Foundation

The Foundation for Disposal of Good Will Compensation for the Immovable Property of Jewish Religious Communities, Public establishment (hereinafter – The Good Will Foundation) was founded in 2011 after the talks between Lithuanian governmental institutions and a delegation comprised of representatives from various Lithuanian and international Jewish organizations, thanks to which the enactment of the Law on Good Will Compensation was enacted, later the Law was amended, and the new wording of the Law has been established recently.

The founder and the sole stockholder of the Good Will Foundation is the Foundation for the Lithuanian Jewish heritage.

As stipulated by the aforementioned legislature, the Good Will Foundation will receive the compensation, which totals around 37 071 362 euros, from the Lithuanian state budget to be used for funding projects which deal with religious, cultural, health care, sports, educational and scientific goals pursued by Lithuanian Jews in Lithuania. This amount will be paid out in installments up until 2023. Every year, the Good Will Foundation receives around 3.6 million euros from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania for the implementation of the goals that were laid down in the Law. From 2013 to 2017 the Foundation received payments from the Government of total sum of 18 969 610, 51 euros, out of which half of the sum is set as a long-term endowment. Another half of the amount has been used for project funding.

As also stated by the Law on Good Will Compensation, around 870,000 euros from the total amount have been earmarked for restitution to Jews who had been living in Lithuania during World War II and had been victims of occupying totalitarian regimes. On December 31, 2014 the Good Will Foundation completed the disbursement to more than 1500 individuals living around the world (you can read more about the disbursement process here).

In accordance with Article 2.1.2. of the amended Law No. XI-1470 of the Republic of Lithuania on the Good Will Compensation for the Immovable Property of Jewish Religious Communities, the Good Will Foundation is prepared to develop and implement guidelines for the submission of applications from private property claimants of Lithuanian Jews who lacked the legal opportunity to have these claims addressed, to receive these claims with accompanying documentation until December 31, 2023, and to determine the amount and make payment for valid claims by December 31, 2024, totaling between 5 and 10 million Euro. The Good Will Foundation will receive additional funds in annual payments to a total of 37 million Euro to be used to support Jewish communal life and the preservation of Jewish heritage in Lithuania as stipulated in the mentioned law.