Histadrut Head Urges Retirees to Stay Active and Contribute

Arnon Bar-David, the chairman of the Histadrut labor federation, addressed a New Year's gathering of the organization's retirees, encouraging them to remain active and continue contributing to society. He emphasized the importance of retirees staying involved, stating, "We want the retirees to be active, many retirees continue to operate in the Histadrut and contribute, and that is worthy and important." Bar-David also pledged continued funding for the 'Re'ut' initiative, which supports Histadrut retirees.

Speaking at the event, which marked the first gathering of retirees in this specific forum, Bar-David expressed his excitement at seeing so many former workers from various unions and regions. He highlighted the significant growth in the Histadrut's retiree membership, from 22,000 five years ago to over 100,000 today, attributing this success to the efforts of the "Regions" department and its teams. He urged retirees to "continue to volunteer and contribute," assuring them they would be welcomed back with "open arms and a warm embrace."

Dalia Gaon, chairwoman of the Histadrut Retirees, thanked attendees for their years of service and announced upcoming vacation programs for retirees. She stressed that the gathering was not just about reminiscing but also about building the future, referring to the Histadrut as a "second home."

Other speakers, including Histadrut CEO Dudu Bezalel and Human Resources VP Irit Forian, echoed the sentiment of valuing retirees and ensuring they feel a continued sense of belonging. Shmulik Mizrahi, chairman of the Retirees' Union, specifically requested Bar-David's support for initiatives aimed at further assisting retirees and mentioned upcoming activities and advocacy efforts, including fighting ageism in the Knesset.

The event also included remarks from David Partiali, chairman of the Histadrut Workers' Committee, who spoke about planned activities and the organization's commitment to its retirees.