Smadar’s story is one of extraordinary determination.
Born in 1960 on a kibbutz to Holocaust survivor parents, her first twelve years of life were spent in near-complete silence. Almost completely deaf, her condition was denied at home and mocked at school. Ridiculed for what she could not hear, Smadar taught herself to lip-read and, against all odds, excelled.
Breaking Free and Finding Voice
At 20, Smadar met Avi, her husband and lifelong partner. Yet for decades she kept her hearing loss hidden, “in the closet”, until a family posting in the United States gave her the courage to step into the open.
Instead of seeing her deafness as a limitation, Smadar chose to embrace it as part of her identity. That decision became a turning point.
Leading Change for Accessibility in Israel
On returning to Israel, Smadar redefined her path. She became a national leader for accessibility, pioneering hearing adaptations in theaters, nature reserves, and public spaces.
In 2007, her impact was recognized with the Equality Prize for People with Disabilities Breaking Barriers in Israeli Society. Alongside this advocacy, she retrained as a psychotherapist and began lecturing nationwide with Access Israel, using her story to inspire social change.
Volunteering in the South After October 7
Today, Smadar is part of the Shnat Sherut 50 Plus volunteer group in the Eshkol Regional Council, a community still deeply scarred by October 7.
“Almost every teacher, parent, and student here is still in trauma,” she explains. “As long as the hostages are not back, people cannot begin to process what they’ve endured. The explosions from Gaza may be silent to me, but I hear the pain all around.”
A Lifeline of Hope
For Smadar, volunteering is not only about practical help. It is about being a lifeline.
“The sanity and boundaries you bring from outside are a gift. The children will learn from you and see you as an anchor, a resource. Some will even open their hearts to you. Sometimes listening is enough.”
At the same time, she is determined to address another neglected need in the south, accessibility for people with hearing impairments. “It is very lacking here,” she says firmly. “I want to change that.”
Resilience Born From Silence
Smadar’s journey, from a silenced child mocked at school, to a national award-winner, therapist, and now a volunteer, carries a universal message:
- Resilience can be born from silence.
- Leadership can emerge from struggle.
- Hope can be rebuilt, even in the shadow of trauma.
Looking Ahead
Smadar is now exploring the possibility of turning her life story into a film. By sharing her journey on screen, she hopes to inspire others living with disability, trauma, or loss to find their own strength and voice.
