yedionEN+HE-2018-digita-EN

Transforming Lives - One Dog at a Time
Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind
2018 Newsletter
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Contact us:
Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind:
NPO # 58-016-896-1
Ha’Sadot 6, Beit Oved 7680000, ISRAEL
Tel: +972-8-940-8213
Email: info@igdcb.org
www.israelguidedog.org.il
Noach Braun, CEO and Co-Founder
US Friends:
Tax# 23-251-9029
968 Easton Rd - Suite H
Warrington, PA 18976-1875 USA
Tel: +1-215-343-9100
Email: info@israelguidedog.org
www.israelguidedog.org
Michael Leventhal, Executive Director
Canadian Friends:
Charity #: 870517703RR0001
4600 Bathurst Street
4th Floor Library
Toronto, ON M2R 3V2, CANADA
Tel: +1-416-577-3600
Email: ayal.lesh@israelguidedog.ca
www.israelguidedog.ca
Ayal D. Lesh, Executive Director
Amazon Smile
The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind is a registered charity
on Amazon Smile (https://smile.amazon.com/)
Through Amazon Smile, Amazon will contribute 0.5% of each
AmazonSmile purchase to the Israel Guide Dog Center Center.
UK Friends:
Tax# 102 7996
PO Box 756
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
WD6 9JE, GREAT BRITAIN
Tel: +44-20-8090-3455
Email: info@bfigdcb.org
www.israelguidedog.org.uk
Martin Segal, Executive Director
Photos: Eli Ben Bocher, Aharon Shimshon,
Nati Bar Natan, Moshe Filberg, Alex Magen,
Ziv Ben Haim, Bar Shahar
Graphics: Giraff Creating Brands
www.giraff.co.il (designed with love)
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Dear Friends
September 2018
On the eve of Israel’s 70th Independence celebration,
last April, we took a break from our everyday work
for several hours to dedicate the Puppy Development
and Training Campus. After years of planning and
bureaucratic obstacles, the opening of this campus
marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of
the Israel Guide Dog Center. Our goal is to create more
guide dog partnerships. At the same time, we want to
improve the services to our clients and conditions for
our faithful dogs. We were pleased to host many of our
friends, partners, graduates, and donors at the opening
ceremony. In particular, our President and Co-founder,
Norman Leventhal, came to Israel accompanied by
members of his family. He moved us all with his
heartwarming remarks.
We are grateful to everyone who has been with us on our
journey and to those who will accompany us in the future.
With your support, we will continue to work energetically
towards the coming challenges and dreams.
This newsletter is largely devoted to our new facilities in
the Puppy Development and Training Campus. We hope
that by highlighting our new facilities this will shed light
on the work of our dedicated staff and volunteers.
This month, three representatives of the IGDCB will
be traveling to Sydney, Australia to participate in the
Biennial Conference of the International Guide Dog
Federation. This Conference will enable us to increase
our professional knowledge and strengthen our ties
with other guide dog schools throughout the world.
Ami Toren, Director of our Training and Instruction
Department and Todd Jurek, Supervisor of Training at
the Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California,
will make a presentation outlining the results of the
mutual cooperation between our two schools in the
area of 'clicker training' – a method based upon positive
reinforcement training.
Your continued support and generosity will enable us to
move forward and fulfill our dream of creating miracles
in the lives of many people.
Best wishes for a healthy, fruitful year!
Noach Braun
Co-Founder and Director
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The New Puppy Development and Training Campus
After years of preparation and work,
we have finally fulfilled our dream and
opened our new Puppy Development
and Training Campus. The campus was
dedicated in April at a festive ceremony
that was attended by 300 friends,
supporters, and staff members.
The Puppy Development and Training Campus
enables us to provide better care and training for
our puppies and dogs. This new area allows us
to begin the process of increasing the number of
guide dog partnerships. It covers an area of 1.5
acres and was constructed at a cost of
US $4 million. There are too many to thank
individually here. We are deeply grateful to the
generosity of hundreds of friends from Israel
and abroad, and for the trust and love they have
given us.
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The E.G.L. Charitable
Foundation Puppy
Development Center
The story of our guide dogs begins in our “maternity
ward”. This building contains a spacious birthing room
with medical equipment and six “family suites” for
mothers and puppies.
The pregnant mothers are brought to the center
approximately one week before they are due to give
birth. They are housed in one of the suites, where,
following birth, they remain with their puppies for two
months.
Our professional staff ensure that the puppies and their
mothers receive loving care, veterinary supervision, and
enrichment activities.
“When they are about a month old,” explains Orna
Braun, Director of the Breeding and Puppy Raising
Department, “we begin enrichment in the outdoor
area adjoining each “family suite”. The puppies are
exposed to a variety of textures and surfaces before
they are given to their puppy raisers for the first year
of their lives.
Visitors are able to view at the puppies through
observation windows.
The Heidi Rothberg
Guide Dog Training
Center
The new kennels the IGDCB will allow us to increase the
number of guide dogs that we train and ultimately the
number of partnerships we can create. The building and
facilities significantly enhance the conditions in which our
dogs are housed. The training center has 16 pens – with a
maximum occupancy of three dogs each. Each two pens
opens onto a joint exercise yard.
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The New Puppy Development and Training Campus
Exercise and Free Run
Areas
The Puppy Raising and Training Campus has three large
principle areas for exercising and running – two of which
are used for exercising dogs in training. Hila Ben-Meir,
a dog trainer who recently completed three years of
apprenticeship to become a guide dog mobility instructor
emphasizes the importance of allowing the dogs to run
freely. “Running off-leash combines play, exercise, and
releasing tension. I can divide the group of dogs that
I am training and work with a dog in one yard, while
letting the others run off-leash in the adjoining yard. The
dogs run and enjoy themselves, while providing a useful
distraction for the dog that I am working with. Working in
two yards at once is more efficient.”
The Dog Run Area is for clients to exercise their guide
dogs. Running off-leash provides a welcome break from
formal training and strengthens the bond between
clients and their dogs.
Obstacle Course
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Maze
The maze is for dogs in training. Ami Toren, Director of
the Training and Instruction Department, explains: “The
maze constitutes a stimulus and provides dogs with
a mental challenge combined with play. The maze is
also a tool for learning important skills such as moving
around obstacles while finding a route, correcting
mistakes, and solving problems. When a dog is in the
maze, it has no eye contact with the trainer or partner,
but it can hear when it is called. Running in the maze
is therefore excellent practice for obeying to come
when called and strengthens the bond between the
dog and trainer.”
The Puppy Development and Training Campus
incorporates a modular obstacle course that can
be modified to teach both the dog and the client
increasingly complex skills.
“The obstacle course allows me to practice walking
around obstacles and to practice mobility skills with
clients,” explains Netanel Elbaz, a dog trainer, mobility
instructor and rehabilitation teacher. “The course is
adaptable, so the obstacles and levels of difficulties can
be altered. The stairs are used to practice approaching
stairs correctly, stopping at the edge of the stairs, and
going up and down safely.”
Adjoining the course is a traffic crossing. Crossing an
intersection is an important and crucial skill guide dog
users must acquire.
The traffic crossing has a stoplight and audible
guidance system with a traffic island at its center.
The simulated crossing provides a safe and quiet
place to familiarize blind clients with the layout of an
intersection before practicing in real-life situations.

Norman and Phyllis’ House
The Old Puppy House on the Campus was completely renovated and redesigned to house the offices of our Training
Departments. The building was named in honor of our co-founders Norman and the late Phyllis Leventhal, who
together with Noach and Orna Braun made a "dream come true".
Guide Dog Memorial
What we have once enjoyed
We can never lose.
All that we love deeply
Becomes a part of us.
Helen Keller (1880-1968)
This quote from Helen Keller is
inscribed in our new Guide Dog
Memorial Garden. The bronze statue
of a Labrador is dedicated in honor
of the loyal and loving guide dogs
that have given independence and
mobility to the blind and visuallyimpaired
guide dog users.
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The AIPAC Convention
The IGDCB was one of the few selected Israeli
organizations invited to participate in the annual
AIPAC convention in Washington D.C. with over 18,000
delegates in March 2018. AIPAC, is the largest and most
influential pro-Israel lobby in the U.S.
Our delegation consisted of 3 clients and their guide
dogs. We were met with Washington D.C.’s freezing
winter weather, but were warmly received by the
delegates. Our booth was visited by thousands. The
work of the IGDCB was presented during one of the
major plenary sessions. Noach Braun and Saleem
Sharif from Nazareth, and his guide dog Winston,
were introduced to the AIPAC assembly.
Saleem told the audience his moving personal story as
the first Muslim guide dog user in Nazareth. The AIPAC
convention was a tremendous opportunity to achieve
wide exposure for the work of the IGDCB.
Photo: Uri Basha, Triton & David Broza
Pilot Program for
Training Dogs to
Assist People with
Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)
A significant number of Israelis cope with various types
of stress disorders that are characterized by numerous
symptoms such as nightmares and anxiety attacks,
depression, attacks of anger, inability to function,
and introversion. Many are IDF veterans or victims of
terror attacks. Dogs help relieve the symptoms of PTSD
and offer the possibility of living an independent and
healthy life.
This year, the IGDCB initiated a pilot program to train
dogs for people suffering from PTSD. Yariv Melamed - a
Senior Instructor, and Dr. Jed Schlesinger, the Center's
Psychologist, direct the pilot program, in which two
dogs will be trained and partnered with suitable
clients.
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Showing Our
Appreciation to Our
Volunteers
The important activities of the Center would not be
possible without the help of hundreds of devoted
volunteers.
To show our appreciation to our volunteers and their
families, in July we held a festive event.
The event offered families an opportunity to become
acquainted with the center and to understand the
important work our volunteers do for us and for the
community.
“CanVelo” Celebrates its 12th Year
Founded by Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Moti Regev, the CanVelo
Tandem Cycling Clubs and Dragon Boat Paddling Team
bring together blind and sighted people in a safe and
accessible sports framework. CanVelo has three cycling
clubs across Israel, with 260 participants.
In May, many CanVelo cyclists participated in the Ayala
cycling race in Kibbutz Ramot Menashe for the first
time, and in June, 50 teams competed in the second
All-Israel Tandem Cycling Championship. Many cyclists
won trophies in the various age and gender categories.
Riders from CanVelo went on an excursion to the Greek
island of Evia. The cyclists enjoyed six days of riding
through the forests, a day hike, swimming, water sports,
and Greek hospitality.
Also in May, the CanVelo Dragon Boat Paddling Team
won third place in the National Dragon Boat Festival.
This year, Intel Corporation Israel chose CanVelo as a
primary volunteer project. The company sponsored a
joint bike ride with CanVelo cyclists. Intel volunteers
contributed hundreds of hours.
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Israel’s Independence Day Stamp
The official stamp commemorating Israel’s 70th
Independence Day features the Center’s logo along
with other symbols depicting Israel’s accomplishments.
The accompanying souvenir leaf illustrates a person
walking with a guide dog and a tandem bicycle.
Thanks to Tal Huber, of Giraff Graphic Studio who
designed the stamp and included the IGDCB!
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Facts and figures about guide dog users in Israel
In Israel there are about 24,000
people who are legally recognized
as blind
Most people with blindness have become blind
during the course of their lives
Only a small percent are born with blindness
Among the blind, about 20% have complete vision loss
The remainder have some residual vision
Guide Dogs work 7/8 years
before they are retired
The IGDCB has raised about
1,200 dogs approximately half
have become Guide Dogs
Every year, about 65% of the blind
who receive their Blind Certification
are over the age of 65
The success rate between male
and female dogs is identical
There is an increase in the numbers of Arab and
other minorities using Guide Dogs. The IGDCB
has partnered graduates from Jewish, Muslim,
Christian, and Druze backgrounds
The success rate is identical
between white haired and black
haired dogs
6 is the average number
of puppies per litter
From birth through 2 months
Puppies are nursed by their moms
From Puppy to Retirement
From 2 months to 1 year
Puppies are raised by Puppy Raising Families
At 1 year
Beginning of 5 months of Guide
Dog training
For 1 month
Guide Dog Partnership course with
blind and visually impaired client
10% of the guide dog
users are IDF veterans
94% of the IGBCB income
is through donations
For 8 years
Length of service between guide dog and graduate.
The dogs are then retired to live in a warm and
loving home
There are about 250 active guide dog partnerships,
among them 200 are partnered by IGDCB
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