Special needs

Reporter's Notebook: Perfect time to panic: Separated from my special-needs son during the war

"It's a sickening feeling to be separated from him at a time like this, not because I can do anything to protect him that the people around him can’t, but because our bond is so strong."

 The author's son Danny, at home in happier times.
 Producer Lawrence Bender in Los Angeles, 2016.

Grapevine: Special needs at center

 THE SEWING room where special-needs students learn life skills and create products.

An educational model to emulate: Serving the special-needs population at the ulpana in Ofra

 AN ACTIVITY shows how important it is to support the one who seems different, because when we strengthen them, the whole chain stays strong.

How one teenager in northern Israel learned to fight the stigma around autism - opinion


Don’t deny the reality of profound autism - comment

PEOPLE LIKE Yotam are not a tiny minority of those on the spectrum but represent at least a quarter of those diagnosed with autism.

 Yotam Rabinovich (center) in Beilinson Hospital with his parents, Ilan (left) and Ilanit, after he sustained a serious injury.

Because we are all equal in emergency - opinion

Two days after the war broke out, I established the Purple Emergency Center – an emergency assistance center for people with disabilities.

 ‘I dream a lot about the future. I see a stronger, more inclusive Israeli society,’ says the writer

Hero to Hero: Rehabilitation program for wounded soldiers celebrates in ceremony

"Hero to Hero is far more than physical rehabilitation. It serves as a bridge between two worlds—wounded soldiers and the heroes of Special in Uniform."

 Riding horses for rehabilitation with the Hero to Hero organization

How Israel's special needs community copes with one year of war

The terrorists took the lives of some Israelis with special needs, and these losses, along with the trauma and dislocations of the war, have caused great suffering in this community.

 BRYAN FRIEDLAND’S paintings, influenced by the war: ‘Tears from Heaven.’

Omer Adam joins IDF special needs band for 'unforgettable' performance

The event, reportedly attended by over 10,500 people, highlighted the talents of the musicians while emphasizing the importance of inclusion.

Israeli singer Omer Adam on stage with the Special in Uniform band in Tel Aviv, September 24, 2024

‘Dies Irae’ - A short story

THE LAST time I remember taking him to the museum was during the summer he turned 18, one of our hardest times.

 I LIKE going to museums at night.

Making Passover accessible: Haggadah for people with disabilities 

A disabilities charity develops interactive digital haggadah to make seder more inclusive.

 David enjoying the model seder with the IssieRoot’s interactive Haggadah

'They wouldn't treat me like I was made of glass': Autistic IDF recruits complete service

"I was excited to join the army like everyone else, that they wouldn't treat me like I was made of glass,” Ori Weiss said.

 The IDF's "Advance" program provides an opportunity for men and women with autism to serve in the military.

20 years of Darkaynu: The year-in-Israel program for Jews with special needs

Darkaynu’s overall goal is to teach them practical skills for living a Jewish life, encompassing Shabbat observance and kashrut. 

 DARKAYNU WOMEN’S first visit to the Old City and the Kotel is a dream come true for many.

For Israelis with special needs, the war has been hard. This is how KKL-JNF helps

Since October 7, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) has stepped up its efforts to help the most vulnerable populations in Israel.

 Activities of KKL-JNF Department of Volunteers in the aftermath of October 7.

Special education for preschoolers and early education neglected, underfunded - report

A new report highlights the scope that special education for young children is underfunded, undermanned, and neglected.

 LEARNING IN Ohr Moshe retrains students to believe in themselves.