123,500 Join Israel’s Poor

“The 15,000 families which joined the circle of poverty in 2009 suffered a direct blow, which affected more than 120,000 people,” said Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog. “These families don't have any stable economic support, which could have prevented their distress.”

According to the minister, a drop was recorded in the number of elderly people living under the poverty line, and 9,300 managed to emerge from the circle of poverty due to the increase in old age pensions. “The ongoing improvement in the extent of poverty among the elderly leaves no doubt as to the need to update the National Insurance Institute pensions. This report proves that updating the pensions prevented an ongoing deterioration. This is the exact goal of a social safety net,” Herzog said.