About Us

Following the collapse of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe, the leading world Jewish organizations established the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO) to address the restitution of Jewish property and to remind the world that the time has come to redress the enormous material wrongs caused to European Jewry during the Holocaust.

WJRO is the legal and moral representative of world Jewry in pursuing claims for the recovery of Jewish properties in Europe (with the exception of Germany and Austria).

WJRO is registered in Israel as a non-profit organization (Amuta) in accordance with the Law of Amutot, 1980, and began its activities in April 1993.

Our Mission

WJRO consults and negotiates with national and local governments in Eastern and Central Europe for the return of Jewish communal property and heirless private property and the payment of full compensation in cases where restitution is not possible.

WJRO works for the restitution of private property and for compensation to Holocaust survivors. (WJRO does not represent individuals.)

Together with local Jewish communities, WJRO establishes local foundations to file restitution claims and use the proceeds to support survivors and local Jewish life.