Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics announced that from the current year, the term “elderly” (קשיש) would be gradually discontinued and that it would be removed from the lexicon for the benefit of the term “veteran citizen” (אזרח וותיק).
The bureau’s announcement came following an appeal by MK (Machane Tzioni) Nachman Shai who claimed that the word “elderly” was offensive and inappropriate.
The head of the CBS, Prof. Danny Feferman, announced that he had accepted the proposal, and starting in 2018, the CBS would publish the special notices on the occasion of the International Citizen’s Day (marked on October 1 each year) without the word “elderly” To do until recently.
In addition, the Central Bureau of Statistics undertook to change all the terms “elderly” appearing on the CBS website.
MK Shai commented in response, thanking the Central Bureau of Statistics for the initiative and appealed to government authorities and non-profit organizations. Substantially, the definition of “veteran citizens” should be used, which correctly represents the state definition for these ages and above, “said Shai.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
So that means old people will suddenly be sprite and lively? Will it mean they won’t be covered by Israel’s infamous mandatory retirement laws?
The word ‘vatik” is a more dignified word referring to old people instead of ‘kashish’, like the difference between old and elderly, but even more so.
The expression אזרח ותיק has been around for years and came about as a mimic of “senior citizen.” No real news here.