[NFBJ] Braille in Israel

Fri Apr 30 00:20:43 UTC 2021

Hi,
I finally got to read these articles. This is fascinating. Thanks for sharing!

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBJ <nfbj-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Eric Harvey via NFBJ
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2021 1:02 PM
To: NFB in Judaism <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Eric Harvey <eric at blindscholar.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBJ] Braille in Israel

Dear Rachel,
Attached please find the reference article I wrote. This is a pre-print version—I can't share the final version both for copyright reasons and because it has not been published yet (even two years after submission). It will supposedly appear in the second volume of the *Encyclopedia of Jewish Book Cultures* whenever it makes it to press.

I am also including an article written by Harry Brevis, whose personal Braille code was adapted into the original International Hebrew Braille Code in the 1930s, which gives a more detailed overview of the process of its development. It is from 1969, however, and there has been a lot of history since then :)

And finally, here is a link to a blog post I wrote about researching the history of the first Braille Tanakh:
http://www.blindscholar.com/2019/02/06/who-was-mrs-harry-a-cole-of-cleveland-a-tale-of-academic-sleuthing-and-recovering-the-name-of-a-braille-pioneer/

Best,
Eric

On Tue, Apr 13, 2021 at 7:23 PM Rachel Bodek via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> I'd like to see that article can you send it to the listserve?  Thank 
> you
>
> This  message  was  sent  with  my  mobile  phone,  please  disregard 
> any  typos  or  grammatical  errors.  Thanks,  Rachel
>
> On Apr 13, 2021, at 8:48 PM, Eric Harvey via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Yes, I believe all braille, regardless of language or region, reads 
> from left to right. There are a few small differences between American 
> and Israeli Hebrew braille, but I think they have mostly to do with 
> contractions and maybe a few of the niqqud. You might try inquiring of 
> the Israeli analog to our National Library Service, which creates and 
> distributes braille materials to blind people in Israel.
> Their website is here:
> https://www.kolzchut.org.il/en/Libraries_for_the_Blind_and_Visually_Im
> paired
>
> If you would like more information about the history and development 
> of Hebrew braille, I can send you an article I wrote and the 
> introduction to the APH braille Tanakh.
>
> Best wishes,
> Eric
>
> Eric J. Harvey, Ph.D.
> Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
> Brandeis University
>
> www.blindscholar.com
>
> > On Apr 13, 2021, at 5:15 PM, Rachel Bodek via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi, I'm not sure what you mean by "frum braillewriters" but they 
> > use
> the same as we do and their Hebrew braille goes from left to right. 
> Can anyone listen in to your presentation? If so, can you share the 
> info with us? thanks!
> >
> > This  message  was  sent  with  my  mobile  phone,  please  
> > disregard
> any  typos  or  grammatical  errors.  Thanks,  Rachel
> >
> > On Apr 13, 2021, at 6:40 PM, Dale HELTZER via NFBJ <nfbj at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > All,
> >
> > I'm giving a presentation on braille, and as a side note, I'd like 
> > to
> mention Hebrew braille.
> >
> > Perhaps an naïve question:
> > It seems obvious to me that writing Hebrew braille from left to 
> > right
> was a concession to the fact that all the existing machinery in the 
> rest of the world was geared for that.
> > But is that true in Israel?
> > Are there Frum braille writers there?
> >
> > B'Shalom
> >
> >
> >
> > Dale E. Heltzer
> > deheltzer at msn.com<mailto:deheltzer at msn.com>
> >
> > "A foolish consestency is tha hobgabljyn Qf littwe mjndz." - RW 
> > Emerson
> via HA Kranz
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--
————————————
Eric J. Harvey, Ph.D.
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
Brandeis University

www.blindscholar.com