“I Feel More Confident in My Abilities”

Ayham, 23, is studying Psychology and English Literature at Tel Aviv University. He was born almost completely blind in an Arab periphery city in northern Israel, but “my parents always treated me as completely capable and pushed me to succeed despite my disability,” he says. “They encouraged me to pursue higher education.” Thanks to the University’s Student Success Center and the Mia and Mile Pinkas Accessible Learning Center, Ayham is able to access resources for disabled students that help him succeed. “Whenever I have a problem related to my disability, the staff is available to help me find a solution,” he says. 

As someone who loves to push himself, Ayham greatly appreciates that his TAU classes cover a very wide range of interesting topics and that they challenge him in new ways. “Before university, I allowed myself to use my vision impairment as a reason not to read literature, but my degree won’t let me make that excuse anymore,” he says. “I feel more confident in my abilities every time I master a new subject.”  

Ayham hopes to get an advanced degree in English and become an English teacher. He already has some experience at the front of a classroom as a volunteer with an organization called AlManarah that empowers Israeli Arabs with disabilities. With AlManarah, which translates to “The Lighthouse”, Ayham gives workshops about disabilities at Arab schools in northern Israel. “I always bring in elements of what I’ve learned in psychology and literature to help inform my presentations,” he says. 

During the week, Ayham lives in TAU’s dorms near campus and commutes on weekends to his home in the north, which has been affected recently by rockets from Lebanon due to Israel’s multi-front Iron Swords War. “I love the independence I have living in Tel Aviv, though it can be hard to be away from my family.” 

At the beginning of his studies, Ayham received counseling from TAU’s Student Success Center along with other disabled students, which helped him form a plan for his studies. Three years later, he continues to use University disability services through the Mia and Mile Pinkas Accessible Learning Center at Sourasky Central Library. The Center provides space for students with extra needs to study and collaborate on assignments using specialized equipment. “Because of my partial blindness, I can’t see what’s happening in class and it is much harder to keep up. The University provided me with a tutor to go over what I missed, a support group including an academic advisor, and tools that make reading texts possible for me. They have helped me so much in maintaining high grades.”