The Institute for the Advancement of Deaf Persons in Israel (Hebrew: המכון לקידום החרש בישראל, Arabic: معهد النهوض بالصم في اسرائيل) was founded in 1993 to provide services and programming to the Israeli deaf community. This includes employment assistance,[1] creation of an electronic Israeli Sign Language dictionary, and organization of a national Deaf Day in 2009 to increase public awareness about the Israeli deaf community and Israeli Sign Language.[2]
The institute is also the coordinator for government-provided interpreting services to deaf Israelis,[3] including providing ISL interpreters, note takers, technology lending, and other support services for deaf university students.[4] These services are handled through the institute's Sela Center. The institute also organizes an annual Student Day (יום הסטודנטים) for deaf and hard-of-hearing university students throughout Israel.[5] In addition, the institute also works with Arab-Israeli deaf communities in Israel, providing Arabic-language materials and professional training to deaf Arab-Israelis and the professionals who work with them,[6] as well as works in conjunction with deaf communities outside of Israel.[7]