By Sophie Stillman
Despite the diverse backgrounds of this cohort of the Nachshon Project, one thing that binds us together-- that transcends our religious, educational, or political upbringings-- is our love for camp, and the small people we spend our summers with… kids!
A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to visit an organization in Israel that is doing incredible things for some amazing kids and their families. Shalva Children’s Center, located right here in Jerusalem, provides free, non-denominational programs for children with special needs. From infancy through adulthood, Shalva offers care to the individual child, support for their families, and inspires advocacy and inclusion in the larger Israeli society.
During our visit to Shalva, we were able to learn about the work they do every day, tour their current facility (which they will soon vacate for a larger building in order to accommodate more children), as well as do an art project with a group of the center’s children and volunteers. One of the biggest things I took away from the visit at Shalva was the story of how the center was founded, and it’s relation to a common theme I see throughout Israeli society-- resilience.
When Yossi Samuels was eleven months old, he was injured by a faulty vaccination which left him blind, deaf, and acutely hyperactive. Kalman and Malki Samuels, Yossi’s parents, refused to send their son to an institution away from home in order to lighten their burden. Instead, they dedicated their lives to Yossi’s development, and as a result they were left feeling taxed, overwhelmed and isolated. When he was eight years old, with the guidance of a therapist who was also deaf, Yossi learned his first word, “shulchan” (which means “table” in Hebrew) by using his finger on her palm to spell out the word. From that day forward, Malki Samuels dedicated her life to helping other families experiencing challenges like she and her family had faced.
Not unlike the Jewish people throughout history, the Samuels family faced a challenge in their lives that could have resulted in a less than desireable life for Yossi, and for themselves. Instead, they overcame their challenge, and made something beautiful out of something tragic. Malki Samuels had a vision, a dream for her son and other children with special needs, and didn’t allow any obstacles she faced to steer her away from this mission. The Samuels family-- Yossi and his parents, as well as the entire Shalva family-- are truly inspiring.
A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to visit an organization in Israel that is doing incredible things for some amazing kids and their families. Shalva Children’s center, located right here in Jerusalem, provides free, non-denominational programs for children with special needs. From infancy through adulthood, Shalva offers care to the individual child, support for their families, and inspires advocacy and inclusion in the larger Israeli society.
During our visit to Shalva, we were able to learn about the work they do every day, tour their current facility (which they will soon vacate for a larger building in order to accommodate more children), as well as do an art project with a group of the center’s children and volunteers.
One of the biggest things I took away from the visit at Shalva was the story of how the center was founded, and it’s relation to a common theme I see throughout Israeli society-- resilience.
When Yossi Samuels was eleven months old, he was injured by a faulty vaccination which left him blind, deaf, and acutely hyperactive. Kalman and Malki Samuels, Yossi’s parents, refused to send their son to an institution away from home in order to lighten their burden. Instead, they dedicated their lives to Yossi’s development, and as a result they were left feeling taxed, overwhelmed and isolated. When he was eight years old, with the guidance of a therapist who was also deaf, Yossi learned his first word, “shulchan” (which means “table” in Hebrew) by using his finger on her palm to spell out the word. From that day forward, Malki Samuels dedicated her life to helping other families experiencing challenges like she and her family had faced.
Not unlike the Jewish people throughout history, the Samuels family faced a challenge in their lives that could have resulted in a less than desirable life for Yossi, and for themselves. Instead, they overcame their challenge, and made something beautiful out of something tragic. Malki Samuels had a vision, a dream for her son and other children with special needs, and didn’t allow any obstacles she faced to steer her away from this mission. The Samuels family-- Yossi and his parents, as well as the entire Shalva family-- are truly inspiring.
