Dateline Jerusalem – This week I will officially become a senior citizen, according to both the U.S. and Israel, as I turn 62 years old.  For men in Israel, the age is 67. Although I have been a grandmother for several years, somehow the word grandmother does not sound as bad as senior citizen. It is especially daunting since I think of myself as 30-something, and I have the emotional maturity of a teenager. I am constantly laughing and giggling. My grandmother, may she rest in peace, rarely laughed during her 100- year lifespan because she thought laughing made one fat.  Often I have used that as my excuse for my less than svelte figure.  
 
Enclosed in an envelope from Israel's Minister of Senior Citizens, I received a white plastic card with large bright blue letters in Hebrew, Arabic and English that says “Senior Citizen.” This card enables me to travel by train and bus for half fare. Entry to national parks, nature reserves, and museums also is discounted for seniors. Allegedly there are ticket reductions for movies and theater productions. I have to check into the rumor that city taxes are reduced up to 30 percent for seniors living in an apartment or home less than 100 sq. meters since my apartment is only 92 sq. meters. It is a rumor because depending on the person I speak to in the city, the answer tends to be different. I have been told it is automatic, and that it only is for seniors eligible for financial aid. The television tax is discounted. Everything in Israel is taxed. So that means TVs are taxed. People without TVs have to fight to get rid of the tax. The Minister of Senior Citizens is not the same as the Social Security Administration in the U.S., nor is it the same as Bituach Leumi, a department for pensioners in Israel that handles what we in the States would consider Social Security benefits.

Oh, This Explains a Town’s Busyness
 
Twenty percent of residents of Rehovot, where I live, are seniors.  No wonder there are so many people on the streets during daytime hours. I often wondered if anyone had a job in this town because the population always seemed to be out and about. Not only are people shopping at the mall, the boutiques, shoe stores and clothing stores up and down the tree-lined streets of the city are always crowded. Most senior citizens I see are sitting outside cafes and bakeries under awnings and umbrellas, listening to street musicians and people watching.  Many of them are escorted by foreign workers who care for them on an hourly basis, which is determined by the income of the senior and the type of care required.  Some workers are paid by the elderly, but often Bituach Leumi assists with subsidizing the care. When I was deciding which city to move to when I came to Israel, I debated between Rehovot and Modiin. When I heard the statistics regarding those in my age group, Rehovot was a no-brainer.  The joke in Israel is that everyone in Modiin is pregnant.
 
My friends range from 20 to 90 years of age. Even when I was in the States, the age range of my friends was as varied as it is here. One charitable organization I belong to thinks I may be their youngest member. Because salaries are low and the cost of living is high, many younger women who are not caring for small children are out in the work place. They cannot devote time to these organizations. Considering life expectancy in Israel is higher than most of the world, I understand why so many seniors are active in community affairs. The healthy Israeli diet plays a role.  I never have seen as many thin people as I have since moving to Israel. 
 
I am comfortable with people of all ages. Chronological age means nothing to me. Some of my older friends have more energy and spirit than most young people. Depending on whether I wear a sheitel (wig), snood, scarf or hat on my head affects the age I am perceived to be. The span could be as great as a 20-year difference. Whatever the case, I feel young, even if I do not look it.  Of course, my aging body has not avoided arthritis, achy joints, bad knees, failing eyesight and poor hearing. Who cares now that I now have a senior citizen card?  I am in an elite category, according to the Israeli government.  I cannot wait to avail myself of all the discounts it entails.
 
L'hitraot.  Shachar