The Israel Deaf Sports Organization

The Israel Deaf Sports Organization (also known as אס"ח) is an organization that operates a number of sports disciplines open to athletes equally, according to the number of registrants. Its goal is to provide athletes with a professional sports framework in Israel and all the tools for professional development in every sport, to develop athletes to the highest level that will give them the ticket to participate in international competitions and the Deaflympics in Europe and worldwide. The organization was founded in 1953 by a group of deaf people, immigrants and veterans, who were involved in unique sports activities for deaf people in Israel and Europe. It currently has more than 400 deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes (as of 2014).

The organization was founded on May 4, 1949, under the name 'Association of Deaf Jews in Tel Aviv – Sports Department'. The deaf immigrants from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria were outstanding athletes in their countries in football, swimming, and athletics. In Israel, they were members of 'Hapoel' and 'Maccabi' clubs. On May 9, 1953, the deaf immigrants declared the sports department as a separate body under the auspices of the Association of the Deaf in Tel Aviv. Mordechai Solovitchik, one of the initiators, was appointed the first chairman. In 1953, a member of the organization, Israel Sabir, participated in a congress in Milan, and for the first time there was Israeli representation at a CISS conference. Israel Sabir paid for the trip himself. At the congress, Israel proposed the inclusion of Israel as a member of CISS (International Committee of Sports for the Deaf), and surprisingly it was accepted. On December 26, 1953, a special meeting was held in which it was decided that the sports organization would separate from the Association of the Deaf in Israel and become independent. Its name was determined as 'Sports Organization of the Deaf', and it was registered as a non-profit institution. In 1957, Israel participated for the first time in the World Deaf Games in Milan, Italy. Israel was represented by its basketball team. On May 23, 1964, the general assembly of the deaf voted that the sports organization would become a national body, and the word 'Israel' was added to its name. Since 1965, Israel has participated in almost every event of the World Games. A great moment was in 1993 at the Deaflympics held in Sofia, Bulgaria, when the basketball team won a bronze medal. In 1987, the Sports Organization of the Deaf (אס"ח) became a completely independent body after its constitution was rewritten and approved. In 1988, at the EDSO (European Deaf Sports Organization) congress in Trier, Germany, Israel was accepted as a member of the organization and took part in various championships.

1. 1ארגון הספורט של החירשים בישראלisraeldeafsport.org
2. 2היסטוריה – ארגון הספורט של החירשים בישראלisraeldeafsport.org
3. 3אודות – ארגון הספורט של החירשים בישראלisraeldeafsport.org