* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
A few days ago, I went to the Kotel. When I came closer to the stones to pray, I noticed a woman literally throw herself on the Kotel and then being helped by another woman to stand up and walk back. Several other women nearby were doing the same.
One of the group leaders, Amian Kelemer, explained: “This is the first mission of deaf blind people to Israel. All the members of this group neither see nor hear, but they feel. They feel very strongly, perhaps stronger than any of us.”
It was amazing to watch them. While Rav Yehoshua Soudakoff, the Chabad shaliach to the global deaf community, assembled them before continuing to their next stop, Amian continued to explain to me: “We’ve been to the Machane Yehuda Market, and from here we are heading to the Nova Memorial. You might wonder, what is the point of taking them to these places that they can’t see or hear? But this trip has taught me how much a person’s physical presence matters. There is great significance in them being here. This trip made them feel that they aren’t on the sidelines— that they have an important place among the Jewish people and are part of something bigger than themselves.
Not only has this been an experience for them but their presence has affected everyone we’ve met in Israel. Suddenly I realized that they have a mission here. Waiters, passersby, hotel staff, everyone stopped and asked about us. Our driver told us that in his entire life he has never had an experience like this before".
Erin Ross, one of the participants, posted these words on Facebook at the conclusion of their trip: “There were two facts about my life that have felt daunting. The first was that I’m deaf but I’m also starting to lose my sight. The second was that I’m Jewish. I’ve always tried to hide those two facts, to deny and ignore them. Not anymore. Now that I’ve visited Israel for the first time with a group of deaf blind people, I’m going to be proud.”
I am grateful for this unexpected encounter that teaches us that there is so much more that lies beyond what we can physically see or hear.
