Page 27 - TORCH Magazine - Issue #20

Air Force Technical Corp. Surprisingly, Pinto had very little
experience working with hearing people. She grew up with deaf parents and went
to a school that catered to her needs. Not only did she not have much experience in the hearing world, but the military also had no interpreters for her. Pinto was required to learn to communicate with those who couldn’t speak her language.
Pinto excelled in the military. After completing her first two years, she continued for two more and was awarded an outstanding medal from the Air Force Commander and recognised by then Israeli President Shimon Peres for her exceptional service.
It was her experiences growing up
that led her to life as a politician. Seeing the struggles her parents faced in communicating with authorities, Pinto decided she wanted to see improvements for people with disabilities, similar to what we have here in the UK.
There are two initiatives Pinto is campaigning for to help deaf people in Israel. The first is that there is currently no requirement for hospitals to have interpreters for deaf patients. As you
can imagine, in a life or death situation communication becomes essential. When a patient is unable to communicate with doctors and nurses it can cause real problems. This is something Pinto wants to resolve.
Another area Pinto wants to improve is with sign language on Israeli television. In the UK, we are well accustomed to
seeing a person in the corner of the screen providing sign language, particularly on BBC broadcasts. In Israel this doesn’t happen yet, but that might change if Pinto has anything to do with it.
It is important to note that CUFI is
a non-partisan organisation. We do not support or endorse any political party or politician. We are, however, excited to
see that Israel is breaking boundaries by electing their first deaf MK and for the opportunities this brings. The causes of Israel’s disabled population will always
be championed the most by those who experience their challenges day to day. It is also important for individuals to be able to see that they have a voice in positions of power.
This was demonstrated when, in an interview last year, Shirly Pinto explained that the week she was sworn in as an MK she received a message from a mother who had just given birth to a deaf baby girl.
The mother was struggling with her daughter’s condition and felt fearful for her future. She was then pleasantly surprised when she turned on the television and saw Pinto being sworn into the Knesset on the news. It gave her a new perspective and hope for her daughter’s future.
“I hope that my entry to the Knesset will bring meaningful change and will lead to deaf people not having to struggle for every right,” Pinto said. “While some issues can be legislated, others can only change with awareness, open-mindedness, and understanding.”
MK Shirly Pinto delivered her opening speech in sign language in the Knesset.
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