Dialogue in the Dark

People so often forget that there is so much more to Israel than what we read in the news. Though only 60 years old, it is one of the world leaders in technological, medicine and agricultural innovations. It also has much to offer culturally, with world renowned orchestras, films, plays, concerts and museums. The three most interesting museums I have ever been to were all in Israel. (The first two are the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv and the Herzl Museum on Har Herzl in Jerusalem.) The third is a much less known institute near the Children's Museum in Holon, called Dialogue in the Dark.

In the words of our guide, Dialogue in the Dark is not for stepping into the shoes of those with disability but rather learn to use other abilities. That is to say that 80% of the senses we use is sight. We are so reliant on our ability to see that all the other senses combined are only 1/5 of what we use to create our perceptions of the world around us. During the hour that we were in the exhibit, we walked in the pitch dark relying solely on our other four senses to create a picture of where we were. We began in a room that simulated a jungle scene with animal sounds, a waterfall, trees and a bridge. After crossing the bridge the leader guided us all onto benches in a mock boat that swayed along with the waves that we heard crashing all around us. Our next room was a child's bedroom with a table and bed and the usual assortment of toys and stuff. The following area was on the streets of a city with a garbage can, traffic light, store windows, etc. I loved the next room, which was a produce store. Walking along the walls we used our senses of touch and smell to figure out all the different fruits and vegetables (they were real). In the next section the guide instructed us to lie on the floor. From here we listened to an eclectic medley of music all while feeling the vibrations through the ground. The final room actually held a small snack bar where visitors can purchase and eat small snacks in the dark while we sat around a table talking with our guide.

Something I didn't mention before is that all the guides at Dialogue in the Dark are blind. It is impossible to describe how much this detail enhances the experience. When speaking to him in the final room he continuously stressed the point that he and others who are similarly impaired just want to be treated like any other person. A couple examples he gave us: there is no need to speak louder- he's blind not deaf. If you're helping a blind person on a bus don't simply drag them by the arm. This leaves them feeling like an object instead of a person. Our guide does not actually work there full time. He is a grandfather and works in alternative medicine.

One final anecdote: at the beginning of the tour, the guide touched each of our hands in turn and asked our names. When I said my name he said back to me "Devora?", so I repeated my name and he once again said "Devora". So from then on, every time he'd touch my hand to guide me and go "This Devora?" I would simply respond in the affirmative. (This has happened frequently, when Israelis think my name is Devora).