Online Journal: Kavod: Honoring AgingSurvivors-AProfessional Journal for Care Givers and Families

January 18, 2011 / 13 Shevat 5771 

Mr. Moshe Wiener
Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island
3001 West 37th Street
Brooklyn , NY 11224-1479  

Dear Moshe, 

I am delighted to introduce the Claims Conference’s new online journal, Kavod, which we are launching today.

Kavod: Honoring Aging Survivors - A Professional Journal for Care Givers and Families aims to become a meaningful resource for caregivers to elderly Holocaust survivors, as it helps them navigate the unique challenges of working with this population. Equally important, our new journal serves to highlight, to the greater community, the special needs of Holocaust survivors. 

Aging Holocaust survivors face health and emotional issues that often differ from those affecting other elderly individuals due to the suffering and persecution during their youth. As they age, victims of Nazi persecution may develop more acute ailments than other elderly due to prolonged malnutrition or the extreme physical abuse suffered during the Shoah. Emotional traumas sometimes long-buried may surface, with the normal anxieties brought on by old age magnified because of their wartime hardships, terrors and loss. 

Those caring for Holocaust survivors can benefit from specialized support and resources. By providing background on the emotional and physical needs of Holocaust victims, by accessing expert guidance in addressing those needs, Kavod can assist caregivers in providing the best possible aid to survivors.

The journal’s scholarly articles are written by experts with both academic and practical experience in the issues that are specific to this population. The contents of the inaugural issue, at kavod.claimscon.org, include articles on alleviating the isolation of survivors in certain retirement communities in the U.S.; working with Nazi victims in remote communities; an overview of Holocaust literature over the decades; and examination of successful programs for survivors in two communities.

As always, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Greg Schneider
Executive Vice President