Ambassador lends a hand
Australia’s ambassador to Israel has left his signature on the virtual wall of hands that was launched by the “Aviv for Holocaust Survivors”, a non-profit organisation, which helps survivors utilise their rights – free of cost.
Ambassador Dave Sharma
“More than half of Australia’s Jews are descendants of Holocaust survivors; it is only natural for me to add my support for such an important cause: that every survivor will receive all the rights and benefits to which he is entitled.”
Dave Sharma (40 years old), Australian Ambassador to Israel, left the imprint of his hand on the “Aviv for Holocaust survivors” virtual wall of hands, created in order to increase awareness of the plight of the survivors still living among us. The project “Give a hand to Holocaust Survivors” has been joined by many members of Knesset, mayors, actors and Israeli athletes, and now the organization is looking to the world opinion leaders in order to make the project international. To this end, the association has launched a virtual wall of hands, which allows supporters worldwide to join in order to reach 180,000 signatures of hands, before The General Holocaust Day on May 5th 2016, one hand for each of the 180,000 survivors living in Israel today.
Sharma: “I first learned about the Holocaust, from my neighbours in Sydney, who were Holocaust survivors. After the Holocaust Australia absorbed about 35,000 Holocaust survivors, more than any other country except Israel. And of the 120,000 Jews currently living in Australia over half are descendants of the survivors. After I came to Israel as an ambassador I found that one-quarter of the survivors in Israel suffer from poverty, and that many of the survivors are not aware of their rights and all the benefits to which they are entitled by law. The “Aviv for Holocaust Survivors” non-profit organization works to assist survivors in the realization of their rights, and for me it is only natural to add my support to such an important cause: that each survivor will receive all the rights and benefits to which he/she is entitled.
Attorney Aviva Silverman, executive director of “Aviv for Holocaust Survivors”: “I’m sure the Ambassador’s support will help us raise awareness in the country and the world to the situation of the Holocaust survivors living among us. Our organization helps Holocaust survivors receive every benefit they deserve by law, and to drastically change their economic situation. The aid that the association gives is professional, and most important – free, and that is our mission and these are principles that we do not compromise. Holocaust survivors deserve to live with dignity and I call on everyone who can to lend a hand and support the Holocaust survivors.”
To sign on the virtual wall and show support for Holocaust survivors go to http://aviv.pmtsit.com/joinHand
