האתר המקיף לחיים עם מוגבלות

A few weeks ago I made an unusual effort and went to a conference that was held outside Jerusalem  J. This conference was dealing with the approach of the Zionist Movement towards the ideal Jewish character.

The ideal type has been the "Tzabar", someone who is tanned, muscular, tall, fit and skinny. This romantic approach cut off groups in society such as people with disabilities. For example, during the early fifties, the Israeli State had refused to allow Jewish people with disabilities to make Aliyah from Morroco and perhaps, also other displaced people from post WWII Europe. Another issue that the conference was dealing with was the polio epidemic that Israeli society had to indure in the early fifties. The speakers at the conference talked about the approach of Israeli society towards children who have been stricken with polio. It was claimed there that Israeli society was in fact not ready to accept this population and this attitude turned to be a kind of ostracism.

What aroused the need for holding such a conference was an article published a few months ago in Haaretz, that dealt with Golda Meir's written request to prohibit handicapped Jewish people from Poland to make Aliyah. She concealed the fact that she herself had a grand-daughter with Downe-Syndrome and requested news publishers to refrain from making this fact public knowledge.

Although it's easier to feel angry towards her behavior, when one reads these facts, but, at the same time, we must understand the whole situation in Israel in the midst of the last century. Prime Minister Golda Meir actually devoted her whole life to our state and it's equally important to remember that for her there was'nt any differentiation between the Israeli state and her party. Therefore, whatever was good for the party, was also good for the state. When she didn't do what her party requested her to do, she was considered to be harming the whole state.

Three years after being elected for the Prime Minister office, in 1972, Golda Meir actually wished to resign but her party wouldn't let her quit her job. By that time, she was already an old and sick woman and was fighting cancer on a weekly basis, and the only thing she wanted was to return home and take care of herself. But unfortunate for her, she didn't do so. If she would have left her post in the early seventies, she would have probably gained an honorary place in Israeli history. In brackets, I'd like to add the fact according to the literature that I've been reading about the Yom Kippur war, Golda Meir in fact did her job much better as opposed to her colleagues during the Yom Kippur war.

After the exposure of the article about Golda Meir,  that I've mentioned previously, there began a huge discussion about the Zionist approach towards people with disabilities.

Nili Breuer, one of the people who were upset about this article, decided not to let this subject evaporate.She works at Alin-Beit-Noam and has developed there a department of disability studies, information and practical activity. Among other activities, she also held a conference on issues relating to disability studies. The concept that people with disabilities are a weakened group has become a guiding principle for disability studies.

Therefore, she and Dr. Sagit Mor, from the Haifa University decided to hold a conference where they would deal with the Zionist approach to people with disabilities.I feel it's important to stress that after all, Israel is a good place for people with disabilities.

Let me explain myself more clearly:

Last year, an acquaintance of mine who is blind, had participated in a conference organized by musicians. She was invited to take part in an assembly of musicians from around the world. This meeting took place in a Scandinavian. She was very impressed by the way she was treated. The organizers have managed to fulfill all her accessibility needs, but they made her feel that while fulfilling all the relevant legal obligations for her sake, as a disabled person, they did not do so, as a favor. In addition, no one there wondered what a blind person is doing there, in spite of her blindness. This attitude is absolutely different from what I recognize in Israeli reality. If I would have been convinced that Europe is a heavan for people with disablities, I would have been ready to run into the sea and swim all the way there, but, even though the Israeli people allow themselves ask you questions that are too personal, before actually knowing you, and also feel too free to catch you and pull you along, you can still speak with them in a direct manner and feel that the situation is more real.

As a blind person, I think that in Israeli reality, it's easier for me in comparison to other physically disabled persons to reject undesired proposals for help. I have a very close friend who has physical difficulties. She told me that sometimes she is forced to accept help from Israeli people without actually being asked. For instance, fortunately enough I can tell people quite immediately that they should give me their elbow to guide me through and not pull me.

In spite of all said, my friends, what's your opinion? If they don't tell you in Europe how to live your life as a blind person, and if no one there tells you: "be healthy",  does it actually mean that they don't notice that you are blind?