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HomeNewsA Once-in-Fifty-Years Orientation
Tuesday, 14 September 2021 22:13

A Once-in-Fifty-Years Orientation

On Monday, 15 Elul, Seeach Sod's staff members from all over the country poured into the Mini Israel site in Latrun for an orientation ceremony in honor of the new school year, 5782.

 

Buses from Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Bet Shemesh, Beitar Ilit, Modiin Ilit, and Tzfat unloaded the over one-thousand staff members who made time within their incredibly busy schedules to join together for an evening that is all about recognizing the tremendous mission and importance of their work.

The impressive ceremony focused on Seeach Sod's personal "jubilee" – fifty years of incredible community work to develop awareness and an accommodating environment for individuals with special needs, initiated by father of charedi special education and founder of Seeach Sod, Rabbi Dov Levy z"l.

 

   

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First, the staff members toured the beautiful site and enjoyed the exhibits, interspersed with displays from m'Ofek l'Ofek – an exhibition portraying Seeach Sod's various programs throughout the country: Daycare centers and preschools; schools and cheders and yeshivos; group homes, employment programs and day centers; respite programs and complementary services.

The staff members, many of them new employees who have only recently joined Seeach Sod following its exponential growth in both programs and services in order to provide a more accurate and individualized service to every student, familiarized themselves with the new programs and services that have recently opened.

One example is the new hydrotherapy pool in Ramat Shlomo, which joins the pool in Ramot. The new pool is equipped with a specialized sensory stimulation system and is already in use by the preschool, cheders and yeshivah students for hydrotherapy, rehabilitation, and swimming.

Another new framework is an additional Shoham day center which provides advanced services to people with physical disabilities.

One of the most popular exhibits was of the new Autism Division – Shearim – which provides specific therapies for students on the autism spectrum, guided by Seeach Sod's communication experts. The new division is unique in that services are provided from babyhood, with a specialized daycare center for babies diagnosed with ASD. In addition, the Shaarei Tevunah yeshivah and cheder have now been opened inside Seeach Sod's new building in Ramat Shlomo, and Bishe'arayich, a high school for girls with ASD, in Ramot. The unique approach tailored specifically for individuals on the spectrum was depicted in a beautiful informative video created by Seeach Sod's pedagogical team as part of their efforts to promote community awareness.

Seeach Sod was honored with the participation of Rabbi Zusha Horowitz, rav of the chassidish community in Elad, who delivered a moving address about the tremendous mission and zechuyos accrued for the Yom Hadin by all those who have a share in this holy work.

Also honoring the event with their participance were Rabbi Shimon Goldberg, deputy mayor of Bet Shemesh, representing the city in which Seeach Sod's services have been swiftly developing over the last few years; Rabbi Tzvi Cohen, deputy mayor of Jerusalem, who delivered a warm address; and Rabbi Yehoshua Mandel, deputy mayor of Bnei Brak, who provides constant assistance in developing the employment programs, Shoham day centers, and group homes in the city.

After an emotional speech by a representative of the parent body, the event concluded with a combined performance by master storyteller Rabbi Aharon Weintrab and sand artist Rabbi Aharon Zeev Berenstein, who brought to life the story of Seeach Sod's vision. Seeach Sod's boys' choir, Shir Meyuchad, treated the participants to their beautiful music, after which certificates and prizes were awarded to excelling staff members from all programs.

In CEO Rabbi Shimon Levy's words, "After fifty years, our revolution [continues to] demand professionalism, innovation, and accuracy in treatment. Today, our revolutionary perspective maintains that we do not measure a person by his disability, but rather adapt the environment to his functioning level and abilities. We help him develop skills for maximum quality of life in his environment. The elite corps that have gathered here today around our mission flag are our super-unit. [They have] the ability to accurately accommodate every individual student…and the needs of every family, and high demands to keep on growing personally and developing [the services] more and more."