Centenarians Honoured at Beit Hanassi

50 centenarians were honoured recently at the home of the President of Israel. They were there to launch a new Israeli tradition: recognition of the most senior citizens by the president.

No-one in Israel today is 120 years old, but a resident of Ashdod, at age 117, comes pretty close.

According to statistics released by the National Insurance Institute, old age pensions are being paid to 604 people who are at least 100 years old. Of these, 76 are immigrants from the former Soviet Union who arrived in Israel since 1989. According to the NII, there are 28 senior citizens at least 110 years old, and 409 between the ages of 100 and 102, with 69 in Jerusalem, 66 in Tel Aviv, and 62 in Ramat Gan.

Quite a few of the centenarians did have teeth. More than that: many were straight-backed, few wore glasses, and most of them could walk unaided.