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Law in the Service of the Elderly

In 2024, the non-profit organization Law in the Service of the Elderly Association merged with Marva.

Founded in 2002 by Prof. Israel (Issi) Doron and others, the Law in the Service of the Elderly Association aimed to advance the status and rights of older persons in Israel through legal means. Over its 22 years of activity prior to the merger, the association pursued its mission through several key channels:

  • Policy advocacy and strategic litigation: Submitting position papers to public committees and engaging in landmark legal cases on aging and ageism. The most prominent of these was Labor Appeal 209/2010, Weingberger et al. v. Bar-Ilan University, in which the association was one of the petitioners. The ruling established that an employee who reaches retirement age has the right to request to continue working, and the employer must seriously consider the request, taking into account all relevant factors, including the employee’s personal circumstances.
  • Legislative reform: Involved in drafting Amendment No. 18 to the Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law, 1962, which introduced significant changes including provisions for enduring powers of attorney.
  • Legal assistance: Providing individual legal aid to older adults on matters of broad public importance.
  • Public awareness: Producing fact sheets and rights guides on topics such as employment rights in later life, legal planning for older adults, and the rights of residents in nursing homes.
  • Promoting legal planning tools: Advocating for the use of legal and medical powers of attorney, among other planning mechanisms

The legacy, expertise, and achievements of the Law in the Service of the Elderly Association have now been integrated into Marva’s work in policy and legislative change for the benefit of older persons and people with disabilities in Israel.

Currently, Marva’s attorneys are invited to serve on government committees of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, contributing their expertise to support policy and legislative reform.`; serves as amicus curiae in precedent-setting legal cases, and advances change through lectures at professional conferences, seminars for public sector professionals, and more.