Peiluyada: Annual Sports and Activity Day for Israel’s Active Elderly

Busload after busload of participants, wearing sneakers, shorts and matching short-sleeve shirts streamed into the National Park in Ramat Gan for a sports and activity-filled day.  But these weren’t children in a youth group – these were Israel’s active elderly, some in their mid-90s, who gathered to celebrate their golden years together, through exercise, dance, boating and yoga, in Israel’s largest park.

The annual event is an integral part of JDC-ESHEL’s efforts to encourage an active lifestyle among Israel’s elderly.  Through a variety of ongoing health promotion programs, JDC-ESHEL emphasizes the importance of good nutrition, regular preventative health care and exercise in local communities. Health promotion and prevention of illness have been deemed top priority by JDC-ESHEL, which aims to help the State of Israel deal with a population that is living longer.

The Peiluyada has become a national tradition that puts the elderly in the headlines for a day.  Now in its sixth year, Peiluyada has annually attracted thousands of elderly from across Israel.

 "Each group has it’s own schedule of activities.  Some Israeli or ballroom dance, others do different types of yoga, some do tai chi, and a few even play basketball." explained Yosefa Ben-Moshe, JDC-ESHEL’s coordinator of health programs.

Ben-Moshe and other of the day’s organizers anticipated no more than 5,000 to 6,000 participants, as in years past.  When 12,000 requested to participate in the 2002 Peiluyada, they were pleasantly surprised, but forced to limit the number of participants to 8,000.  Ultimately, 9,000 showed up.

"We never anticipated such a response. Ramat Gan, near Tel-Aviv, is in a central location, which added to this year’s popularity. The turnout is also a reflection of the success of years past. Some of the participants have been here every year. "

Major security precautions were taken by the organizers, but security was not a concern for most of the participants.

 "At home I walk in a walking club twice a week.  I folk dance, too.  This is a day where I can be with friends.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world." explained 76 year old  Zehava from Kiryat Bialik, in the north of Israel.

Israel’s president Moshe Katzav, opened the festivities with a lighthearted greeting: "I thought I was coming to a conference for the elderly.  It looks more like a beauty contest to me," he joked, adding his wishes for health and long years.

At lunchtime, each community gathered, celebrating in its own way, often reflective of the make up of the local community –- some danced to eastern music, others led their own aerobics. Druze, Yemenite, Ethiopian – many came in traditional dress.

At 2:00 in the afternoon, invigorated but tired from the day’s activities, many of the tired sportswomen (mostly) and sportsmen gathered in the designated area so they could reboard their assigned busses. The others, stragglers, were collected, hesitant to leave.    And the hundreds of volunteers who helped with the day’s events – JDC staff, medical workers from health funds, youth and others, went their separate ways, confident that they, too, would return next year.