Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Changes In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income By Components


	Year ended December 31,
	2012			2011
Foreign currency translation differences	$	(5,189	)	$	(7,161	)
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments		14,771			(10,114	)
Pension and post–retirement benefit plans		(42,354	)		(37,398	)
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale marketable securities	$	(772	)	$	(1,553	)

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	$	(33,544	)	$	(56,226	)

Schedule Of Estimated Useful Life Of Assets

Depreciation is calculated by the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the assets at the following annual rates:


	%
Buildings and leasehold improvements (*)	2-20
Instruments, machinery and equipment	3-33
Office furniture and other	4-33
Motor vehicles	12-33	(Mainly 15%)

(*) Prepayments for operating leases and leasehold improvements are amortized generally over the term of the lease or the useful life of the assets, whichever is shorter.

Schedule Of Warranty Liability


		2012			2011
Balance, at January 1	$	176,831		$	164,778
Warranties issued during the year		81,952			75,434
Reduction due to warranties forfeited or claimed during the year		(69,070	)		(63,381	)
Balance, at December 31	$	189,713		$	176,831

Schedule Of Employee Stock Options On Estimated Weighted Average Assumptions


	2012		2011		2010
Dividend yield	2.45	%	2.23	%	2.20	%
Expected volatility	36.07	%	31.59	%	31.92	%
Risk-free interest rate	0.83	%	2.01	%	1.56	%
Expected life	4 years		4 years		4 years
Forfeiture rate	0.56	%	0.56	%	0.56	%
Suboptimal factor	1.75		1.75		1.75

Schedule Of Assets And Liabilities Measured At Fair Value On Recurring Basis

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:


		Fair value measurement at
		December 31, 2012 using
		Quoted Prices		Significant
		in Active		Other			Significant
		Markets for	Observable				Unobservable
		Identical Assets		Inputs			Inputs
		(Level 1)		(Level 2)			(Level 3)
Description of Assets
Available-for-sale marketable debt securities:
Government bonds	$	12,620	$	-		$	-
Corporate bonds		-		37,491			-
Foreign currency derivatives and option contracts		-		24,738			-
Cross currency interest rate swap		-		22,415			-
Liabilities
Foreign currency derivative and option contracts		-		(4,992	)		-
Total	$	12,620	$	79,652		$	-


		Fair value measurement at
		December 31, 2011 using
		Quoted Prices		Significant
		in Active		Other		Significant
		Markets for	Observable			Unobservable
		Identical Assets		Inputs		Inputs
		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)
Description of Assets
Available-for-sale marketable debt securities:
Government bonds	$	-	$	-		$	-
Foreign currency derivatives and option contracts		-		14,755			-
Cross Currency interest rate swap		-		8,877			-
Liabilities
Foreign currency derivative and option contracts		-		(25,954	)		-
Total	$	-	$	(2,322	)	$	-