To: whom it may concern.
Subject: The Struggle of the Disabled.
In recent years, I participate in the struggle of the disabled in the State of Israel, a struggle that was significantly covered by the media. But it is a well-known fact that there are delays, slow turning of the cogs, neglection and evasion by the State of Israel toward the crisis of the disabled.
This attitude is being carried on for many years, and every authority to which I address replies with the usual phrasing “it has nothing to do with us”, or its twin – “we are not the correct address for this.” Of course there are many cases in which no reply is provided at all, or many cases in which the disabled receives aggressive or threatening replies – for no good reason – and that I personally had to deal with it innumerous times in the past.
To cut short: Today, this issue is not related to any specific person, nobody cares, and the disabled that continue to die in the streets do not bother or occupy the State of Israel.
With this saddening understanding of reality, I approach many entities outside of Israel – different international organizations and private people, some of I reach on a random basis. This addressing has two goals: inviting external pressure on the decision makers in Israel to start taking the crisis of the disabled more seriously, and also an attempt to examine the potential for this or that cooperation between organizations for the disabled in Israel and other countries in order to improve the life of the disabled communities worldwide. My question for you is this: Do you know or are you familiar with such entities that might assist in this kind of activity?
Best Regards,
Assaf Binyamini
115 Costa Rica St.
Entrance A, Apt. 4,
Kiryat Menachem
Jerusalem, Zip Code 9662592
Phone Numbers:
Home 972-2-6427757.
Mobile 972-52-4575172.
Fax 972-77-2700076.
P.S.
1) My ID No. – 029547403
2) My emails:
3) The therapeutic framework in which I am to be found:
Reut Association – Avivit Hostel
6 Avivit St.
Kiryat Menachem
Jerusalem, Zip Code 9650816
Phone numbers of the hostel office:
972-2-6432551 or 972-2-6428351
Email address of the Social Worker that accompany me in the hostel’s assisted living:
The hostel’s email:
4) The Avivit Hostel’s Social Worker, on our meeting from Tuesday 12.12.2017 at 13:30 forbade me on providing any details on her and/or the other workers at the Avivit Hostel or Reut Association.
5) The family doctor that supervises me is:
Dr. Michael Halev
Clalit Health Services – Borochov Clinic
62 Borochov St.
Kiryat Yovel
Jerusalem, Zip Code 9678150.
The phone number at the office of the medical clinic: 972-2-6440777.
The fax number at the office of the medical clinic: 972-2-6439217.
6) The psychiatrist that supervises me:
Dr. Abadath Assad
The Arye Yarus Jerusalem Mental Health Center
Talpiot Mental Health Center – South Jerusalem,
31 Shalom Yehuda St.
Talpiot
Jerusalem, Zip Code 9432646.
Phone numbers at the health center offices:
972-2-6721531 or: 972-2-6721579 or: 972-2-6721569.
Fax number at the health center offices:
972-2-6738199.
7) Further personal details:
Age: 46
Familial status: Single.
Birth date: 11.11.1972.
7/29/2018
Subject: Final failure message.
From: Assaf Binyamini ([email protected])
Date: Sunday, July 29th 2018 10:17
Hello Tal,
Today I went to the pharmacy of the Health Maintenance Organization, “Maoz”, in order to purchase the medication I had to take in preparation for the examination I was supposed to undergo at the M.A.R. Institute this coming Thursday, however, the pharmacy refused to sell me the medication – just like that and for no reason.
I decided to give up this examination and refrain from doing it at all – I opine that the series of abuses that I am being forced to undergo in order to attempt to perform this medical examination causes damages that are much higher than the benefits that an examination or a diagnosis can provide – if at all – given the clumsy and failing treatment supplied by Clalit Health Services, and the extremely stupid and unnecessary abuse that I must go through time after time. But beyond this, I think that malicious intentions of diverse factors do exist in this case – and this situation has been repeating itself time after time for many years (and no, I cannot get used to it…) – and despite the fact that I draw the attention of the HMO’s personnel to the fact that this situation harms everyone: it harms me as well due to the medical treatment that I am being prevented from receiving, and it also harms the therapeutic staff at the clinics whose work goes down the drain as well as other patients in the clinics who are forced to absorb this murky ambience for no fault of their own, and yet they insist on continuing to behave in this manner – and their conduct shows blatant disregard for the entire patient community. This way, it is impossible to treat or assist anyone, ever – the goals of the clinics’ personnel should comprise attempts to assist the patients instead of attempts to find excuses in order to prevent the patients from receiving the treatments they require – and as you know, this is not the designation and mission of medicine. I think that this is a certain type of collective punishment – as you know, there are cases where the patients take violent action against the medical staff – which were recently reported by the media as well – and as a result, every patient who arrives to a clinic in order to receive assistance becomes an automatic suspect concurrently with being a sick person as well, consciously or unconsciously, a suspect who can endanger the therapeutic staff – and this is an additional factor that can only enhance the unwillingness to listen to the patient and to his distress. I feel that a lethal virtuous circle that may endanger the ability to treat the patients, might be formed here – the therapeutic staff members who are concerned for their safety and as a result turn their backs on their patients – patients, who as a result of this action, will respond even more aggressively towards the medical staff, who will avoid their patients even more – and so forth.
And given this reality, I, as a patient, know that with time, the possibility to receive any medical treatment or assistance – and even the most basic one, will be more and more difficult and problematic – and apparently, situations of this type, in which I will be forced to give up medical treatments due to the disrespectful attitude of the medical staff – will become more and more frequent and routine.
And in summary – concurrently with my decision to give up the examination, I shall commence an inquiry regarding the health damages I should expect consequently – and this is the only thing left to do. I am paying the full price owing to the murky ambience which was described above – a situation that I cannot change in any way. And therefore, all I am asking you is to refrain from pressing me with regard to this issue and remember that the fact that I cannot undergo this examination, which I medically require, urgently and desperately, does not have any connection to me, to you or to your function as a social worker, or to any specific mental condition or another – this is what the Israeli reality dictates to us – and I can’t see any possibility to halt or even delay the destructive processes I have explained above.
Assaf Binyamini
List of diseases/medical Problems:
- A mental disease – an Obsessive-Compulsive Syndrome O.C.D. as well as a disease defined as a schizoaffective disorder.
- Psoriatic Arthritis.
- A neurological problem whose definition is unclear. Its main symptoms are: objects that slip out of my hands without me noticing it, dizziness, loss of sensation in some parts of the hand palms and a certain balance and posture problem.
- Chronic herniated disc in the back in vertebrae 4 – 5 which also radiates to the legs and generates walking difficulties.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Beginning of signs indicating a cardiological problem since the previous month (I am writing this list on Thursday, 3/22/2018). At the time of writing these lines, the essence of the problem is still unclear. It is manifested by chest pains during most hours of the day, breathing as well as speaking difficulties.
To:
Re: Treatment with Peglax.
Dear Sirs/Madams,
I have been suffering for many years from diverse medical problems – physical and mental. One of the physical diseases I suffer from is called Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – a disease whose main characteristics for me are extreme appetite changes, nausea that sometimes makes it difficult for me to drink sufficient amounts of water (and as a result of this situation, I have suffered in recent years from several incidents of dehydration, which even obliged me to arrive to a hospital emergency room), difficult and hard bowel movements and pains following them. After consulting with physicians within the field who have examined me, it became clear to me that this is an incurable chronical disease. Nonetheless, there exists a preparation called Peglax, whose intake combined with proper nutrition, can certainly alleviate my condition significantly. This preparation is not contained within the Healthcare Basket and in light of my severe economic distress, I am not able to take this medicine regularly.
In your opinion, it there any other solution for this problem?
Kind regards,
Assaf Binyamini
P.S. I have In my possession an opinion I have received from a dietician called Liron Ladenheim who examined me on 3/27/2007 in the Clalit Health Services (at the Kiryat Moshe Branch in Jerusalem where, during that time, I was under the surveillance of a Family Physician called Dr. Yehudit Sa’adon).
Detailing of the medicinal treatment:
- Psychiatric medications:
- Seroquel –
Two 300 mg tablets, every evening.
- Tegretol CR –
400 mg every morning, 400 mg every evening.
- Effexor –
150 mg every morning, 150 mg every evening.
- Simvastatin –
10 mg daily, every evening.
Following is a 3-page Social Report, which was written about me on 6/28/2011.
* I would like to point out that I arrived for rehabilitation at the Kfar Shaul Psychiatric Hospital in Jerusalem on 3/8/1994 and not during 2004, as was mistakenly written in this report.
REUT Community Mental Health Registered Society “Avivit” Hostel
Avivit Hostel, 6 Avivit St., Jerusalem 96508, Telefax: 02-6432551
Email: [email protected]
June 28, 2011
To,
The M.G.A.R. Company
Re: Assaf Binyamini, Id. No. 29547403 – Psychosocial Report
General background: Assaf was born in 1972, bachelor, lives alone in an apartment on HaRakefet St. under the status of protected accommodation (sheltered housing) on behalf of a rehabilitation basket, he subsists by means of a disability allowance on the background of a mental disability.
Assaf is the eldest son in a family comprising four people. His parents divorced when he was eight years old, the relationships between his parents during their marriage are described as harsh. The father remarried and Assaf had three half-siblings from this marriage. After the divorce, Assaf remained with his mother and his sister.
Since his childhood, Assaf suffered from emotional and motor difficulties. Following a change of residence at the age of 4, he stopped talking. He was referred to psychotherapy in a therapeutic kindergarten. Assaf was a quiet child who used to seclude himself, he spent the afternoon hours reading history books, working on computers, his only social activity was within the framework of chess games.
During his adolescence, his mental health condition deteriorated severely, he developed persecutory delusions (Illegible), among others against his father´s wife. A suicide attempt was exhibited and he was hospitalized several times at the Geha Mental Health Center. An attempt to rehabilitate him was carried out at a hostel in Petah Tikva, yet it failed. From this age, he was no longer integrated within any framework, he was a socially-rejected child, his strange behavior also caused great aggression from his surroundings towards him, and this worsened his condition even more.
In his early 20’s, Assaf suffered from diverse symptoms, the main ones being obsessive-compulsive, which included self-harm as well – such manifestations of physical self-harm never returned in this manner, but currently, Assaf hurts himself, by means of the manner he utilizes in order to cope with society, and the reality that surrounds him (and regarding this issue – further information will be provided in the sequel).
In 2004, Assaf was hospitalized in the Rehabilitation Department in Kfar Shaul and from there he moved to a protected accommodation (sheltered housing) with the escort of the Enosh Mental Health Association. Over the years in which he was treated at the Rehabilitation Department, his condition improved, the obsessive-compulsive symptoms weakened significantly, and no psychotic content such as delusions or hallucinations were observed. Assaf was escorted by the rehabilitation team of the Kfar Shaul Psychiatric Hospital, he continued receiving escort at his residence through the Enosh Mental Health Association, he received psychiatric treatment, his mental health condition has stabilized and he lives independently within the community.
Assaf worked voluntarily for several years at the National Library of Israel yet he left due to a deterioration in his physical condition. Afterwards, Assaf worked for about a year and a half at the Ha’Meshakem Sheltered Company (2005 – 2006). He left due to difficulties with the staff, according to him. Subsequently, he worked in a sheltered production plant on HaOman St., and he left due to transportation difficulties while trying to arrive to this workplace. During 2006 – 2007, a gradual decline in his physical and mental condition has taken place, and since then he suffers from an accumulation of mental and physical problems – back problems, digestive problems, deterioration of his psoriatic condition, joint problems, more severe and more frequent anxiety attacks. Assaf has lost faith in the public services, he claims that there is a deterioration in the quality of service and the professionalism of the employees. He has terminated his connection and relationships with the Enosh Mental Health Association, attempted an accommodation escort by means of the Kidum
REUT Community Mental Health Registered Society “Avivit” Hostel
Avivit Hostel, 6 Avivit St., Jerusalem 96508, Telefax: 02-6432551
Email: [email protected]
Association, which has not succeeded. In April 2007, he approached the Tzohar Association, a private association that engages in rehabilitation and recuperation.
In November 2007, he was referred to the Reut Community Mental Health Registered Society and was admitted under the status of protected accommodation (sheltered housing) at the Avivit Hostel, and he is escorted by the Hostel’s staff.
During our escort, provided during the last three years, a deterioration in Assaf’s mental health condition can be observed, and following are several indices regarding this deterioration:
- Assaf’s level of suspicion is increasing, a suspicion that intensifies by a pessimistic world-view, an absolute lack of trust and faith in any therapeutic factor, whether medical, psychiatric or professional. The relationship that he maintains with the Hostel’s staff is very partial, he refuses to accept guides (instructors) from the Hostel and he is willing to maintain contact solely with the social worker, whom he also regards as a representative of a system that does not seek his well-being.
- A tendency to seclusion which worsens. Assaf is not connected to any social framework. He does not maintain any friendly human relationship, not with the Hostel’s residents, and as stated-above, neither with guides (instructors) from the Hostel, not with his family, whom he also distances himself from, almost up to a complete detachment (the word “almost” is utilized since his mother insists on maintaining the connection despite his resistance). He does not partake in any community life, finds himself secluded in complete solitude on Saturdays and Holidays, he does not respond to any offer to join a certain framework, an event, Holiday eves and the like.
- Entanglements and encounters with therapeutic factors: over the three years, during which we have been escorting Assaf, he managed to swap between several Family Physicians at the HMO, some of them clearly sought his well-being, yet he did not know how to identify this. He quarreled and argued with the staff at the Mental Health Community Clinic in Kiryat Yovel and outright refused to continue his psychiatric surveillance there. There too, the staff tried to come towards him, yet he did not notice it. Despite the fact that he is the main sufferer from this story, he appealed to every entity related to mental health in order to obtain an alternate psychiatric surveillance. Finally, following our appeal to the Ir Ganim HMO, a certain arrangement was achieved, beyond the letter of the law, allowing the required surveillance at the HMO. His encounters are always accompanied by writing dozens of complaint letters, including appeals to the media, with regard to all the factors that treat him: the rehabilitation basket, the Reut Community Mental Health Registered Society, the National Insurance Institute, the HMO’s and more.
- Boycott of the Hostel and the escorting Association: although he keeps receiving an escort on behalf of the Reut Community Mental Health Registered Society, he refuses to arrive by himself to the Hostel, and the encounters are carried out solely as house calls. His suspicion and hostility are directed towards the Hostel’s staff and residents and he even writes complaints and greatly complains about the escort itself. Nonetheless, a certain level of normal reality judgement does exist, and despite the anger and the complaints, he has refrained so far from disconnecting the relation with us as well.
- An increasing level of anxiety: Assaf is very anxious about his upcoming future, both in terms of his psychiatric health and his accommodation options as well as financially and existentially. This level of anxiety makes him live in unbearable scarcity and austerity.
- Abstinence and austerity during his daily life: Assaf is convinced that in the not-so-distant future he will become homeless, and out of his own considerations, he saves electric power and saves on any other expense, and therefore, he does not heat his apartment during the winter, does not heat his food and he does not allow himself to experience any pleasure or contentment. He also economizes when it comes to his health matters, such as dental treatments or medications that might alleviate the physical suffering and pains he suffers from.
REUT Community Mental Health Registered Society “Avivit” Hostel
Avivit Hostel, 6 Avivit St., Jerusalem 96508, Telefax: 02-6432551
Email: [email protected]
- An obsessive engagement in correspondence and writing to every possible factor that he thinks that his story may touch his heart, thus making him provide assistance within diverse areas which were marked by Assaf as goals that must be achieved. This extensive correspondence has become his life-practice, he writes, photographs and sometimes distributes in dozens of copies, to Government Offices, Knesset Members, periodicals and magazines, associations, law firms, private bodies and entities, places of business and more. In most cases, he does not receive any replies, in certain cases he receives some attention – this practice awarded meaning and content to his life. According to him, as long as he is alive, he will continue and this is his way of fighting for the rights that he deserves.
- Difficulties in adjusting to places of employment: along the entire time period, Assaf exchanged several places of employment, each time on the basis of difficulties or accessibility or complaints regarding his terms of employment. However, it should be noted that recently he found by himself a place of business that employs him three times a week, and so far, they are pleased with him. Assaf himself does not have a lot of faith in this place, yet as of today, and for the past two months, he has managed to persevere.
In summary: there is no doubt that his psychiatric image is not common, there are several capabilities that are relatively preserved, such as: the cognitive capability, his oral and writing expression capabilities, and on the other hand, a severe mental injury. He is situated within an enclosed circle of loneliness and despair. The nature of his symptoms does not allow him to receive any assistance or support, he is convinced that the entire world is against him, that there is no way out, and that the situation will only get worse. There are no psychotic outbursts in the customary sense, yet there exist tantrums and severe aggression, which currently, are mainly directed towards his mother when she dares to visit him (this was much worse when he lived with a partner who suffered from his severe tantrums, and as a result we were forced to discontinue their apartment partnership). With regard to Assaf, the sensation is that the entire structure is a hermetic paranoid structure, his reality judgement is very defective and inadequate and this is particularly obvious when he does not identify the people who want to assist him and he pushes everyone away. It is possible to notice the decline of the effect, up to the absence of any human emotion, even with regard to close people or caregivers/therapists, with whom he is in daily contact. The dominant emotion that controls him is despair, which keeps worsening. This influences his life quality, not to mention the extremely low level of life in which he subsists.
As the person who has been escorting him for the past two years, and from the conversations he held with the Psychiatrist who treated him, there is no doubt that his behavioral difficulties, his mental problems, the tantrums and the like, pertain and emanate from his mental disorder, and therefore, his blunt, insulting and outrageous behavior should also be regarded as a symptom of his problems and not as a separate part of them.
Naomi Harpaz
Social Worker
The Avivit Hostel
Ir Ganim
