Elderly to Get ‘Go to the Head of the Line’ Cards

In Israel, residents over the age of 80 automatically jump to the head of the line, and under an initiative by Labor and Welfare Minister Ofir Akunis, eligible Israelis will soon be issued a card that, upon presentation, will oblige service providers to take the bearers of the card immediately upon its presentation.

The cards are being issued in order to prevent confusion and ensure that eligible people are able to realize their rights without having to argue with other patrons or otherwise prove their eligibility. A total of 277,684 Israelis are eligible for the cards, the Welfare Ministry said. Among the places that will be obligated to honor the cards are all government offices, municipal services, National Insurance Institute offices, Israel Railways, Israel Post offices, banks, national parks, department stores, law offices and others.

Akunis said that “elderly Israelis are a building block of our society. They took care of us, and now we can take care of them. The job of elected officials is to ensure that they get the services they deserve, without delay. Most elderly do not stand up for their rights, and we can help them accomplish that.”