Lab members 

Debby Menashe

Debby Menashe
debbi

Email: dbjewelry@gmail.com
I started working as a research assistant in the lab in 1998. My work is on Israeli Sign Language (ISL) since it is my native language (I was born to a deaf family). My work includes translation, documentation and coding of different linguistic materials of ISL. While working here, I discovered that sign language arouses deep interest in me, and that there is a fascinating deaf community behind it, with a unique mental and cultural character. 

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Sarah Lanesman

Sarah Lanesman

Research Assistant. I am deaf, as are my sisters. Sign language is my main and preferred mode of communication in all aspects of life. I have an MA degree from the University of Central Lancshire, Preston, UK. My thesis is titled: “Algerian Jewish Sign Language: its emergence and survival”, supervized by Prof. Ulrike Zeshan and Dr. Irit Meir. This is the first publication and documentation of this endangered language. In the sign language research lab I was involved in several projects: The history of ISL, Village sign languages of Israel and Algerian Jewish Sign Language.

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Yifat Ben-Zeev

Yifat Ben-Zeev Research Assistant. As a bilingual (Israeli Sign Language and Hebrew) I am fascinated by sign languages, working with them from various angles. In education, I teach Deaf children and youth from different backgrounds and communities (Jews, Arabs, etc.). It is fascinating to discover the cultural wealth and the variety of sign languages the children display. As a translator I work in translation for educational purposes and am
interested specifically in translation from Israeli Sign Language to the spoken language, a task which is no small feat, and am a lecturer in programs for training Israeli Sign Language interpreters.

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