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Deaf in Israel

PhD student Roni Hahn, left, and Prof. Karen Avraham, Dean the Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University. (Courtesy/Tel Aviv University)
September 24, 2025, 10:35 am
Israeli researchers report breakthrough gene therapy for hearing and balance disorders
Scientists from Tel Aviv University and Boston Children’s Hospital use an optimized virus to deliver a corrected gene into the patient’s cells, improving auditory and sensory loss
By Diana Bletter
Doron Levy, head of the Department for Israeli Sign Language at the Academy of the Hebrew Language, holding a poster explaining the basic signs of Israeli Sign Language on March 24, 2025. (Rossella Tercatin/Times of Israel)
May 1, 2025, 2:13 pm
For hearing-impaired, recognition of Israeli Sign Language speaks volumes
Academy of the Hebrew Language’s establishment of Department of Israeli Sign Language seen as major move promoting development and codification of unique system of communication
By Rossella Tercatin
Shirly Pinto, the first deaf Knesset member, is sworn in to the Knesset on June 16, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
July 30, 2021, 2:48 pm
Israel’s first deaf MK aims to be a full-time warrior for disability rights
Yamina lawmaker Shirly Pinto says she is devoting herself to ensuring that her hearing-impaired son will grow up in a different world than she did
By Amy Spiro
Shirley Pinto, the first deaf Knesset member, during a swearing-in ceremony of new Israeli parliament members at the Knesset on June 16, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)
June 16, 2021, 2:20 pm
Shirley Pinto, the first-ever deaf MK, is sworn into Knesset using sign language
PM Bennett lauds ‘one of the most meaningful moments for me,’ as Yamina lawmaker joins parliament under the ‘Norwegian law’ following resignation of a party minister
By Amy Spiro
Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff (left) in the green screen room with actors Daniel Malka (center) and Chen Belilty. (Courtesy)
February 28, 2021, 11:29 am
Deaf rabbi translates Torah into sign language
Yehoshua Soudakoff says his project, which will see the entire Bible visually acted out, makes Judaism accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing who miss out on communal readings
By Ellie Jacobs
Then-Jewish Agency head Isaac Herzog helps a participant in a bar and bat mitzvah for deaf teens to unwrap his tefillin at the Nitzanim Synagogue in Jerusalem on May 20, 2019. (Nachshon Philipson)
May 23, 2019, 5:34 am
80 deaf Israeli children have joint bar and bat mitzvah ceremony
Jewish Agency chair Isaac Herzog calls event ‘a deeply emotional one’
By Marcy Oster
The Shalva Band performs during a rehearsal for their guest appearance at the second semifinal of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, May 15, 2019 (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
May 17, 2019, 7:13 pm
Shalva inspires broadcasters to offer more accessibility for Eurovision viewers
Broadcasts, including Saturday final, available with sign language, extra narrative for visually impaired, simple language for cognitively impaired
By Melanie Lidman
New Right candidate Matan Kahana before his discharge from the air force (Avichai Socher)
January 11, 2019, 8:39 am
New Right announces former fighter pilot as Knesset candidate
Recently discharged officer Matan Kahana served with party chairman Bennett as a commando before joining air force
By ToI Staff
New Right heads Naftali Bennett (L) and Ayelet Shaked (R) with Knesset candidate deaf rights activist Shirley Pinto, January 8, 2019. (New Right)
January 8, 2019, 1:29 pm
New Right announces deaf rights activist as first-ever deaf Knesset candidate
Bennett says Shirley Pinto joined party so Israel can ‘return to being victorious in the fight for the rights of people with disabilities’
By Raoul Wootliff
Marlee Matlin, an Oscar-winning actress who is deaf and Jewish, receiving the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Tel Aviv from Jay Ruderman, June 19, 2017. (Courtesy/Erez Uzir)
June 22, 2017, 3:32 pm
Actress Marlee Matlin teaches tolerance — and how to sign ‘Tel Aviv’ — during Israel tour
The Oscar winner, the recipient of a prestigious award from the Ruderman Foundation, explains how Judaism stresses inclusion
By Yaakov Schwartz
Several organizations representing Israel's deaf and hearing impaired communities protest on December 30 2012 in Tel Aviv (Tali Mayer/Flash90)
April 7, 2016, 2:36 pm
Government closes ears to pleas from deaf kids’ nonprofit
Shema says it’ll collapse if it doesn’t get more funding, while the Welfare Ministry downplays the organization’s reach
By Marissa Newman
'I am with you' in Israeli Sign Language (Image from the Signs in Crisis smartphone app)
August 10, 2015, 12:29 am
When a siren can never be loud enough
For Israel’s hearing impaired, first-responders are learning how to say ’emergency’ without making a sound
By Ramona Tausz
The sign language stamps (photo credit: Courtesy)
April 11, 2014, 3:10 am
Stamps raise awareness of challenges facing deaf
Israeli Sign Language is featured in new philatelic series
By David Shamah
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