Interview with Shirly Pinto, first deaf member of Israeli parliament, the Knesset

Shirly Pinto: My name is Shirly Pinto. This is my sign name. I’m from here in Israel.

[Video clip of Shirly Pinto swearing in to become a member of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, as Prime Minister Naftali Bennet looks on]

Renca Dunn: Congratulations on becoming the first deaf member of the Knesset! Wow! How do you feel?

Shirly Pinto: Wow. It feels like a dream. It doesn’t feel real. Many people and members of the Knesset have approached me to congratulate me as a deaf person. I’ve done many media interviews. It’s a lot. Many ask me questions about sign language and interpreters.

[Video clip of Shirly Pinto taking photos and doing interviews in the Knesset building]

[Video clip of Shirly Pinto giving a speech thanking people for their support]

Renca Dunn: You’re now a member of the parliament. What is your primary goal as a MK?

Shirly Pinto: I have two main areas of focus. The first is with hospitals. In the hospital system in Israel, suppose I become very sick or get into a very serious accident. At the hospital, I wouldn’t have any interpreters. I wouldn’t be able to communicate with staff or doctors. When the doctor speaks with me, there would be no interpreters. Does the government pay hospitals to cover interpreters? No. “If you want an interpreter, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.” It’s okay in other situations, but in a life-or-death situation, (interpreters) are essential.

The second thing is with interpreters on television screens. Many in America or Europe have a good on-screen interpreter PIP image, but in Israel, it’s tiny. There’s nothing in the regulations about the size or placement of the PIP screen.

[Video clip of Shirly Pinto giving a speech in 2020 in which she criticizes the tiny size of the on-screen interpreter PIP]

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Renca Dunn: You served in the Israeli Defense Forces.

[Instagram post from @pintoshirly showing what she looked like as an IDF member]

Renca Dunn: Can you explain more about this? How did you get in? Does Israel require all its citizens to serve, or is it voluntary?

Shirly Pinto: I will answer your last question. Those without disabilities, those who are “normal,” are required to serve in the military when they are 18. It’s required.

Renca Dunn: They must serve?

Shirly Pinto: Yes, it’s required by Israeli law. But for disabled individuals, which includes deaf people, it is voluntary. If you want to serve, okay. If you don’t want to serve, that’s also okay. I have a memory of when I was in school. I saw a poster about whether I wanted to serve in the military. I wanted to do this for sure, and did everything I could to get approved, and I got into the IDF. I served four years. It was amazing. In the IDF, there were no interpreters, but they taught me how to be physically strong, instead of being weak, and to be prepared for life. Life isn’t simple and it can be hard out there. I learned how to work with hearing people. I grew up with deaf parents, which made it easy to talk with them, but I didn’t have experience with the hearing world. The military taught me to work with hearing people, using pen and paper, and after four years of service, I went back to civilian life feeling very strong. So I love the IDF for that.

Renca Dunn: Wow, watching you explain your life story is amazing. Congratulations on your being a member of the Knesset.

Shirly Pinto: Thank you, thank you, bye!

Follow Shirly Pinto on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pintoshirly/?hl=en

Website: https://pintoshirly.co.il/