Israeli Interior Ministry Denies Residency to Holocaust Rescuer’s Granddaughter Despite Court Ruling
Ellen Monique Chits, a 56-year-old Dutch Christian and granddaughter of Holocaust rescuers recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, has been struggling for two years to obtain permanent residency in Israel. Despite a formal policy and court rulings affirming that grandchildren of Righteous Among the Nations are eligible for Israeli residency, the Population and Immigration Authority, under the Interior Ministry, has repeatedly rejected her applications. Chits, whose grandparents risked their lives to save Jewish siblings during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, has visited Israel multiple times and stayed during the October 7, 2023, war to assist Israelis affected by the conflict. She currently resides in Haifa and studies Hebrew, aiming to integrate into Israeli society.
Chits first learned of her family’s heroic legacy in 1998, but only after visiting Israel in 2018 did she develop a deep emotional connection to the country. She has volunteered extensively in Israel, including agricultural work, aid to the elderly, and support for terror victims’ families. In July 2024, she formally applied for residency under the Interior Ministry’s special procedure for descendants of Righteous Among the Nations. However, her request was denied in November 2024 on the grounds that only minor grandchildren qualify, a condition she and her lawyer, Yehoshua Fax, argue is unrealistic and contradicts the policy’s intent.
Chits appealed internally and then to the Jerusalem Appeals Court, which also rejected her claim. However, a January 2026 district court ruling in a similar case clarified that the residency policy applies to all children and grandchildren of Righteous Among the Nations regardless of age. Following this, Chits renewed her application, but the Interior Ministry has yet to provide a substantive response. Her lawyer stresses that she seeks no special treatment, only fair consideration under the existing policy designed to honor Holocaust rescuers and their descendants. The Population and Immigration Authority stated that each case is reviewed individually and that Chits’ latest application will be examined accordingly.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between formal policies recognizing the legacy of Holocaust rescuers and bureaucratic hurdles faced by their descendants seeking to live in Israel. It also underscores the limited number of applicants under this law, with only 165 requests filed and 61 approved as of last year, indicating no mass immigration concerns.
