Equal Rights Are Achieved by the Jewish Blind By GERALD M. KASS tries the world over, includ- Associate Director, Jewish ing Israel. These services in- Braille Institute of America clude a monthly magazine in (A Seven Arts Feature) Braille, Jewish Braille Re- At a convention of 1,500 view, edited by Dr. Freid, a blind in New York City, Dr. Braille library of 50,000 vol- Jacob Freid, executive direc- umes circulated free - of - tor of the Jewish Braille In- charge; and an assortment of stitute of America said: "The material given to the blind, blind will no longer remain such as Bibles, prayerbooks, as wards of society but will Passover Hagadot and a determine their own destiny comprehensive selection of exercising their abilities and educational materials. The talents as full-fledged mem- Institute sponsors an inter- bers of their communities." national literary competition So expressing a growing contest, helping to promote belief that the blind by right the talents of blind writers. sh -11 assume positions in ac- Past judges of this competi- s nce with their capabil- tion included Pearl Buck, ities, Dr. Freid summarized Mark Van Doren and Elea- the mission of the Jewish nor Roosevelt. For the JBI, equality for Braille Institute of America, whose efforts he has directed the blind does not mean for nearly a quarter of a cen- equality to receive services. Equality is not achieved tury. The origin of the Jewish when the Jewish blind only Braille Institute can be traced reap the advantages of a to 1931 when Leopold Dubov, 4,000 year tradition. No man a blind insurance agent and is truly free until he is part musician, assisted by Rabbi of the creativity and labor Michael Aaronsohn, who had bringing about that which he been blinded in World War I, treasures. The Jewish blind appealed to the organized have now become leaders Jewish community to support within the Jewish communi- an institute that would en- ty, making postive contri- able blind Jews to partici- butions to a vibrant heritage pate on an equal basis with of which they are now crea- sighted Jews in their histori- tors as well as inheritors. Steve Cassell was brought cal, religious and cultural birthright. Prior to that time to the JBI as an 8-year-old such equality was unconsci- blind child who would be the ously denied. There were no first male in his family's his- masterworks of Jewish lit- tory not to participate in the erture in Braille, the blind milestone of Bar Mitzva. His Jew had no prayerbook with parents' sadness was lifted which to attend synagogtie to hope and then joy when and no blind Jewish young- they were told: "Your son ster had ever been able to will learn Hebrew Braille and master the traditional He- become a Bar Mitzva just as brew language, since Hebrew his father and grandfather have done." Braille was non-existent. To date, over 200 blind The Jewish Braille Insti- tute, with headquarters in boys and girls have become New York, makes its serv- Bar or Bat Mitzva and over ices available throughout the 1,200 have attended their United States and 43 coun- synagogue religious schools. A dream began on the day of Steven's Bar Mitzva—a dream of being a cantor. The Holiness of dream has been achieved. Matrimony Steven is now 30 years old A Roman matron asked and his voice inspires those Rabbi Jose, son of Chalafta: who he leads in prayer—he "In how many days did the has become the first cantor Holy One, blessed be He, in Jewish history who was blind from birth. create the world?" Other blind students, male "In six days," he replied. "And what has He been and female, now attend can- torial institutes and Jewish doing ever since?" teachers' colleges. It is an- "Making marriages." The woman asked, "Is that ticipated that the first rab- all He does? I could do as binical student, blind from much myself. I have male birth, will soon begin his and female slaves, and in seminary training. These one little hour I can marry young people shall emerge as leaders of the Jewish com- off all of them." munity as did Neil Freeling, "Though it may appear the first blind man to serve easy in your eyes," said the as president of a congrega- Rabbi, "yet every marriage tion. means as much to the Holy Lea Levavi has been des- One, blessed be He, as the cribed as the most prolific dividing of the Red Sea." newspaper writer in Israel. What did the woman do Born in Brooklyn, she grew when Rabbi Jose was gone? up with the JBI's philosophy She took a thousand male strong in her mind and the slaves and a thousand female JBI's services constantly slaves, placed them in two available to her. In a per- ranks, and said: "Let this sonal search to find profes- one take that one, let this sional and spiritual fulfill- one take that one"—and in a ment, she migrated to Is- single night she married all rael two years ago. She now of them off. writes a weekly column for The next morning the wom- the Jerusalem Post and is a en came to the house of their respected journalist with ex- mistress. One had a cracked pertise on Arab-Israel af- head, another a bruised eye, fairs. She covers as many as a third a broken limb. four interviews a day and "What ails you all?" the through her writing educats mistress asked. And they re- her readers on a variety of plied, each one, "I will not topics crucial to life in Is- live with this one . . . I will rael. not live with that one. . . ." Another JBI alumna in Is- Then the woman sent for rael is Ellen Rubin, a re- Jose and said to him: "There is no God like your God, and He who buys and sells in your Torah is beautiful and truth and fidelity are regard- praiseworthy, for you were ed as if he had fulfilled the in the right." whole Law. —Bereshit Rabba —Mekilta Wayassa habilitation counselor for the blind who has published in the field. She is currently working at the George Sim- mons Center in Beersheba teaching skills to the blind of the Negev. The new generation of Jew- ish blind, imbued with the JBI philosophy, is emerging. They create and inspire with- in the Jewish community and the larger community as well. They are college edu- cated, professionally e m - ployed, heads of households and civic leaders. Included in their ranks are teachers, doctors, lawyers, manage- ment consultants, business- men — they enrich all fields in which talented people are welcome. "The JBI is not merely an agency for the blind" ex- plained Dr. Freid. "We are of the blind. Leading board members of our institute are blind. Our goals are deter- mined by the needs that blind people tell us they have not by what we assume they should be. The ethics of the fathers command us saying `separate thyself not from the community.' The Jewish blind are fulfilling this command- ment in the joy of creative- participating. They are achieving the equality that blind people in general have been seeking for thousands of years." Blessed Scholar Eats THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, Sept. 28, 1973-63 the Fruits of His Hands I call heaven and earth to to witness that every scholar who eats of his own, and who New Year Greetings enjoys the fruits of his own labor, who is not supported Bagel Restaurant i by the community, belongs to & Caterers the class who are called happy; as it is written, "If 13928 Woodward thou eat the fruit of thy Highland Park 867-0003 hands, happy art thou" (Ps. ii ■411■1 ■ 128:2). — Tana d'be Eliyahu L.0 .1•11.04 I Best Wishes for a I Happy New Year I DAVIS IRON WORKS, Inc. L Best Wishes For The New Year Herman Jaffe Photography Southfield at 13 Mile Rd. 646-8484 0.111•••0 Best it fishes For A Happy New Year Happy New Year SAMUEL BRODY & SONS BELLE TIRE Detroit 48235 341-6001 r Greetings Crown Cloak Co., Inc. 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