Hall of Names at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem

Several agencies, spanning several European countries and Israel, offer options for restitution of assets confiscated during the Holocaust. The Department of Holocaust Victims' Assets, a branch of Israel’s Ministry of Justice, is the most centralized agency with the broadest scope. This department is the trustee for confiscated assets including bank accounts, property, and unredeemed shares in the Jewish Colonial Trust.

Many Holocaust victims, as well as some individuals who survived but were unable to claim their confiscated assets, have property held in this department. Claiming held assets takes several steps, all of which involve extensive detail to confirm claimants are the closest living relative of the asset owner.

All applications must be notarized; this service will be offered in the near future. You will need to submit documents confirming your relationship to the property owner. For example, if the asset owner is a great uncle, you would need to submit vital records confirming your relationship. Additionally, if closer relatives have passed away since, wills will sometimes be required to ensure the chain of custody. (This is not an exhaustive list, all cases are different.) Some documents are easily accessible for us; clients may need to supply others.

JCT shares are normally worth 2,500 Israeli Shekels per share (roughly $816 USD as of October 2026). Bank accounts and property have no fixed value.