IGDCB Delegation Photo will be Included in UN Exhibition

‘When You Listen to a Witness, You Become a Witness” is the title of a unique photo exhibition that will open on January 28, the day after Holocaust Remembrance Day, at UN headquarters in New York. The photos were not taken in the Holocaust era but during the March of the Living, in which survivors participated alongside Jewish youths from around the world. The educational tours took them to death camps in Poland, such as Majdanek, Treblinka, Auschwitz and Birkenau, as well as Jewish cultural centers that were destroyed. March of the Living chairman Shmuel Rosenman said that it is very significant that the exhibition is being held at the UN. Rosenman expressed his deep gratitude to Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, and the entire embassy staff for their outstanding contribution to the UN exhibition. Prosor, Rosenman and March of the Living vice-chairman Shlomo Grofman will all speak at the opening event. The exhibition will run for one month. The March of the Living is held every year to coincide with International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Thousands of Jewish youths from around the world, alongside Holocaust survivors, gather for a week in Poland to visit death camps and Jewish cultural sites that were destroyed. Afterward, they come to Israel for a week to experience Israel’s rebirth and to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day. The participation of blind Israelis and their guide dogs in the March of the Living is particularly symbolic and significant. The Nazis exterminated anyone with physical disabilities and used dogs to terrorize and murder their victims. Israelis marching proudly and confidently with their guide dogs, who offer them independence, self-confidence, and safe mobility constitute a powerful contrast to the historic events that took place in Poland almost 75 years ago.. One of the pictures that will be displayed at the exhibition shows the delegation from the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, which included six blind Israelis, their guide dogs, and other escorts and friends of the Center.

Career Change Dogs

About 65% of the dogs born, bred, and trained at the Center complete their training and become guide dogs. What happens to the other 35%? These are all wonderful dogs but for one reason or another they are not suitable to be guide dogs. The Center makes sure that these dogs all find some worthwhile job to do. Many of the dogs are given to families with a child with special needs, such as blind, handicapped, or autistic children. Others are returned to their puppy-raisers who give them a loving home. Buffy is one such dog. She was raised by Liliana Geber, who volunteers at the center once each week and participates in the Eliya Program in which puppies and dogs are brought to kindergartens for blind and visually impaired children. So even as a puppy, Buffy was already doing something special. When Buffy was returned to the Center in June of 2013 it became apparent that she was not cut out to be a guide dog, and her puppy raiser Liliana adopted her. Buffy and Liliana are present at many events at the Center, and she continues to bring Buffy to the kindergartens in the Eliya program. Children who interact with Buffy become accustomed to a dog at a young, formative age, and perhaps one day, when they are old enough, they will choose to use a guide dog for mobility. Good luck to Buffy in her career as a petting dog! She is truly doing something very important!

Lilianna and Buffy - Helping blind and visually impaired kindergarteners

Red on Campus! The Tulips are Here!

They are here! They are blooming! The Dutch tulip bulbs that were donated to the Center by Louise PaKtor from Holland have sprung up their bright red heads along the sidewalk near the obstacle course in front of the main building. We have been waiting for them to bloom and here they are! For those of you who are far away and whose yards are covered by snow, have a look! Thanks to Louise Paktor for this wonderful gift!

Beginning to Learn the Ropes

These tiny puppies are taking their first steps towards being future guide dogs. Here Eli and Orna are exposing them to steps on the obstacle course on campus. Perhaps in another year and a half they will be on their way to leading a blind or visually impaired person up and down stairs! GOod luck to them!