BANKS WAIVE HOLOCAUST-REPARATIONS TRANSFER FEES.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo and several other banks have agreed to waive waive v. to voluntarily give up a right, including not enforcing a term of a contract (such as insisting on payment on an exact date), or knowingly giving up a legal right such as a speedy trial, a jury trial or a hearing on extradition (the transfer to another state's jurisdiction of one accused of a crime in the other state). (See: waiver) up to $360 in annual wire-transfer fees for Holocaust survivors who receive war reparations reparations, payments or other compensation offered as an indemnity for loss or damage. Although the term is used to cover payments made to Holocaust survivors and to Japanese Americans interned during World War II in so-called relocation camps (and used as well to describe compensation sought by many African Americans for enslavement of blacks prior to the Civil War), in 20th-century world history reparations are the payments sought by the victorious. Many of the 22,000 Holocaust survivors living in California receive reparations - compensation required from Germany for damage or injury during World War II. Now, for those survivors who receive payments, which can average about $300 a month, five banks have agreed to waive wire transfer Wire Transfer An electronic transfer of funds across a network administered by hundreds of banks around the world.Notes: Wire transfers allow people in different geographic locations to easily transfer money. Outside of North America, wire transfers are sometimes referred to as a 'telegraphic transfer' or t/t. See also: Bank, Checking Account fees: City National Bank, First Federal Bank of California, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo and World Savings. ``There are many poor, elderly survivors out there who are struggling,'' said David A. Lash, executive director of the nonprofit public interest law firm Bet Tzedek. ``This is an extremely important move that will hopefully inspire other banks to following suit.'' Bank representatives, Holocaust survivors and local politicians gathered in a conference room at The Jewish Federation on Tuesday morning to announce the outcome of more than six months of discussions. ``The primary issue is that eliminating these fees can help people who are in financial need,'' said Darrell Brown, a senior vice president and regional manager for Wells Fargo. Brown anticipates that the bank will begin to waive the fees in about a month. The banks' decision stems from a letter written to Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, in August 2001. The Encino writer, who prefers to remain anonymous, called on the nation's banks to do what many New York banks have already done. ``I am a child survivor of the Holocaust and receive a monthly restitution wire transfer to my account,'' the letter reads. ``The bank charges a monthly fee of $10 for the service. New York City banks have agreed to no longer charge that fee. I'm wondering if you could help in brokering a similar agreement with banks in Los Angeles or California.'' Those words eventually provoked Jenny Toder, who works in Pavley's office, to approach banks that have a significant presence in California. ``We went right to the top when we called on these banks,'' Toder said. ``When they began cooperating, we obviously became very excited. Several banks, including Bank of America, are still considering waiving the transfer fees. Toder said there weren't any banks that ``flat out said no.'' John Gordon, a child survivor of the Holocaust, doesn't understand why banks would be tentative about dropping such a fee. ``Not only is it good public relations, it can help survivors that are impoverished,'' said Gordon, who escaped the Nazis' occupation of Hungary in 1944. Washington Mutual has already waived the transfer fees nationwide. Jan Lynn Owen, Western regional manager, said the fees were most likely wiped away without formally notifying the customers. ``I don't believe we sent out any letters,'' Owen said. ``We just stopped charging a transfer fee for those it applied to. We're very happy to participate in this.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) A letter written to Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, shown here Tuesday addressing The Jewish Federation, has resulted in several major banks agreeing to waive fees for transferring reparations payments to Holocaust survivors. John McCoy/Staff Photographer |
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