Baltimore, MD - July 21, 2017 - Conversation in line at the Cafeteria of Deafblind Camp of Maryland using tactile sign language*:

Sharon (interpreter): Look, Martin, there’s pork!

Martin: Don’t tell the rabbi! Actually, I would really rather be in NY having a Kosher deli sandwich.”

Steve: This camp is great but this is a little different for us…

Fast forward 10 years, Sharon from Las Vegas, Martin from NY and Steve from DC just attended the 5th Deafblind Shabbaton where Deafblind Jews and interpreters gathered, thanks to that initial conversation in the camp cafeteria.

“The professional level of the Shabbaton was mind-blowing,” exclaimed Sharon. 18 deafblind adults gathered from Arizona, New York, Seattle, Texas, Israel, Cleveland, Maryland, DC, New Jersey… to experience Judaism together with people who share their experiences and their faith. Sharon was delighted that “there were tons of people who could answer questions clearly and comprehensively and I just made matches! If someone had a question, I introduced them to someone who could answer them, like Connie Friedman or her husband Rabbi Fred.”

One participant described while stretching her hands out wide “I don’t have hands…” then she brought her hands directly in front of her body, “until they come over here. I have 20:20 vision, in this space. I have excellent speech because I had a lot of speech therapy as a child. But with the loss of my vision I am learning ASL to support the spoken word.”

“I am blind since birth and I started losing my hearing when I turned 8. I speak well but now I am learning sign language so I can communicate tactilely,” related another participant.

Explained a woman who flew in for this event, “I have Ushers Type 3 syndrome, a very rare disease. It is acquired vision and hearing loss. Progressive vision and hearing loss for Ushers Type 3 begins in young adulthood.”

The deafblind attendees led the workshops all weekend, from cookie making by a professional pastry chef, to a Parsha workshop by a freelance writer & content creator, a community building discussion led by a retired pharmacist and a prayer workshop led by a government IT employee. “They are so dependent, yet they are so independent,” remarked Larry Ziffer who facilitated the services over the weekend. “There’s a whole world of culture and communication,” he noted. Sharon added, “If I didn’t know how to sign, I wouldn’t know these people!” They have so much to offer, if you take the time to communicate with them.

This. is. a. very. slow. process.

It means talking one on one and not multi-tasking. It means sitting right across from someone and speaking slowly and clearly so that she can make out your words. It means talking through an interpreter who translates everything you say and do into ASL. It means signing into someone’s hands so he can feel your gestures. It takes patience. But it is worth it!

The top interpreters from around the country flew, drove and trained into Baltimore to volunteer their services at the biennial Deafblind Shabbaton. “I want to come back in 2 years,” insisted one non- Jewish Certified Deaf Interpreter while waiting for her consumer to come out of the bathroom. “It feels holy here. I am very impressed with the Jewish people!”

*Tactile Sign Language is used by people who cannot see enough to read visual sign language. The receiver’s hands are placed lightly upon the back of the hands of the signer to read the signs through touch and movement. 

The Deafblind Shabbaton is facilitated by the Louis D and Morton J Macks Center for Jewish Education. Some of the funding comes from the Charles Crane Family Foundation, Vital Signs LLC, Sara Leah Kovacs and Towson University. The rest is up to us.