National Insurance to Pay Benefits: Landmark Ruling After 20 Years

The National Insurance Institute will pay benefits to veteran singer and creator Yirmi Kaplan, following a significant legal victory. The Regional Labor Court ruled that Kaplan's injury, sustained during a 2006 performance, is to be fully recognized as a work accident. Kaplan, 65, was injured when he tripped over a guitar stand while performing in a Jerusalem bar, consistent with his energetic stage style involving constant movement and audience interaction. He suffered injuries to his neck and upper back.

The claim was filed 18 years after the incident, in 2024, with National Insurance initially rejecting it in 2025. The institute argued that Kaplan's actions, including jumping and dancing, constituted voluntary risk-taking and that a direct link between his work and the injury was not proven.

Kaplan pursued the case, presenting testimony from his production manager and guitarist. He explained that his dynamic performance style is integral to his work, aiming to enhance the audience's visual and auditory experience and foster a stronger connection. The court, presided over by Judge Tomer Silora with public representatives Aharon Konforti and Yael Peled, found Kaplan's testimony credible. They accepted his explanation for the delayed claim, attributing it to a lack of awareness of his social rights at the time.

The court criticized National Insurance's stance, ruling that energetic stage movements do not constitute "voluntary risk-taking" that forfeits rights. The judges emphasized that such actions are central to a live performer's job and that the law's purpose is to provide a safety net for all workers, without denying benefits due to "contributory fault" or perceived negligence during duty.