BECAUSE OF YOU…
Dana is a happy 15-year-old with challenges who loves singing, dancing, and music. When the pandemic struck, her school shut down, cutting her off from friends and teachers. Then her single mom lost her job. There was no money to buy Dana a computer to keep her connected to the outside world. Jewish National Fund-USA was there to help, through affiliate LOTEM, a leader in special needs education and training in Israel.
Because of you, Dana now has a computer at home that enables her to study virtually and “see” her classmates at her special needs school in Jerusalem.
In response to Dana’s situation and others just like her, LOTEM started the “computer for every child with special needs” campaign with JNF-USA. So far, they have helped close to 250 children and raised over $200,000. Because LOTEM maintains a close relationship with the special needs schools in Israel, they were able to quickly identify children like Dana who did not have a home computer due to their family’s financial situation. LOTEM partnered with the schools to provide (and in many cases personally deliver and set up) not only computers and laptops, but also software customized to the specific needs of each child.
The results of this campaign were life-changing! In a world where being able to connect virtually has become the norm, these children can now communicate with the outside world. Dana can listen and sing to the music on her computer and even draw using specialized software. And because her school still shuts down every time a child is exposed to the virus, Dana can keep up with her studies even if her school is closed.
From the north to the south, LOTEM works with organizations, schools, and municipalities to make Israel accessible. Over 100,000 people (both children and adults) are served annually through LOTEM. Through LOTEM, Jewish National Fund-USA gives 60% of the special needs schools in Israel the opportunity to participate in outdoor field trips. Trips are customized to the needs of the students, with a strong emphasis on sensory learning. LOTEM’s main site, Emek HaShalom, is a 40-acre farm located in Northern Israel. It provides a hands-on learning experience with a teaching garden, olive press, winery, bakery, and trails suitable for wheelchairs. Activities include baking bread and seasoning it with herbs grown in LOTEM’s teaching garden, as well as making olive oil by picking the olives and grinding them using a physically accessible olive press wheel. Off-site programs include accessible hikes, nature clubs, workshops, and more.
Jewish National Fund-USA connects the work done at LOTEM with initiatives and programs beyond nature. These programs include virtual learning in cooperation with local schools, a partnership with Hadassah Hospital to offer safe and supervised outdoor activities for residents in the youth psychiatric ward, pairing special needs children with neurotypical children so they can enjoy the outdoors together, and working with heritage sites to make them more physically and cognitively accessible. This includes simplifying signage, enhancing audio and visual options for the visually and hearing impaired, and making physical modifications to buildings.
LOTEM’s In-Service Training Center also teaches industry leaders how to best integrate those with special needs into Israeli society. Each year, approximately 6,000 professionals from the government and private sectors, high-tech and service industries, and the medical and educational fields receive this training. The center works in conjunction with the Israeli Ministry of Education.
In addition to supporting those with physical and cognitive challenges, Jewish National Fund-USA helps those with traumatic emotional challenges. Working with domestic violence shelters in Israel, LOTEM creates a safe and restorative experience outdoors for mothers and their children through their Mother Nature program. Hiking, cooking, and art workshops help promote trust and self-confidence. With the help of professionals, mothers and their children eventually learn to transition back to independent living.
To learn more about our work with disabilities and special needs, click here.