an's
est Friend

Foster families
with young pups
they help raise
as guide dogs.

Norman Leventhal
with Labrador pups,
Jack and Jill.

G

The Israel Guide

Dog Center for

the Blind helps

vision-impaired

people live

normal lives.

EDITH SCHAPIRO
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

aide dogs for the blind are
a familiar sight in Ameri-
ca and about 20 other na-
tions, but they are a rarity
in Israel.
That's bound to change.
Near Tel Aviv, the Israel
Guide Dog Center for the Blind
is quite literally in its "puppy-
hood." The project, initiated in
1991, began on a small scale —
inside a rented home with two
yellow Labrador retrievers from
the Guide Dogs for the Blind As-
sociation in England.
Since then, it has expanded to
include kennels and facilities for
students learning how to use the
dogs. About a third of the people
with dogs became blind from in-
juries while on active duty with
the Israel Defense Forces.
A handful of donations have
launched the center on its breed-
ing program: a donation of guide-
dog puppies from Seeing Eye Inc.
in Morristown, N.J., the oldest
and best known guide-dog school
in the United states, another
from Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Inc. of Yorktown Heights, as well
as a few other organizations.

About 20 dogs are now being
raised and trained, but the de-
mand outstretches the supply.
For Israel's more than 8,000 blind
people, using a long cane and/or
relying heavily on some other
person for guidance and trans-
portation are the alternatives.
Some 110 persons have guide
dogs. With Labs as the primary
breed, the small center aims to
breed dogs "of sound tempera-
ment, high initiative, a gentle dis-
position and willingness to
please."
Relying on others, explained
one man in a letter of apprecia-
tion for his guide dog, creates "the
unpleasant feeling of total de-
pendence and lack of privacy ...
From my experience, I can say
that traveling with a dog is the
best method."
Noach Braun worked with
dogs during his tenure in Israel's
army, and soon after his initial
military service began his quest
for support of an Israeli guide dog
center. It was a frustrating effort,
which was finally given a boost
by his volunteer service at the
Jewish Guild for the Blind in

New York and by Norman
Leventhal of Warrington,
Pa., who offered to help Mr.
Braun achieve his dream.
The center was approved
as a nonprofit organization
by Israel's Ministry of In-
terior in 1990. Shortly
thereafter, it started train-
ing dogs and recipients. The
first five graduates were
honored at a special cere-
mony in which one gradu-
ate enthused: "It's wonderful! I pand, spurred on, in part, by a
can walk alone for the first time challenge grant of $100,000 from
the Harry and Jeanette Wein-
in 26 years."
Two Israelis are now enrolled berg Foundation of Baltimore,
in an intensive, three-year ap- Md., which must be matched by
prentice course for guide-dog mo- July 1 with an additional
bility instructors at the Guide $200,000.
"I wish you could see the joys
Dogs for the Blind Association in
England. Aftercare to evaluate these guide dogs bring," Mr. Lev-
the effectiveness of each unit is enthal said.
The gift of a guide dog, he ex-
provided for about 70 blind per-
sons with guide dogs by Mr. plained, is not just the gift of
Braun as part of the service of the sight, it is the gift of indepen-
Center. The training, the guide dence, confidence, mobility and
dog and aftercare are funded love.
This article was reprinted from
through private contributions
and provided at no charge to New York's Sullivan-Ulster Jew-
ish Star, edited and co published
blind Israelis.
The Center is continuing to ex- by Edith Schapiro. ❑

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