Roles Involved in Enduring Power of Attorney

This article addresses the roles involved in the enduring power of attorney procedures in Israel. If you seek to draw up this type of power of attorney, it is advisable to be familiar with these frequently used terms.

Main Titles and Roles Involved in Enduring Power of Attorney Procedures

The Appointer (HaMemane or HaMemana in Hebrew). The appointer is the individual who initiates the enduring (or continuing) power of attorney for their own benefit, while mentally capable of making decisions pertaining to their future health and financial preferences.
The Appointee (referred to as Meyupeh Coakh, or Memune/Memuna in Hebrew). This is the person who, in the event the appointer is deemed mentally incapable of making sound decisions in the future, will manage issues related to the appointer’s personal, legal and health issues. The appointer can choose multiple appointees to either manage different issues (one can manage health, another personal, another legal) or they can jointly share responsibility for all issues.
The Lawyer (Orech/Orechet Din in Hebrew) draws up the enduring power of attorney according to the wishes of the appointer for the appointee, which helps avoid potential future conflicts and disagreements as well as a court-appointed legal guardian (called apotropus in Hebrew) in the future. (See our article on the reasons why you should have this type of power of attorney). It is essential to work with qualified lawyers; only lawyers who have obtained certain qualifications are permitted to draft this document.
Informed Individuals (Adam Meyuda in Hebrew). The appointer can specify that the appointee’s future decisions should be known to the informed individuals, and the appointer can indicate which decisions specific individuals should be informed about (certain people for health decisions, others for financial decisions, etc.).

Other Important Issues to Know About

The General Apotropus’s Office (also known as the Administrator General and the Official Receiver’s Office) keeps a database with a copy of an enduring power of attorney, which is only accessible once a person becomes mentally unfit to make their own decisions. Once your lawyer draws up this document, they will send a copy to this office.

Having an enduring power of attorney helps you avoid undesired and unnecessary conflict in the future. That said, in the event that the appointee begins making decisions that the informed individuals believe violate the terms of the power of attorney, they are within their rights to bring the issue to court. A clear, detailed power of attorney will help you avoid long, drawn out cases in the future.

This Series of Articles

This article is one in a longer series on inheritance law and legal guardianship. For more information on legal guardianship, see our articles on how you can apply for an enduring/continuing power of attorney, types of legal guardianship in Israel, documents needed, living wills, and more.

Contact Us

Our law firm specializes in Israeli inheritance law, and we have successfully helped numerous clients with all their inheritance and legal guardianship needs. Advocate Anat Levi would be happy to address any questions or concerns on roles involved in enduring power of attorney procedures.