Nalaga'at Center - Not By Bread Alone

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a very unique experience.  Table to Table which is an unbelievable rescue food organization that supplies food to 230 food provision organizations sponsored an event at the Nalaga'at Center in the Jaffa Port.   The evening consisted of two parts.  First, we had dinner at Blackout which is a dining experience in the dark. One picks out one's food choices and puts on a bib prior to being escorted by blind waiters/waitresses into a room that is completely dark.  The entire dining experience takes place in the dark to simulate the culinary experiences that blind people face each day.  After, we were escorted to the theater section of the Center where we watched "Not by Bread Alone" - a production put on by actors that are both blind and deaf.

The evening certainly left an impression on all the participants and gave them a sense of what life is like for those facing these disabilities.  The production was about one hour long and attempted through short skits, monologues and musical numbers to convey the emotions, thoughts, and challenges facing the actors each day. I had mixed feelings about the performance and was unsure if it achieved the goals it set out to do.  However, the dining part of the evening really gave me insight into the challenges that blind people face each day, even with the most basic activities.  The meal at Blackout really put me, albeit temporarily into the shoes of the blind.

Nalag'aat Center - www.nalagaat.org.il - 03-633-0808 - reservations required 

Table to Table - www.t2t.org.il - 09-744-1757