Oriya’s story is extraordinarily moving, just like her amazing, winning personality.
Oriya, 30 years old, went blind at the age of 15…
At the time, she was still secular in a regular school. It all started when, in the middle of running in a sports class, she crashed into a tree? Her sight began to deteriorate until it disappeared completely in just 3 months – an extremely rare rate (she broke all medical records)…
When she completely lost her vision, she was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. After she regained consciousness, she opened her eyes and asked the professor who treated her, “Is this how Hadassah Hospital is trying to save on electricity??” He gave her a big hug and told her that it was only her eyes♥️
Oriya began a rehabilitation process in which she had to learn everything from scratch: how to bathe herself, prepare food, read, write, choose what to wear, walk down the street or any action that seems ever so trivial to sighted people. Of course, it wasn’t easy and all the more so, while coping with tragedies over the years such as the untimely death of her dearest brother and her complex medical condition unrelated to her blindness.
Oriya, as befits her, somehow found the strength to cope. She realized that her inner and spiritual world was more important to her and she even started to study in a religious seminary. From there she went on to meet her amazing husband who is also blind (from birth), a happy, talented person who plays 14 musical instruments and is a chazzan! Together they are raising their sweet 9.5-year-old son in an inspiring way‼️
Oriya functions fully at home and her house is spit-spot (according to her “she was born with bleach in her hands”?). She invests in her son’s upbringing (cutting, drawing, pasting with him…) with great love ?❤️?. Oriya says that when he was younger, he would ask her: “Ima, right you’re peeking?”
Oriya learned to look inward, to find the joy within and not to depend on the mirrors that reflect from the outside. Thanks to her blindness, she is a sensitive, attentive person and she enjoys everything that she experiences with her other senses – like walking barefoot and feeling the cool, clean floor, feeling the rough texture of the scrumptious schnitzel she made, and more…
Recently, after being a full-time homemaker for a long while, Oriya started going to a rehabilitation day center where she makes amazing things like parts for miniatures, artfully designed candles, etc. much to the pride of her son and husband?
She began a vocational process with Sarah, our lovely, expert vocational coach at Bayit Cham, where she is preparing for the world of work. Together they are thinking which career best suits her. Oriya knows for sure that it is important for her to have a job that is honorable, rewarding and one that matches her talents and skills (and there are many! You haven’t heard her sing, for example…)
Oriya’s message is that blindness is an advantage, not a disadvantage. Blindness makes it possible to see people as they are, to touch and see directly into their hearts, without visual barriers, relating with great sensitivity to others’ deep, inner qualities without being blinded by outward appearances (pun intended) ♥️
And we say: Oriya – it’s our privilege to serve you!!! You are amazing with your determination and your power to cope.

Gil Finkelstein is coping with autism and receives vocational coaching from Coach Galit Mor Yosef, a member of Bayit Cham’s supported employment staff in Israel’s northern region.
When Gil first met Galit, he didn’t know what type of job he’d enjoy, did not know what direction he should take and showed great lack of confidence in his abilities and his chances of career success. In the career planning process, he and Galit went through an exciting and enlightening experience during which they discovered what his desires are, what he loves to do and where his strengths and talents lie.
Today, Gil has been working for more than a year distributing “Yisrael HaYom” newspapers and will very shortly begin professional confectionery training ???
In addition, this week, Gil gave a fascinating lecture sharing his life story as a person dealing with autism at the Haifa Cinematheque as part of an exhibition called “Inside.” Sooo exciting!!!
We are so proud of Gil for the remarkable strides he has made and his incredible accomplishments. We wish him great success in his studies ♥ ️? Thank you to the amazing Galit for leading and steering the process in such a professional and caring way??

I sometimes celebrate

The victories so small

Concealed within me,

Not seen at all.

Anonymous, not shared,

Hidden success,

Obscured from others’ eyes,

Celebrating my progress.

Victories of inner peace, of knowledge,

Victories of acceptance and humility,

A bit more and I can already reach,

Refreshing waters that well up within me.

I want to tell, to share,

To announce, to reveal my win.

But I hide the flickering ray of victory.

Wrapped up deep within.

I internalize my successes alone,

By myself I celebrate, sing and shout,

My opinions and thoughts are being rebuilt

And the crookedness is straightened out.

But I’ve dedicated this little song,

What’s hidden is far, far more,

To grab onto the awareness of victory,

And with it, I continue to soar.

This beautiful poem was written by E. who came to Bayit Cham’s ‘Tze’adim’ personal coaching program when it became apparent that he was suffering from physical pain due to emotional stress.

With coaching, it was discovered that E. has an artistic soul that had not yet been sufficiently expressed. It also turned out that he had a strong tendency to be a people pleaser even in cases where it was at the expense of his own needs as well as a propensity towards harsh self-criticism.

During the coaching process, E. learned to stand up for himself, to value himself more and he also discovered how one can learn from both successes and failures. Of course, he started investing more in pleasurable hobbies and here are the wonderful results that he sent to our amazing coach – Shmuel Kessler (pictured).

 We wish you all a week full of small victories ♥ ️

ee