It Makes Me Laugh: “What Makes Elderly Arab Women of the Acre Elderly Club Laugh?”

Abstract

This paper examines the importance of humor in the life of the elderly Arabic women. The Arab sector in Israel in general and in the city of Acre in particular has experienced many changes since the establishment of the State of Israel. Modern living has entered the Arab society and affected the structure of the extended and the nuclear Arab family. The increase in education level had led to integration in work both by Arab men and by women. In comparison to Western society, which emphasizes self-fulfillment, personal development and happiness, the Arab society, on the other hand, emphasizes the collective and harmony of the individual in relation to one’s cultural and historical origin and surrounding. Welfare authorities in Israel provide varied services for the elderly; one of the most common services is the elderly day care centers, which have evolved greatly in the last decade. These centers provide social and therapeutic frame, meeting the elderly wide range of needs in order to preserve the social and economic independence of the elderly generation. These kinds of centers have evolved significantly also in the Arab sector, creating social supportive frame for the Arab seniors mentally and socially. These senior centers that rather been called “second home” have become big community centers both for elder and young people foe joint activity such as: workshops, teaching and touring. For the young generation, it is a platform for aiding the community and volunteering, in fact, it has become the most popular place for volunteering, and thus, makes the center more fascinating and intriguing. This research examines what makes elders laugh and the manner it is expressed in their life, through the qualitative method of researching, by semi-structures interviews at the Senior Center in Acre, in order to examine the phenomenon in depth.