Gellis
Obrasky is committed to public service. In particular, we strive to focus our pro bono efforts on obtaining accessibility
for people with disabilities in places of public accommodations and services
provided by private entities.
Israel’s
Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law went into effect on January 1,1999. Among other things, the law requires that places of public
accommodations and services, including private entities must be accessible to
people with disabilities. Places of
public accommodations and services include: places of entertainment, retirement homes, public gatherings, hospitals
and clinics, accredited higher and adult education, museums, fields or
locations designed for sports events, stores, including supermarkets exceeding
certain square footage, air, sea, train and bus terminals, post offices,
religious centers, hotels, pools, restaurants serving more than 25 guests,
etc.
Unfortunately,
while this law was passed in 1999, Israel is still a fairly inaccessible
country to the disabled with regard to private places of public accommodations
and services. Many private entities
providing public accommodations and services blatantly disregard this law,
thereby discriminating against people with disabilities. The unfortunate majority of restaurants,
bars, hair and nail salons, coffee shops, and clothing stores have one to
multiple barriers to accessibility for the disabled. They either have steps leading to their
entrance, narrow bathrooms or changing rooms, elevated seating, or too narrow
of or no elevator. Inaccessibility such
as this not only serves as a barrier to entry for disabled individuals, but
also serves to disregard their human dignity and freedom.
Gellis Obrasky is dedicated to making Israel a more
accessible place for people with disabilities.
By letter, we put inaccessible private entities providing public
accommodations and services on notice of their violation of Israel’s Equal
Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law.
In this letter, we inform them of the specific requirements provided by
the law and demand the entity’s prompt compliance thereof. If the entity subsequently refuses to comply,
Gellis Obrasky may choose to take the entity to court.