LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

BY: MIRIAM EPSTEIN

COURTESY OF BINYAN YOUTH MAGAZINE

TODAY WE MEET MR. AVI STRUL, WHO GREW UP ON A MOSHAV IN SOUTHERN ERETZ YISRAEL. TODAY, THIS FATHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN LOVES IN RAMAT BEIT SHEMESH. HE’S A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, AN ARTIST AND MASSAGE THERAPIST, AND IS CURRENTLY STUDYING TO COMPLETE SEMICHA. OH, AND MR. STRUL IS LEGALLY BLIND.

Hi, Mr. Strul. Can you explain to me the term “legally blind”?

Basically, it means that the person has very poor vision that is not correctable. There are all types of visual deficiencies. I also have tunnel vision – that means I can see things that are straight ahead, but not to the side.

Have you always had a visual disability or did that happen later in your life?

My parents discovered when I was very young that I had night blindness—at that point, that was the extent of my disability. After nightfall outdoors, or if I would enter a dark room, I couldn’t see at all. During the day, I was able to see everything, though. I learned how to read and write and had a normal life.

How did that affect you?

The moshav I lived on was closed to traffic, so I was free to explore during the day. I knew the area so well that I had a visual map imprinted on my brain. At night, I would ride my bike around the neighborhood using the visual map that I had in my head. Except for bike riding, I didn’t participate in evening activities with other kids – I hid my disability from them. If my class was going to the museum at night or doing some other activity, I wouldn’t go. I couldn’t play ball outside or do other activities once it was dark. In the winter, it can get dark here as early as 5 p.m. so this was quite limiting. Still, I don’t remember having a sad childhood due to the fact that I was homebound in the evening. I made sure to always be kind and gentle to the other kids and not get into fights so that I wouldn’t be ostracized because of my disability.

Did you compensate in other ways?

My parents were worried that I wouldn’t be able to get a job in the future due to my disability so they had me learn to play a musical instrument. I became so good at playing the keyboard that I was considered something of a “wonder child”, and I performed at all of the events on the moshav. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy all of the attention that I got for this! I much preferred the swimming lessons my parents signed me up for. The music lessons paid off though. I learned bass guitar when I got older and now I’m in a band that plays at weddings and performs all over Israel. I also discovered a love for art when I was nineteen years old. A professional artist guided me and I’m still actively painting.

Wait--how do you paint if you can’t see?

Unfortunately, over the years my vision has deteriorated to the point of 20% visibility. If I use a lot of light then I can see what I am painting. Still, I make a lot of errors—that’s why my paintings have such a thick layer of paint, as I paint over them often. From when I was eighteen until I was thirty-eight, I was not able to read. I would follow shiurim just by listening.

My eyes have become very sensitive to outdoor light as well. I was in an optician’s shop searching for sunglasses that would protect my eyes outdoors, when I spotted a device that looked like it could help me. The storeowner explained that it was an electronic magnifying glass and it wasn’t for sale. I started to cry, because I was sure this device could change my life! She said, “Don’t worry, we have other models upstairs.”

I went upstairs and there were hundreds of models of electronic magnifying glasses. The cost was way beyond our means, but there was no question that we were going to buy one anyone! This device lets me follow my Daf Yomi shiur and semicha course.

We discovered that white text on black helps me focus better, so I use that setting on the magnifying glass. I can’t use it on Shabbos, though – so I had a special Haggadah and siddurim printed with white text on black pages to enable me to follow the davening better. Before that, I used to repeat the words after the shaliach tzibbur, and I knew Shemoneh Esreh by heart. At first, I was embarrassed to step into shul with this siddur but I’ve overcome that. Now I feel a new world has opened up to me in my learning and davening.

What other devices do you find helpful?

My cane, of course. Many people who are visually impaired know their way around the neighborhood but carry a stick anyway, to let other people know they have a visual disability.

To help me tell time, I have a talking watch and also a Braille watch. The cover of my Braille watch flips open so I can feel what time it is.

How should people react to someone who has a visual impairment or some other disability?

I think the best advice I can give is to be normal and act normal. I can sense when people are staring at me.

Often, I find there are two types of people: There’s the group that stops speaking when I walk by, almost as if they’re expecting me to trip and fall. That’s not such a comfortable feeling!

The other type of person will run to help me as if it is the first time in my life that I ever crossed a street and there’s no way that I could survive without him coming to help me. I think the middle path is the best approach. If you see someone with a disability who looks like he needs help, you can offer your assistance. If the person doesn’t want your help, don’t take offense. If he looks like he’s managing then you can go on with your day.

In any case, staring and whispering behind a disabled person’s back is demoralizing and doesn’t help him feel comfortable. Please keep in mind that people who are visually impaired can often see a little bit, and our sense of hearing is often heightened so I can hear when you whisper about me!

Do you have a final message for our readers?

People talk about having a visual impairment as the greatest catastrophe in the world. Even though my vision has deteriorated more recently, I’m okay with it. Hashem has created a perfect world, and though I may be lacking in one area, I can enjoy all of my other senses so much more. I enjoy immensely the senses of smell, touch, taste and hearing, and I am so grateful to Hashed for the blessing of family and my life of Torah and mitzvos.