On June 23, 2017, a group of visually impaired people from the Marshal Center in Tel Aviv visited Ben Shemen Forest and enjoyed its various attractions, including KKL-JNF’s Morris Kaufman Recreation Area for the Blind.
For most people, taking a stroll through the forest or a walk through the countryside on a beautiful day is a simple, uplifting and peaceful experience, but that is not the case for everyone. Karin, who has been severely visually impaired for many years, said that for her, going out is not so easy. “It’s scary to be in an unfamiliar environment without proper preparation,” Karin said. “I enjoy my home and my work, but a person needs more than that. I try to get out whenever I can. The fact that I can’t see only heightens my curiosity about what there is around me.”
Karin and her partner Guy, who is also blind, were part of a group of twelve who went for a specially organized tour of Ben Shemen Forest in central Israel. All the participants were members of the Tel Aviv Municipality’s Marshal Center, which promotes the independence of the visually impaired and their integration into society. The group was accompanied by KKL-JNF guide Shosh Metz, several escorts and two seeing-eye dogs.
Their first stop in the forest was the Israel-Thailand Friendship House, also known as the “Pagoda”. The wooden structure, which looks like a traditional Thai Temple with shades of gold, red and white, was a gift from the people of Thailand to the people of Israel. Shosh, who specializes in tours for people challenged in various ways, encouraged the visitors to touch intricately carved wooden pieces while she described what they were touching. And, as one of the participants noted, “as far as I can ‘feel’, the wooden structure was erected without nails and screws.”
“The shapes and the colors are intended to invoke spirituality,” Shosh explained. “The idea of erecting this building in Ben Shemen Forest was conceived by Princess Chulabhorn, the daughter of a former King of Thailand, as a token of friendship, to honor the 50th anniversary of the state of Israel and fifty years since the coronation of her father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.”
Asher Rochberger, a board member of the “Disabled, but not Half a Person” NGO, said that the goals of the NGO include increasing disability pensions, creating equal opportunity for people with disabilities, raising public awareness of what it means to be disabled and getting policymakers to promote relevant topics. “I am very appreciative and applaud KKL-JNF for its efforts to make Israel’s forests and parks accessible for the handicapped,” Asher said.
The group’s next stop was at the Recreation Area for the Blind, which was established by KKL-JNF thanks to a donation from the Morris Kaufman family and friends of JNF USA. This is a very special forest trail that was created by KKL-JNF to give the blind and the visually impaired an opportunity to hike in the forest and explore their surroundings independently.
The 500 meter-long path has no sudden steps or unexpected inclines, and is bordered with steel railings. All along the sides of the trail are plots of herbs, including rosemary, hyssop, and sage, which were immediately identified by most of the hikers. Trees along the route include Jerusalem pine, almond, pomegranate and fig, in addition to grape vines. In every segment of the trail, there is a metal “touch-feel” information board, with an embossed map, drawings, and explanations in Braille and Hebrew. The site also boasts archaeological remains of a winepress, cistern and storage caves. Shosh stopped the group at each point and described it, allowing the hikers to touch, taste, hear and smell the forest around them.
The next activity was lunch at a KKL-JNF picnic area in the shade of the trees. While waiting for the group to arrive, Marshal Center Coordinator Yarit Ovadia said that this was the first time ever that she organized a trip with KKL-JNF, but definitely not the last. “The group has activities at our center twice a month, such as cooking, first aid, ceramics, and more. We do not get out much because there are not many places that are user-friendly for the visually impaired. The fact that making nature accessible to everyone is a top priority at KKL-JNF is fantastic, and the fact they provided us with a guide for free is totally amazing.” After lunch, the group was treated to a large pot of tea brewed with fresh sage that Shosh picked from nearby bushes.
The day ended with a musical experience in nature at the nearby Sounds and Voices recreation area. Large-scale interactive sculptures made of metal pipes and drums allow visitors to create sound and music. The sculpture garden was donated by the Morris Philip Arnold family from England and built by KKL-JNF. In no time at all, the members of the group had the forest rocking with improvised music, a perfect end to a perfect day.