February 1, 2010

Dear Readers,

The end of 2009 has been marked by a number of significant achievements in the field of restitution and expansion of existing programs: in December, the Austrian Federal Government, the Federal Provinces, as well as the Vienna Jewish Community (IKG) reached an agreement to ensure the restoration and maintenance of the 63 Jewish cemeteries in Austria for the next 20 years. As of August 1, 2009, Austrian retirement benefits for Holocaust survivors have been expanded.

Furthermore, we are happy to provide you with a broad range of articles on recent cultural highlights and news on the Jewish Community Vienna that were published in the Austrian media, including the recent inauguration of a new campus of the Jewish Community in Vienna, a modern home for the elderly.

Finally we have included a few articles on a recent exchange of visits between Austria and Israel.


Yours sincerely,


Wolfgang Renezeder
Director of the Press & Information Service
Embassy of Austria