From Dafna Yalon

The Society for Scientific Graphology (Israel) (SSGI) was founded in 1977. It is the largest and the only strictly professional graphological society in Israel, with almost 150 members with additional academic degrees. Since 2014 the SSGI is member of ADEG. It’s Facebook page can be found here.

The founders of the Society were Dr. Arie Naftali, Hava Ratzon and Ruth Zucker. Dr. Naftali was an M.D who had studied in Germany under Prof. Pophal and became the first president of SSGI. Ratzon, the second President, was an Educational Psychologist who specialised in French graphology in Belgium and had also studied with Dr. Pulver. She authored a book about children’s graphology. Zucker managed one of the largest human resource companies in Israel. Israel Odem, who had developed an original existential typology and written 13 professional books, was the Honorary President. Consequently, Israeli Graphology became a combination of the German, the French and the Odem Schools of Graphology.

The high standards of the SSGI were already set by that first Board and further developed by the following Presidents with additional backgrounds: Dafna Yalon (studied with Avé-Lallemant, wrote 4 books about graphology of non-Roman writing systems, the Star-Wave Test, children’s writing and handwriting disorders), Dr. Igal Vardi (Clinical Psychologist, wrote 10 books, four of them about further developments of the Odem system), Seffi Harash (Clinical Psychologist), Dvora Harel (wrote a book about Jungian Graphology), Ronit Gordin (Organisational Behaviour) and Dorit Ben-Ayon (Health Care).

The Board of Directors consists of five elected members and is assisted by four committees:

  1. Professional events committee – organising monthly professional lectures and workshops. Once a year a full-day professional convention is held.
  2. Examination committee – conducting a professional examination every year.
  3. Research committee – investigating original topics and examining new professional materials, updating and sharing materials with the members.
  4. Ethics committee – In July 2013 the society accepted the ADEG Code of Ethics, with additional restrictions.
  5. Forensic Graphology committee – representing the section of SSGI members who have specialised in that field.

For 17 years the SSGI has issued a professional journal and in the last years professional articles are regularily published on the website. Many members wrote articles in various Graphology journals, gave lectures and workshops in international confereces and participated in research projects.

In 1985 The SSGI held a large 3-days international congress in Jerusalem and published its contents in the book « Experiercing Graphology ». Another book published under the SSGI’s auspice was the translation into Hebrew of Ursula Avé-Lallemant’s manual for the Wartegg Test. Additional books were written by members of the Society: Orna Hetzroni (a textbook), Michal Doron (Poets’ handwriting), Ofer Ben-Horin (Graphotherapy), Keren Raveh (Forensic Graphology).

The SSGI has a comprehensive study programme, including bibliography, taught privately by various qualified teachers, members of the SSGI with a minimum of 5 years of professional experience, throughout the country. The programme includes 240 academic hours plus 60 internship hours, stressing the combination of theory and practical work in all the stages.

Once a year the SSGI holds a professional examination. Candidates must have an academic degree and at least one course in Psychopathology and personality theories based on the Society’s curriculum. The professional examination has two stages – a written (two handwriting analyses) and an oral one (knowledge and understanding of the theoretical aspects). Those who have passed with a grade of 75% and more are entitled to the “Certified Graphologist” diploma. They are required to sign the Code of Ethics in order to be accepted as members.

Graphology in Israel has a long history and the current status would not be where it is if it wasn’t for significant contributions to the IGC by Dafna Yalon with her work with children and The Star-Wave test, an example of which can be found here. Also key were Ruti Abarbanel and Aliza Loebstein.

Go here to read a recent report on the continuing importance of handwriting in Israel.

April 2019