On the Ground In Israel

Jewish National Fund-USA’s overarching mission is to improve the quality of life in Israel. Ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, fulfills their potential, and is fully accepted into Israeli society, is an important part of this. To this end, JNF-USA partners with four special needs organizations in Israel who dramatically change the lives of people with disabilities every day and foster a more inclusive society.

After October 7, the need for mental health and resilience services skyrocketed. These special needs affiliates are meeting critical needs for both the civilian population and soldiers in a myriad of ways.

I’ve seen and experienced incredible things on JNF-USA missions to Israel. Just imagine the joy of riding an all-terrain wheelchair along LOTEM’s beautiful, accessible nature trails. Or the pride of a Special in Uniform (SIU) soldier as he describes his work repairing the Iron Dome. I cherish memories of the day I spent at Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center (Red Mountain) working with special needs kids who were grinning from ear to ear as they rode gentle therapeutic horses. And with war raging mere miles away, I’ll never forget watching severely disabled children laughing and playing on Adi Negev Nahalat Eran’s (Adi Negev) accessible playground.

Let me give you a glimpse into these affiliates: their work during “normal” times, and how they have pivoted to address mental health and resilience needs. I hope you can come on a JNF-USA mission to see them in action!

LOTEM

LOTEM is Israel’s leading organization providing outdoor activities and hands-on learning programs for people with disabilities (including those with physical, cognitive, sensory, communication and mental disabilities across all levels of functioning). With over 100,000 participants every year, its impact on inclusivity and accessibility is unparalleled.

JNF-USA has supported LOTEM’s vital work for over 18 years. LOTEM’s work includes a 40-acre farm - with hands-on workshops - for over 35,000 special needs school children per year, wheelchair-accessible hiking and sensory trails, and a teaching garden. LOTEM also collaborates with museums and heritage sites to make them physically and cognitively accessible.

Emotional well-being has always been part of LOTEM’s programs. Considering the huge increase in PTSD and other mental health disorders among soldiers and civilians after Hamas’ October 7 atrocities and since then, 50% of LOTEM’s activities now address mental and emotional well-being. Their new and expanded programs encompass evacuated communities, injured soldiers, and victims of domestic violence.

Programs include “Moving Forward” nature retreats for injured IDF soldiers dealing with trauma, and “Healing in Nature” retreats enabling civilians affected by the conflict to share their common experiences. With domestic violence also on the rise, LOTEM’s ongoing Mother Nature Art Therapy program continues to provide a safe way for mothers and children to address their trauma.

Special in Uniform

SIU, another incredible Jewish National Fund-USA affiliate, integrates young Israelis with disabilities (people on the autism spectrum, those with developmental delays or hearing and vision impairments, and individuals with a wide range of other cognitive and physical issues) into the IDF. There are currently 1,000 SIU soldiers actively serving across 50 bases.

Emphasizing abilities instead of disabilities, young Jewish, Bedouin, Druze and Arab SIU soldiers serve in many roles including: IDF intelligence; Iron Dome, robot and other air defense missile maintenance; military warehouse organization; grounds maintenance work, protective kit assembly; culinary jobs; and the SIU band.

In addition, SIU integrates these young people (and their families) into the fabric of Israeli life where the IDF is the gateway to belonging, forming lifelong friendships and finding careers. Cori, an SIU soldier, helped prepare rescue equipment. He served with pride for 4 years and eventually became a lieutenant. Upon graduating from SIU, and with SIU’s assistance, he is now working at the Ben Gurion Airport for a company that supplies kosher airplane meals.

SIU soldiers receive considerable occupational, life-skills and military training. They learn to live independently via community homes and receive job assistance after their military service is completed.

Many people have been wounded since the war began. SIU’s new “Gibor L’Gibor” (Hero for Hero program) brings together SIU soldiers with wounded IDF soldiers who face complex physical and mental recoveries. Through joint therapy sessions, both groups of soldiers find strength, healing and companionship and form incredible bonds.

Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center

Located in the Arava Valley, Jewish National Fund-USA Affiliate Red Mountain is the only facility of its kind within 200 miles. With specially trained horses, specialized equipment and licensed certified therapists, Red Mountain provides 10,000 therapy sessions annually to participants from 3 to 86 years old.

Red Mountain serves a broad spectrum of the special needs population with cognitive, physical and emotional disabilities (such as cerebral palsy and other brain injuries, autism, and ADHD). The goals of therapeutic riding vary depending upon the abilities and needs of the individual. Therapeutic riding can reduce spasticity, strengthen the body, stimulate new sensory experiences, encourage relaxation, and improve communication skills, focus, and attention span.

A team of licensed therapists and trained volunteers run the program, working with local schools to develop personalized plans for each student. Therapy is integrated into many school curriculums, with “school days at the ranch.” Therapy is conducted in conjunction with medical and educational teams including occupational, physical and speech therapists.

Now, with dramatic increases in the number of Israelis impacted by stress, trauma and injury, Red Mountain is working with IDF reservists, home from duty, suffering from mental and physical difficulties. Individuals and families, evacuated to the Arava from the Gaza border communities and the North, are also being helped. Ifat, an evacuee from Kibbutz Re’im (three miles from the Gaza border) spoke to JNF-USA supporters at my home. A survivor of the October 7 atrocities, Ifat shared her story of that horrible day. She recently moved back to Kibbutz Re’im and says she has learned to “live beside her pain.” She also says therapeutic riding helped during “the saddest time” of her life. She is now in training to become a therapeutic riding instructor to help others.

ADI NEGEV-NAHALAT ERAN

ADI Negev is an amazing, state-of-the-art rehabilitation village in Israel’s Negev Desert. It offers extraordinary care for children, adolescents and adults with multiple severe disabilities and services that empower residents and outpatients to reach their greatest potential. The facility is now also able to serve those needing inpatient medical care through a new hospital established in the village.

Recently, in response to October 7, the ‘Merhavim La’Nefesh’ Regional Resilience Program was established for families from the Gaza envelope and western Negev region, in conjunction with the Merhavim Regional Council and JNF-USA, and in coordination with other regional councils in western Negev. Through this programming, developmental psychologists at ADI Negev are utilizing the rehabilitation village’s vast resources to help children from the Negev region overcome post-trauma issues, including feelings of fear, isolation, loss of control and more.

February Is Jewish Disability Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion Month. Please join me in donating to Jewish National Fund-USA’s special needs affiliates to meet current critical needs.

Written by Dvorah Richman, President JNF-USA Greater Washington Board, Member JNF-USA Special Needs and Disabilities Task Force and Women for Israel.