- Israel

Avi, Together with the JDC Are Improving the Lives of the Disabled in Israel

There is no person more attuned to the concerns, rights and potential of people with disabilities than Avi, a leading Israeli advocate on the issue. Avi is a trauma and human behavior specialist working at Mateh Maavak HaNechim, Israel's major national advocacy organization for people with disabilities.

During his recent and first trip to the United States, Avi emphasized the importance of the mission of his organization to Israel as a whole. "I believe that it is not only my moral imperative, but that of Israel, to recognize the gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. Every Israeli has a profound contribution to make to our country."

Beyond Israel, on a global level, attention to the challenges and opportunities that people with disabilities face is being brought to the forefront. December 3rd has been appointed the International Day of Disabled Persons by the United Nations.

As with most people who are successful and driven by what they do, Avi has a personal connection to his professional work. Soft-spoken, articulate and intelligent, Avi openly shares the fact that he, too suffers from a mental disability. In 1993, while serving in combat in Gaza as part of the elite army unit, the Givati Infantry Brigade, he suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder and was hospitalized. Despite this setback, Avi was determined to complete his military service and is grateful to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for not only supporting him in his return to health but for redeploying him back into the army as an instructor and trainer for new arrivals into the Givati brigade. He went on to obtain a degree in psychology so that he could help others suffering from disabilities.

Still, Avi is one of the luckier ones. Israelis who suffer disabilities in the army or at the work place receive relatively decent government support. On the other hand, the majority of Israelis with disabilities, those born with disabilities or acquire them during their lifetime, receive little government assistance and are often impoverished and unemployed. It is these estimated 180,000 Israelis who Avi advocates on behalf of in his job at Mateh Maavak HaNechim which has 6,000 registered members.

The vast needs of people with disabilities were made abundantly clear during the recent Lebanon II crisis. During the conflict civilians found themselves vulnerable to the Katyushasin other words, thousands of Israelis were living on the frontlines. Once an alarm sounded, those in the war zone literally had one minute to seek refuge in a bomb shelter. Israelis who were wheelchair bound or blind faced insurmountable challenges in retiring to a secure place. This is where Avi, with the support of JDC-Israel stepped in. Together, they created a special emergency program called Magen, shield or reflexive response for disabilities, in order to manage evacuations of disabled Israelis in the North. For the first time a helpline was also set up and run by trained people with disabilities who were able to directly empathize with callers' plights. Avi even created a cadre of disabled Israelis in central Israeli who drove up North to deliver food. Avi appreciates his partnership with JDC. "It was JDC's commitment to help us, to help Israel, for the first time, to create a massive program to relocate the most vulnerable Israelis, those with disabilities, to safe havens in Jerusalem."

While the war may have subsided, Avi's work has not. With JDC, he plans to address the address large unemployment rate of 77% for people with disabilities. JDC has initiated programs to empower those with disabilities by forming independent life centers, accessible and supportive communities and is helping them gain fruitful employment. As Avi laments, "only a person who is working and contributing to society is truly integrated. One can't feel truly a member of a society when you are waiting for your monthly check from the government."

It is this struggle for inclusion that continues to motivate Avi. He feels like he has come full circle. "When I was hurt, the army was my support. They got me back into the army. They were helpful in my recovery. Now I am helping other people, the stress level, especially of people with disabilities is unbelievable sometimes." Avi envisions a more sensitive society. A law was recently passed that within twelve years all Israeli restaurants and hotels have to be handicap accessible. Avi hopes that in the future there will be full integration and that people can receive all kinds of treatment and not have to hide. "We don't look for charity but for true equal rights as productive members of Israeli society," Avi emphasized.

January 2007