Parenting a special-needs child is an all-consuming role that demands a great deal of time, energy and emotional stamina. Therefore, the occasional need to “recharge” is essential, especially during busy times such as family occasions, summer vacation or during holidays.

In 2006, Seeach Sod opened the doors of the Nofshon Respite Center, a fully equipped children-friendly hotel that's open 365 days a year. Parents can have their child temporarily stay at the Respite Center during busy seasons such as vacation time, holidays, if parents are leaving the country, when there is a family occasion or other circumstances that make it hard for them to care for their child with special needs.

In 2014, Seeach Sod completed a new section of the center!

The Nofshon Center houses a few hundred children and adults each year and hosted approximately 3,500 sleepovers in the year 2015.

Each child at Seeach Sod is allotted 15 sleepover nights which are subsidized by the Welfare Ministry and parents only have to pay a nominal fee of 25 NIS (approximately $6) per night. Parents may request and receive up to 45 additional subsidized sleepover nights if their request is approved by the Welfare Ministry. Since many of our students are diagnosed with a moderate-severe degree of disability, many of them are indeed granted additional nights, thus pushing the demand even higher.

The Respite Center is supervised 24 hours a day by qualified counselors. The children participate in activities, are showered, put to bed and in the morning, the staff members dress and feed the children and send them off to their respective educational framework.

The center is located at 6 Ha'or Street in Jerusalem- a three minute walk from the Central Bus Station.

The expansion of the Center was generously funded by:

Bituach Leumi

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

The Donald Berman Foundation

Contact Person:
Tzvika Cohen
Respite Center Coordinator
[email protected]