Press Releases
(Washington, D.C., July 26, 2021)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
We strongly condemn the passage of a law by the Polish Senate that makes it nearly impossible for citizens and heirs to reclaim property and real estate that was stolen from Jews during the Holocaust and Poland’s Communist regime.
The law, which places a statute of limitations on claims for restitution of property, is immoral and a further injustice for Holocaust survivors and their families who have waited years to reclaim property that was stolen from them. Poland was home to 3.3 million Jews in 1939, at the outbreak of World War II.
Currently, Poland is also the only EU country that has no law on restitution or compensation for property stolen during the Holocaust.
As the new bill returns to the Sejm—the Polish parliament’s lower house—we urge that it reverses the previous vote and rejects this immoral, unjust bill.
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org.
We strongly condemn the passage of a law by the Polish Senate that makes it nearly impossible for citizens and heirs to reclaim property and real estate that was stolen from Jews during the Holocaust and Poland’s Communist regime.
The law, which places a statute of limitations on claims for restitution of property, is immoral and a further injustice for Holocaust survivors and their families who have waited years to reclaim property that was stolen from them. Poland was home to 3.3 million Jews in 1939, at the outbreak of World War II.
Currently, Poland is also the only EU country that has no law on restitution or compensation for property stolen during the Holocaust.
As the new bill returns to the Sejm—the Polish parliament’s lower house—we urge that it reverses the previous vote and rejects this immoral, unjust bill.
B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org.
