Israeli group works hard to empower disabled
By Paul Haist
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Tzvi Herskowitz's day job is in international public relations for an Israeli organization called the Aleh Association. Aleh provides home environments, home life, education and care—both loving and state-of-the-art—for severely disabled children. The goal is to empower them to reach their full potential, whatever that may be.
In his spare time, Herskowitz hires out as a chazzan. He came to Oregon in September to help with High Holy Days services at Congregation Ahavas Torah in Eugene.
He took the opportunity of his visit to Oregon to share the story of Aleh with Jewish leaders in the hope that some here would help some there, in Israel.
Aleh was created in 1982 by a group of parents with severely disabled children. In the 25 years since its founding, Aleh has established four care facilities that provide vital residential services to nearly 500 severely disabled children and young adults, and outpatient services for 8,000 others.
Aleh has become the leader in its field and model for all.
Speaking of those in residential care at Aleh, including many who are really young adults, he said, "Our children are all in diapers. Some don't talk."
When he speaks of Aleh successes, one understands even more what he means by severely disabled.
"We have a girl, 22, who (before her family brought her to Aleh) never sat on a chair. Two weeks later she was sitting on a chair. We have a 24-year-old boy finally toilet trained."
Although Aleh has grown to become the largest network of its kind in Israel, it has remained true to its founding principle, according to Herskowtiz.
That guiding principle is that "every child, no matter how severely disabled, has the inalienable right to fulfill his or her potential and to have a quality of life on par with the rest of society."
To that end, Aleh provides services that fall into five main categories:
? Residential Care that includes the disabled in community life, regardless of the need for round-the clock supervision.
? Physiotherapy programs that are personalized to each individual's needs and designed to encourage maximum development.
?Communication therapy intended to provide the disabled with the ability to communicate with another human being, even when what might be possible is only the twitching of a finger, the moving of an eyebrow or even blowing on a straw.
? Education based on intensive early intervention programs using computer-assisted learning tools to develop creative skills and boost self-esteem.
? Special activities intended to provide the severely disabled with outside recreational opportunities similar to those enjoyed by people in the general society.
The four locales in which Aleh has facilities are Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Gedara and Ofakim.
The Ofakim facility is in the Negev and is the newest and most ambitious Aleh initiative yet.
Called Aleh Negev, the 25-acre compound is really a village designed to meet the needs of Aleh children who have reached adulthood.
Aleh Negev will house 200 disabled adults and provide outpatient services to some 12,000 disabled children and young adults from its area every year.
Israel Defense Force Maj. Gen. Doron Almog (Res.) is chairman of Aleh Negev. The former head of the IDF Southern Command and Gaza is the father of Eran, a severely disabled boy in the care of Aleh.
Doron has written poignantly of his and his wife's "slow, tormenting and endlessly painful" disillusionment that accompanied their gradual discovery that their infant Eran suffered from both autism and a separate mental disability.
"The expectations narrowed down to something like, 'If he could only learn to eat by himself, to go to the bathroom by himself?if he could only have his own world of content, if only no one would harm him?" wrote Doron.
Then Doron and his wife found Aleh.
"The Aleh Association was successful in creating for Eran and his friends a warm and loving environment that has won our complete trust, thus, in effect, widening our family circle," said Doron.
Herskowitz says Doron is there every week to be with his son.
Moreover, according to Herskowitz, Eran and the others like him, benefit not only from their life in the caring environment of Aleh, which includes their families, but they also interact with the surrounding communities.
"These kids can't be mainstreamed," said Herskowitz, "but we bring the community in."
At the Negev facilty, which is not yet complete but already in use, he said soldiers from nearby bases, high school students and others come routinely to Aleh.
"They'll be working with these kids and realizing they are part of society. Maybe this will change the outlook on retarded children," said Herskowitz.
Herskowitz wants people here to help Aleh achieve its goals, help Aleh complete its ambitious Negev facility, for which many naming opportunities remain.
He suggested that someone here might lead an effort to raise a specific amount for a specific remaining room project. A successful campaign, he said, would result in the naming of the room for Oregon's Jewish community.
Remaining naming opportunities include the completion and equipping of the following:
l Doctors' Room: $12,000
l Two Hospital Beds
(one room): $10,000
l Kitchen: $10,000
l Music/Movement
Room: $14,000
l Occupational
Therapy Room: $13,000
Learn more about Aleh online at www.aleh.org, where gifts also may be made.
For those without Internet access, Aleh may be contacted by telephone at its U.S. office at
1-800-317-2534.