the Taub center is a mouthpiece for far left "progressive" thinking and manipulates statistics to show this. they are not the only. NGO and think tank to do so, but always remember from whom the statistics are coming?

Is he putting garbage in or taking out - it all depends on what the reader wants to believe. Once again, contradictory statements from the Taub center all aimed at changing social policy. Maybe improvements need to be made but the Taub Center does not, as usual, offer any suggestions!

We are an Asian country. We may interact more with the west than with our Arab neighbours, but that doesn't make Israel a western country. Any more than Japan. Suspect article.

It s very difficult to understand the essence due to "scientific" bla-bla-bla. I did try to imagine where Israeli pensioners get this better than others income. Please enlighten me! But we all know, without many minced words, that social security payments to needy old people in Israel are shamefully meagre. Add to that exorbitant rents for even zero-quality housing, which Govt "help" doesn't cover more than a one third - and one doesn't need to be a "researcher" to know how woeful is the subsistence for thousands and thousands of State pensioners in the Eretz halav u dvash..

The Jewish lie

we are talking about old poor grandma and grandpa OK?

The poverty rate in economic revenues among those aged 65 and over in Israel is one of the lowest in the developed world and is even decreasing. However, the poverty rate in disposable income for this age group is the highest among developed countries,.

Those concerned came to Israel with chronic sicknesses and having never worked or paid any taxes in Israel ever. Yet all their medical bills are met and they live on a small welfare payment for which they have never worked, and many receive government housing aid or home for the aged help. Not many countries take immigrants of this kind ( unable to work, no money, sick) In the countries they came from they would not be better off....no medical unless you have money and no basic welfare so I agree with comment 1, this is not a truthful article. Applying rich western standards of western retirees who worked all their lives, planned their retirement financially, and are able to play golf and bridge with many holidays is very much stupid.

the fault lines of this report lie in the arbitrary definitions of 'poverty' using totally foreign language. in other words... the poverty is a fiction of the taub institute's definitions. of course there is poverty in Israel... just like anywhere else in the world. but the taub people fail to address the word 'poverty' like anywhere else in the world. in other words, taub produced an intellectual fiction.

Wait until you have to live on the income the average older person has available... Do you ANY idea how many older people have to choose between buying either medicine or food? They cannot afford both. Clothes? They wear what they have - which is why you so often see them wearing layers. Luxuries? They don't exist. Not even a bit of extra food like a banana or a piece of chocolate. Left? Right? Who cares? The fact is that older people in Israel do not have enough money to live on, period.

The poverty rate of the Elderly here is very high ,but also the poverty rate of the handicapped and children as well. We are taxed to death in this country which also comes from the pockets of our most needy citizens as well

Israel is the only country as far as I know that takes tax from peoples old age pension. You work, and pay National Insurance for your pension. So why does one still have to pay it once your a pensioner?

In my birth country , Belgium , you pay taxes on pensions . It's an income !

"how you make you bed , so will you sleep" [ in Yddish of course ] People have to work for their pension , i did it . The same for Shoa survivors today . When they made Alyah , they were young , had opportunities to make a living , and look for their future , their old age .

Old age pension is taxed in Norway as well.

Many children is a guarantee for later in life .

It pays to check the difference between the Hebrew responses and the brat brigade that came here with their years of new immigrant tax concessions, duty free privileges, and subsidized housing courtesy of the Absorption Ministry and many still getting income from investments they had abroad. Talk of the "I'm alright, Jack" syndrome. Uncharitable, heartless, ignorant unmentionables. Any kippot on heads as you spit forth your ignorant venom?

In demographically imploding Europe, politicians need to bribe the elderly with huge amounts of 'welfare' to get reelected. It is, of course, paid with money, which will not be at the disposal of those (few) who are young now, once they get older! The more interesting part is that the elderly in Israel - before transfer payments - have more income at their disposal. This points at the only sustainable solution: improve people's status before transfer payment through real growth. People forget that GDP per capita in Israel was 32,000 US$ in 2012, but only 15,000 ten years before! It will reach 40,000 in three years, while Britain's will fall below its current 38,000. Let's see transfer payments in Europe then!

Everybody has the right to have a decent life. Enough food, good food, etc... After to be sixty years old: free using of public transport, of visiting musea, health care,... I hate to see the beggars on our streets: a shame to us, to the government, but also - sometimes, not always - to their own families. But also you (I) have to fight against it, not except it, find a solution or solutions, to higher (raise) your voice against it... against that discrimination, we (you) have to fight for it. Let hear your voices, your demands, ... again, please, don't be beggars, ask for your rights,... and continue to ask for it, but again: don't beg, never beg, always ask for your rights.

Thanks to Reagan and the GOP heartless band of millionaires in Congress then, I pay taxes on my pension here in the USA. My sisters and brother have only their social security to live on. There are many elderly poor here as well and yet Ryan and Romney sneered at them in the last campaign as "takers not makers". That attitude is not unique to Israel or the US but we all can do better, whether these good people are relatives, friends, or complete strangers...

on his pension, he also pays taxes on the interest his pension investments may have earned. But of course no one makes up for his losses.

My wife and I are pensioners, we get about 3700 shekels a month. Granted not much ,but still a sum that we can more or less survive on. I think that a soldier who 'donates' 3 years of his life should get at least a minimum wage. Once thats settled than a pensioner couple should get a minimum wage as well. Pure and simple,lets get our priorities right.