Posted on 11/24/25
Jerusalem, Israel - Nov. 24, 2025 — At the Kotel a few days ago, as I approached the stones to pray, I noticed a woman literally leaning her entire body against the wall, then relying on another woman to help her step back. Around her, I saw several others doing the same.
One of the 12 Support Service Providers, (SSP) Amian Kelemer, explained: “This is the first-ever delegation of Deaf and DeafBlind individuals to visit Israel. Everyone in this group cannot see and cannot hear, but they feel. And they feel powerfully, perhaps even more than we do.”
It was extraordinary to watch them. Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff, Chabad’s emissary to the deaf community, gathered them together to continue to the next stop, while Amian said, “We were at the Machane Yehuda market earlier, and from here we’re going to the site of the Nova massacre. At first glance, what’s the point of bringing them to these places if they cannot see or hear? But this journey has taught me how vital physical presence can be. It matters that they are here. This trip has made them feel that they are not on the margins, that they have a place within the Jewish people, and that they are part of something much larger than themselves.
“And it isn’t only their experience. Everyone who encountered us in Israel was deeply moved. Suddenly I realized they have a mission. Waiters, people in the street, hotel staff — everyone stopped and asked questions. Even the bus driver told us he had never experienced anything like this in his life.”
Erin Ross, one of the participants, posted the following at the end of the trip: “There have been two facts about my life that I was always embarrassed about. The first is that I am Deaf and also gradually losing my sight. The second is that I am Jewish. I always tried to hide, deny, or ignore both. Not anymore. I visited Israel for the first time as part of a DeafBlind delegation, and from now on I am proud of who I am.”
Thank you for this chance encounter, which reminds us that there are realities beyond the senses, beyond what we can see and hear.
The organizer on the ground in Israel was Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff (chushim.org).
The visionary coordinators for this very memorable experience were Yael Zelinger from Jewish Connection Network, (thejewishnetwork.org), an agency of the Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, and Dr. Sheryl Cooper. Other local Support Service Providers (SSPs) included: Shiffy Steinberg, Esther Resnick and Yosef Gavert.