According to Dr. Wendy Sandler, an Israeli sign language expert, the purpose of the video is to enable hearing-impaired children to encounter children’s literature as a cultural and aesthetic experience. Sandler, who is not deaf herself, heads the Laboratory for the Study of Sign Languages, Linguistics, and Cognition here. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English Language and Literature.

The entire story is told in Israeli sign language—not in Hebrew with accompanying signs. The videotape also includes a simultaneous dubbing into Hebrew, thereby allowing both deaf and normal hearing children to enjoy the performance. With the tape comes a written translation into Hebrew of the tale. The story is acted out and told in Israeli sign by Tami Salomon, a deaf actress.

The videotape is available for purchase from the Sign Language Laboratory.