SWC Commends California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for Authoring Holocaust Restitution Bill

August 15, 2024

The Simon Wiesenthal Center commends California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for authoring AB 2867, legislation that could bring justice to long-suffering Holocaust survivors and their families by mandating that California law apply in lawsuits involving the theft of art or other personal property looted during the Holocaust or other acts of persecution.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC Associate Dean, and Global Social Action Director for the Simon Wiesenthal Center said: “We are especially grateful to California Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis for her unstinting support on this issue that dates back to her years as US Ambassador to Hungary. We hope this new law will tip the scales of justice for the survivors of the Nazi Holocaust and encourage all museums and art collectors to do the right thing.  

Rabbi Cooper also said: “We commend California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for authoring a bill to ensure that Holocaust survivors and the heirs to those who were murdered can gain some small share of justice by helping secure the return of looted family art.  We look forward to Governor Newsom signing this important legislation.”

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).