First wine made by a blind and deaf person in Israel
Yossi Samuels is the inspiration behind Shalva, an association dedicated to providing transformative care for individuals with disabilities, empowering their families and promoting social inclusion.
By DEBORAH DAHANYossi Daniels and Andrew Danos(photo credit: ELIRAN AVITAL)
In partnership with Herodion Winery, Yossi Samuels has launched YOSSI, the first wine made in Israel by a blind and deaf person.Yossi received a routine DPT vaccination when he was 11 months old that made him blind, deaf and acutely hyperactive. Regardless of his disabilities, he pursued his lifelong dream of becoming a sommelier.Yossi studied in Israel and France and then returned to Israel to create his own wine blend. Using his heightened senses of taste and smell, and after many trials, he created YOSSI.YOSSI is the only wine in Israel, possibly in the world, to have a label written in Braille.Yossi is the son of Malki and Kalman Samuels, founders of the Israeli association Shalva. He was the inspiration behind the organization.Shalva is “dedicated to providing transformative care for individuals with disabilities, empowering their families and promoting social inclusion,” according to its website. It provides a wide range of services for people with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families, such as “inclusive educational frameworks, social and recreational activities, employment training, and independent living.”Shalva’s objective is to ensure that no children with disabilities are left behind and to provide equal access and opportunity to all.“Yossi is a role model not only for the members of Shalva but for the world as a whole,” his father said. “We continue to learn from him that no dream is too big. We aspire [to a reality where] people with disabilities will integrate into all areas of life. Creating this wine is another of Yossi’s dreams fulfilled. Yossi’s connection to his environment, through taste and smell, and the fact that he is a sommelier, express themselves in the wine’s taste and the bottle’s design.”YOSSI is sold at the Shalva gift shop in Jerusalem and in James Richardson duty-free shops. Two different blends are available: a white blend produced from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Gewürztraminer grapes; and the handshake blend produced from Morbader, Syrah and Merlot grapes.“Over the years, James Richardson has worked toward integrating people with disabilities within its company,” said Andrew Danos, one of its co-owners and a Shalva board member. “Yossi’s story – the story of a young man who, despite all his disabilities and hardships, was determined to fulfill his dream and create the high-quality wine YOSSI – is worthy of admiration. James Richardson will sell the wine and promote it to the millions of customers who visit our store over the course of the year.”
