YOUNG ISRAEL PROVIDES DAY CAMP PROGRAMING FOR ISRAELI DEAF AND HEARING IMPAIRED CHILDREN August 11, 2008/Jerusalem, Israel - CYIR: Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel’s Judaic Heritage Program for Israel’s Deaf and Hearing Impaired (JHPIDHI) announced that they have been running special programs this summer in various locations throughout Israel for Israeli youth who are hearing impaired or completely deaf. JHPIDHI provides educational and social programming for more than 16,000 hearing-impaired Israeli children and adults each year. JHPIDHI is running programs in day camps located in Netanya, Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, and Holon. Each group, comprised of 50 campers, has 5-6 deaf leaders who teach sign language in a joyful, interactive way. Once divided into groups, each is assigned a color, and the group is taught words that relate to their color. Campers also perform skits that pertain to their color with a Judaic theme, such as gold for Jerusalem and blue for Noah’s Ark. “These unique programs allow deaf and hearing impaired children to attend local day camps with their friends while feeling part of the group and learning about our heritage,” said Rabbi Chanoch Yeres, the Director of JHPIDHI. “As a result of the programs, other campers learn a greater sensitivity towards their non-hard of hearing co-campers.” “This innovative summer program is another example of how JHPIDHI is taking steps to make life easier for young Israelis who are hearing impaired,” said Rabbi Aaron S. Tirschwell, the Chief Program and Development Officer for CYIR. “By providing a multitude of programs and services, JHPIDHI is helping these youngsters overcome their disability and integrate themselves into Israel’s mainstream society.” Rabbi Yeres noted that the need to educate Israel’s deaf community in Judaism and Zionism is overwhelming. There are approximately 18,000 deaf people in Israel in addition to the 200,000 who are hearing impaired. A major communication gap often prevents the deaf in Israel from participating in Zionist, Judaic culture and ritual activities. In addition, there has been a gradual recession regarding services offered by the “establishment” institutions to help the deaf. For these reasons, CYIR committed itself to raise awareness of Jewish identity among the deaf community by establishing the Judaic Heritage Program for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. JHPIDHI fosters participants' Jewish identity through intellectually stimulating courses, transmitted via sign language, which increases their knowledge of Jewish heritage and Zionism. The program also trains Rabbis, educators, and communal leaders to communicate via sign language and to bridge the communication gap regarding Jewish heritage issues. "From modest beginnings, JHPIDHI has really blossomed," Rabbi Yeres continued. "Our numerous projects now include: producing educational materials, publishing pamphlets, superimposing sign language windows on Jewish content films, expanded sign classes (recognized by the Ministry of Education), advanced sign seminars for creating new recognized signs for Jewish ideas and concepts, expanded Judaic studies programs, life cycle counseling and deaf leadership training courses. " Rabbi Tirschwell noted that JHPIDHI is presently working on another innovative program that will enable Israel’s hearing impaired and deaf population to connect with one another from the comfort of their own home. The launch of www.yideaf.org, a new web portal designed exclusively for Israel’s deaf community, will enable people to interact with each other and to find information about services for the deaf and hearing impaired throughout the country. Tirschwell said that this new web-based initiative, which will be the only Internet portal in Israel designed to provide Judaic content and a social community specifically for the deaf and hearing impaired, is expected to be launched this fall. Tirschwell also praised Rabbi Yeres for his tireless dedication to Israel’s deaf community and his ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the challenges that hearing impaired and deaf individuals face. According to Tirschwell, Rabbi Yeres will be recognized for his leadership at JHPIDHI as one of the honorees at the gala 18th Anniversary Celebration of CYIR: Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel on Jerusalem on September 5, 2008. For more information about CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel’s Deaf and Hearing Impaired, please contact info@youngisraelrabbis.org.il Donations to Council of Young Israel Rabbis in Israel are considered tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law in the United States and Israel. USA (501 (c)3) Tax ID #03-0381957 (Young Israel Programs - CYIR). Israel (Article 46) Tax ID #580162691. Click here to make a donation.

CYIR's Judaic Heritage Program for Israel's Deaf and Hearing Impaired appreciates the generous support it receives from individual donors and JAFI: Jewish Agency for Israel

Rabbi Simcha Krauss - Chairman of the Executive
Rabbi Jeffrey Bienenfeld, Rabbi Chaim Wasserman - Presidium
Rabbi Meyer Fendel, Rabbi Nachman Kahana - Vice Presidents
Rabbi Yosef Wolicki - Secretary
Rabbi Yisrael Fass - Treasurer

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