moving videos, stories, and photos on social media in English and Hebrew. There is also a general email address for any questions at mypropertystory@wjro.org.il.
During the Holocaust, the Nazis, their allies, and collaborators systematically robbed millions of Jews and Jewish communities throughout Europe of their every possession, including their homes, businesses, synagogues, artworks, Judaica, and other personal belongings. Each item represented a cherished memory, a loved one, a childhood cut short, a lifetime of labor – generations of history – people’s lives that were taken. The #MyPropertyStory: Speak About Justice social media campaign will help raise awareness about the issue of Holocaust era property restitution and ongoing efforts to secure a measure of justice for survivors and their families.
The #MyPropertyStory: Speak About Justice videos feature:
For more information about the #MyPropertyStory campaign, please visit: wjro.org.il/mypropertystory.
Background Information about Recent Holocaust-era Property Restitution Activity
Survivors from Luxembourg have already started to receive financial support from the Luxembourg direct payment program. Deadline for applications is January 31, 2022. Learn more about the program here.
For media inquiries please contact pr@wjro.org.il