NEWSLETTER

OUR PUPPY BOOM! Our new Puppy Development Center is magnificent – and exceeding our expectations.

Our breeding department has made good use of the new but we are right on track to help many more people in the facilities—and the proof is in the numbers. During 2018 we years ahead. had a record breaking 127 puppies born! These cute balls of Visitors to the new kennels are amazed by the design and fur will grow to become amazing guide dogs, PTSD-trained cleanliness of our facilities, and impressed by the quality of service dogs, or emotional support dogs for children with our dogs. It is obvious the dogs are well cared for and happy autism or other people with special needs. and healthy while waiting their turn to be trained and

Keep in mind that it takes nearly two years from the time placed in loving homes with their new best friends. a puppy is born until it is placed with one of our clients, Come for a visit and see for yourself!

TOP: 16 Puppies recently placed with their foster families, who are mostly University students, on campuses throughout Israel.

Summer 2019 • 1 NEWSLETTER

CELEBRATING OUR OUR BADGES OF HONOR CO-FOUNDER’S GuideStar and Charity Navigator are independent rating agencies that report on nonprofit organizations around the country. They are an excellent 90 YEARS OF resource if you want to research where to make charitable contributions to DOING GOOD ensure your money is being spent wisely. We are proud to report we have the highest ratings possible on both platforms. Nonprofits provide their 990 Noach Braun was a 26-year-old Tax Returns and other information, then GuideStar and Charity Navigator former IDF paratrooper with a dream review, rate and report their findings. These agencies look for transparency and efficiency. to start a guide dog school in Israel. One door after another was slammed in his face, Among the various metrics that are reported, you will be able to see the until a twist of fate and a meeting with Norman top salaries, and what percentage of your gift goes toward Fundraising Leventhal on the first night of Chanukah in 1986. and Administrative overhead. After hearing the story, Norman decided to help, and Please check out the charities you support, and reward the ones that the two men co-founded the Israel Guide Dog Center make the best use of your hard-earned contributions. Reputable charities around the kitchen table. Norman worked tirelessly will include their Tax ID number on most correspondence – which makes over the years – raising tens of millions of dollars – them much easier to find – but you can also search for them by name. but never taking a salary. Noach has often said that Our Tax ID #23-2519029 in life you need partners – just as we “partner” guide While we are very proud of our ratings, we are more proud of the many dogs with people who need them – and he was people we help and the lives we change – because of you! blessed to find Norman. Norman celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by family and about 280 of his closest friends. Noach planned a trip with one of our clients around the same time – so they were able to attend and say a few kind words to mark the occasion.

Norman is still very active, remains our Chairman and President, and still hand-signs almost all of the thank you letters to our generous donors. Happy Birthday Norman! May you live to be 120!

The Israel Guide Dog Center has been approved as an Amazon Smile charity!

If you shop at “smile.amazon.com”, a small percentage of your purchase will be donated to us! THIS COSTS YOU NOTHING! You just need to designate Israel Guide Dog Center as your charity of choice, and then remember to log into smile.amazon.com before you make your purchase.

If you would like more information, please call us at 215-343-9100 or

write [email protected] Noach, Norm, Glen and Eli Yablonek

2 • Summer 2019 GUIDE DOGS USE THEIR KEEN HEARING! (Taken from a newsletter produced for our clients who are visually impaired)

Have you ever walked down Rescue dogs use their sensitive hearing to locate the breathing of people trapped under rubble that human a city sidewalk and not rescuers are unable to hear. Since their hearing is more understood why your guide dog sensitive than ours, many of our guide dogs and pets suddenly swerved aside? are sensitive to loud noises such as thunder, loud music, fireworks, and loud noises of household appliances. After a few seconds you suddenly feel a gust of wind as an electric bicycle passes The structure of dogs’ ears contributes to their keen sense of quickly and silently by. You could not hear hearing. The outer ear is shaped like a funnel and conducts it, but your dog did, and made sure you sounds inward. Dogs with erect ears such as German were safely out of the way! Or have you Shepherds have an advantage over our Labrador and Golden ever stood at the curb and given your dog a command to cross retrievers who have floppy ears. All dogs have a set of 18 the road, but your dog stood in place and did not step into the muscles that enable them to perk up their ears and move road because a hybrid car that you did not hear was coming them in the direction of sounds, but most humans have little around the corner? or no ability to move their ears at all! A dog’s ear canal is longer and deeper than ours and is therefore better able to Yes, our dogs hear better than we do! Their keen sense of absorb and transport sounds. The ear drum, middle ear, and hearing helps our guide dogs keep us safe as we navigate inner ear that are responsible for balance and transferring sidewalks and streets. A dog’s hearing is keener than ours in sounds to the brain are similar to ours. many ways: they can hear sounds from further away, they hear higher frequencies, and they are able to hear sounds that So keep in mind our guide dogs not only help us with their are too quiet for us to hear. vision, but with their hearing as well!

A PUPPY RAISER’S STORY: THE HEARTBREAK OF LETTING GO

This picture was taken A lot of people still ask me, “How can you to do it?” How do you exactly six months ago, and raise a dog, a child, a pure soul, knowing that you will have to it was the hardest day of my say goodbye? How do you take on a project like this with time life. I broke up with my child, ticking away until heartbreak? my shadow, my whole world. It’s hard, very hard, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve I broke up with her with lots been telling my friends (also puppy raisers) how we’ve been of tears, mostly sad ones, masochists. But I know when I see Buffy with her harness but also a few of excitement and her blind partner by her side, I’ll really understand why and pride, knowing my Buffy I did it. changed not only my life, My beloved and successful girl, my heart is burning, but there but she is about to start her Lishay Givol & Buffy is a tiny little glimmer of hope that you will return to me when destiny and change the life you retire. But right now, I am so proud of who you are and for another someone, becoming his eyes for the next 8 years! what you are like. I told you, and I’ll never stop saying, you are A few months later I learned that Buffy had already finished the the best girl in the world!! training and the grueling course and is waiting for a match with Love and miss you every second of the day, one lucky blind man who still doesn’t know that he’s going to win the biggest treasure ever. Mom

Summer 2019 • 3 NEWSLETTER

PROFILE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS Gal Hamrani and Dylan – VS. SERVICE ANIMALS PLAYING BY EAR! VS. THERAPY ANIMALS Gal Hamrani, 26, considered using a guide dog for many To understand what years. She began her an emotional support education in a kindergarten for children with blindness and animal is, you first visual impairments, but when have to understand she reached adulthood she what it is not. was reluctant to take on the responsibility of a guide dog. An emotional support animal is not a service animal, meaning “When I was 18 I applied for a that it is not trained to do a guide dog, but I changed my specific task or job. Because of this, it does not have the mind. I was afraid that I was same legal protections that a service animal does, such as not mature enough to cope being allowed in all pet-free environments. with the serious responsibility Gal and Dylan An emotional support animal is also not a therapy animal, of caring for a dog.” But as which is an animal who is specifically trained to provide time went by Gal began to meet other young people who used psychological support to people in need. Generally, therapy guide dogs who had similar hobbies and needs. She began to animals go into hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, and realize the advantages of a guide dog and the idea appealed to her other places of care. They are also used to help people in the more and more. aftermath of a traumatic event. In 2018 Gal was partnered with Dylan, a yellow male Labrador. Instead of performing a specific, trained task, an emotional She now feels totally confident in her ability to care for Dylan and support animal provides their human with a strong and realizes that getting a guide dog was the right decision. comforting emotional connection. The dogs we provide to Gal is an active sportswoman who plays on the national Goal Ball children with autism fall into this category. The term for championship team. Goal ball is a unique sport designed especially these dogs in Hebrew is “Kelev Chaver,” or “Buddy Dog.” for men and women with blindness or visual impairments that is It is important to note that our “Buddy Dogs” are superior included in the Paralympics. The game is played on an indoor court to typical emotional support animals found in the USA, with a goal at each end, and the objective of the game is to roll the because they have been bred to be exceptionally docile ball into the opponent’s net. The ball is equipped with bells so that and received a full year of extensive obedience training as players can hear where it is located as it rolls along the floor, and puppies – same as our guide dogs. So they’re extremely players must maintain total silence throughout the game so that well-behaved, trained not to bark or snatch food from tables the ball can be heard. All players are blindfolded so that players – and even trained to relieve themselves on command. who are totally blind have no disadvantage over those who have They’re used to being close to their human partners – and some remaining vision. gentle with children and vulnerable adults.

When asked how one plays an active and competitive game when How do you know if a dog has actually been trained to be you cannot see, Gal explains: “If you are blind, you live your entire a service animal? A well-trained service dog (such as guide life by listening!” dogs) will not be distracted from the job they are specially Gal plans to study psychology and special education at Bar Ilan trained to do. They will also be incredibly well behaved, University or the College of Ramat Gan. We wish Gal and Dylan the not bark at strangers, and obey commands given by their best of luck as they walk together towards an active and successful handler/partner. future together!

4 • Summer 2019 My Mitzvah Project CONGRATULATIONS By Hila Kuperman TO OUR 2018 GRADUATES! While choosing my mitzvah Shlomo Lexmi & Goldem Okem & Pony project, I thought of what Mishmash Guy Simchi & Easton Geoff Shang & Milky I love: “DOGGOS!” Liat Mansfeld & Bardo Avital Nitzan & Nelson Shraga Mazor & Brandy I’ve had dogs my whole entire life. Dog people Yafa Ribkov & Linda Dorit Arazi & Jinny will understand there are two types of people Tami Rimon & Lester Aviv Bar & Billy in this world, dog people—and everyone else. Liron Artzi & Neti Elena Povolotsky & Rosy And if you can’t tell, I fall into the dog person Miriam Kopolovich & Moshe Kopman & Rocky category. Poly Moshe Weisz & Barley Nitsa Golan & Peggy I also love Israel, and I love helping people, Ran Nitka & Schubert Orelia Segev & Penny because who doesn’t? Last year I participated Hagit Sapir & Denver Ariel Mulyan & Pepper in the Best Buddies program at school and Flori Ben David & Buffy Avi Golan & Lupi loved spending time with kids who have Deborah Shaltiel & challenges but just want to live a regular, fun, Yehuda Persi and Pam Honey middle-school life. Galina Cherniuk & Sutie Yossi Shoham & Duchie Gil Haimovitch & Baily For my mitzvah project I brought together these loves and decided to support the Israel Egda Ben-Shmuel & Ilani Ronen & Chili Henry Guide Dog Center as a “Puppy Sponsor.” The funds I raised went to help train puppies to Moaz Habob & Kongo Noam Glickfeld & Evie be guide dogs in Israel. Before the center opened in 1991, people in Israel who were blind Hanoch Mizrachi & Eitam Israeli & Connie had to fly to America to get a guide dog. But, these guide dogs were not trained in Hebrew Kevin and were used to big cities in the U.S. like New York, or LA and not the ones in Israel. Shlomo Cohen & So, when my mom showed me this organization online, I knew that’s who I wanted to Mishmish help for my mitzvah project. A few weeks ago I put together a “Bow Wow Walk” and also launched a gofundme page. I surpassed my goal of raising $1,500 by raising over $2,000! Out of 35 graduates, This will be enough to fund one year of food and medicine for TWO puppies in training. I felt so good to be helping, and to see all the smiling people and pups was so nice. 19 received their first guide dog. Someone who has lost their sight needs a guide dog to lift them up. Having a guide gives people who are blind the chance to do things they never thought they could do before, like walk through a big city on their own or travel without a person assisting; all they need is their dog. Having a guide dog gives freedom and the ability to live a full life. MAKE YOUR MARK – LEAVE A LEGACY!! I’m so glad I found them! DID YOU KNOW leaving a gift in your will is the highest form of charity? Because it is an act of loving-kindness that can never be GREAT BAR/BAT MITZVAH PROJECTS repaid. Please consider including the Israel Guide Dog Center in your final estate plan. Students have been very creative with projects, such as Your gift will have a profound impact after a “Bow Wow Walk” or “Best in Shul Dog Show.” We will you are gone. send a list of previous projects and a complete package to interested families. This is a great way to connect GIFTS OF APPRECIATED STOCK students to a wonderful charity in Israel – that helps YOU CAN SAVE TAXES if you donate people in need by matching them with our amazing dogs. appreciated stock. Be sure to check with your advisors when making gifts of stock or any WRITE TO GET A PACKAGE: [email protected] gifts from your IRA.

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PURE JOY: Noam Glikfeld and Evie

Her name is Evie. We returned to Tel Aviv. Each morning,

She was born two years and two days ago when going out for a walk, the obstacle in one of the most wonderful places on course, also known as “the street”, earth. Two months ago, she rushed into rearranges itself. Challenging us with my room, sniffing, examining, exploring, garbage cans, parked cars, bicycles, walking back and forth from the door to scooters, you name it... all scattered the desk, to the bed, to the closet, and to along the sidewalk. Evie easily flows the rug where I was sitting. Finally she through, slows down, speeds up, and laid down down, her head resting upon finally reaches the curb. She turns up her my lap, letting my fingers tenderly flow head and l can feel her looking at me as through the soft fur. For the next three if to say: “See what I did? Don’t I deserve weeks, accompanied by a most dedicated a treat?” It’s her ultimate look and you and sensitive staff, we got to know one can’t help but smile. another, learned to trust each other, As for me, my own glance used to be rediscovering the world on six legs. limited, looking down and scanning

the ground, constantly fearing the next obstacle... but it has now become free, erect, and open - looking forward towards a new horizon.

Things are not only different outside. Our home is filled with strength, purpose, and meaning. My wife Irit’s laughter echoes when she returns home and Evie jumps up with happiness. With her voice softly whispering “Good night Evie, sweet dreams little one” while tenderly stroking Evie’s head.

Evie is not here just for me, my guide dog, but she is there for the both of us.

And it feels so right and so natural...

Noam Glikfeld and Evie pure joy.

“The only thing WORSE THAN BEING BLIND is having sight but no vision.” – Helen Keller

6 • Summer 2019 THIS CHARITY MOVES ME! My name is Helen Varon and I want to tell you how I became connected with the Israel Guide Dog Center, my love and my main charity!

Like most people, I was unaware of the plight of the blind in Israel – but I was in love with the magnificence of the country and what they have accomplished in that barren desert.

A friend invited me to accompany her, so I was delighted to go as it had been many years since my last visit. She introduced me to the Guide Dog facility there, and I was thoroughly impressed. I learned that before the center opened someone who was blind had to travel overseas to get a dog that only understood English. Then they would return to Israel, and there was no one there to support them.

The facility is amazing and the dogs are outstanding. Not every dog passes the difficult evaluation test to become a guide dog, and I learned those that do not, are placed with IDF soldiers with PTSD, or children with autism.

I was hooked. When I returned to my home in California, I started to host an annual luncheon in Palm Springs, in memory of my beloved grandson Matthew Varon, who passed away tragically at the age of twenty-one.

If you are looking for a truly outstanding charity that helps people, you will give generously to this wonderful cause. Thanking you from the bottom of my heart.

– Helen Varon Helen with Dani Layani and his guide dog Rolly

PTSD SERVICE DOGS – RESTORING LIVES

Our pilot program to treat soldiers suffering from PTSD (Post of sleep, and this adds to their depression – resulting in a Traumatic Stress Disorder) with a dog especially trained to downward spiral. detect nightmares and flashbacks is gaining attention. Our So not only do the dogs help prevent their partner from reliving preliminary results have been so encouraging, that the IDF and the trauma, they help to establish a new routine. The need to a group specializing in civilians with emotional traumas have get out of bed to feed the dog, care for the dog and take him/ both approached us to collaborate! her out for exercise has proven to be an added benefit. If a client can rely on the dog to interrupt the nightmares (or flashbacks), it has been shown that the intensity and frequency The cost to provide a PTSD-trained dog to is $18,000. We need of the episodes decrease. This is a life-changing result. People compassionate people to support this initiative. Due to the suffering from PTSD frequently become depressed, and the sensitivity of the program and concerns about security, we will fear of going to sleep means they don’t get the proper amount not identify the soldiers who receive these amazing dogs.

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MY DOG IS THE BEST! Michael Leventhal, our Executive Director in the USA, travels to Israel twice a year to spend time with our clients, puppy raisers and the staff at the center.

After his most recent trip he reported a very STAFF PROFILE: interesting phenomenon. Mike reported, “Every single puppy raiser and every single DENNIS ALLON client I meet tells me the same thing, ‘My At the age of 22, I arrived in Israel as an idealistic young dog is the best!” They all are so proud of their 4-legged companions and best friends. “Some person to build my life in this country. say their dog is the most beautiful or the It was the early 1980s. At the time, Israel was more like a third world country, but smartest, but everyone still thinks their dog is for me, it was the fulfilment of a dream. Over the years, I went to Hebrew University, the best one to ever come out of our center.” became an IDF soldier, and worked in the Israel Consulate in San Francisco. This is a testament to Orna Braun, our Puppy Making my life in Israel was a conscious decision. Unfortunately, for many Manager who breeds our dogs, and the people, particularly those with disabilities, their life choices are more limited. My amazing contributions of every member of commitment to help others has been one of the motivating factors in my decision to our staff who nurtures the dogs and trains dedicate my professional life in the non-profit field. them to perform at the highest levels.

My first exposure to the work of the IGDCB was in 1993, when CEO Noach Braun “One thing is undeniable,” added Mike, “the came to my office in Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal accompanied by a Yellow relationship created between the dogs and Labrador, a guide dog in training. He was looking for partners to support the work of their puppy raisers, and then eventually with the Center, located in Beit Oved. our clients is incredible. The love they have For the past eight years, I have been working at the Israel Guide Dog Center in for each other is obvious, and I am sometimes Resource Development. I have had the privilege to meet amazing individuals from moved to tears watching the teams work around the world who, like me, believe that each and every person has the right to together. Seeing them walking side-by-side in live in dignity and to make their own choices in life. perfect harmony as they navigate through the obstacles of life is my greatest reward.” We welcome visitors (please give as much advance notice as possible) and I look forward to meeting you during your next trip to Israel!

“I Feel Privileged to Help Others DESIGN: Proof Design

Live with Dignity” PHOTO CREDITS: – DENNIS ALLON Special thanks to: Eli Ben Boher, Michael Leventhal, Aharon Shimshon, Alon Melamed, Pat Krauss

ISRAEL GUIDE DOG US FRIENDS: CANADIAN FRIENDS: UK FRIENDS: CENTER FOR THE BLIND 968 Easton Rd. – Suite H 4600 Bathurst Street, 4th Fl. Library PO Box 756 Beit Oved, 7680000, Israel Warrington, PA 18976 Toronto, ON M2R 3V2 Borehamwood WD6-9JE, England Tel: 972-8-940-8213 Tel: 215-343-9100 Tel: 416-577-3600 Tel: 44-(0)-208-090-3455 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.he.israelguidedog.org www.israelguidedog.org www.israelguidedog.ca www.israelguidedog.org.uk

8 • Summer 2019