I met Yosef 6 years ago, when I was working at New Jersey Yachad as a social work intern, working towards my MSW. We would have dinner together every Monday night, as part of a social skills program that I helped run for adults with developmental disabilities. Though Yosef was the youngest member of our program, he was always a delight to spend time with and I greatly enjoyed getting to know him over that year. Now, whenever I see him, he greets me like an old friend and the feeling is certainly mutual. When I sat down with the (incredible) New Jersey Yachad team, to discuss who they would recommend to participate in The Layers Project, they suggested Yosef’s mother, Bassie (Beth) and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to learn about the woman who raised this wonderful young man.
I asked Bassie to start her story from the beginning. “We named our son Yosef Dov after the Rav, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, zt’l, who was both my father’s and my husband’s Rebbe and teacher. When we gave him that name, we knew it was a big name to give to a very small baby, but we did so with big thoughts and high expectations about who he could become. Our hopes were that he would do great things. He was named for a brilliant man who taught and significantly influenced several generations of people.” At first, Yosef seemed like a typical baby. He was sweet and beautiful, but he was not a good sleeper and would bang his head against the wall. It was a very difficult time for the family, as Bassie’s mother in law, a relatively young woman, was ill with lung cancer. The other children were a big help with their baby brother, and there “When he reached age two, we noticed that his language had not developed very much and at one point, my oldest daughter said to me, ‘It feels like Yosef has been a baby for a long time.’ I knew what she meant. There was not much change between 1 and 2 years of age in terms of development.” At that they began speech therapy to try to assist in his growth.
Distracted by the passing of the family’s beloved grandmother and heartbroken over their loss, it took time to for Bassie and her husband to realize maybe Yosef needed some extra help. “Once she died, I started to notice that maybe there was something wrong with him beyond a speech deficit, and when I started to scream that there was really something wrong, we took him to a specialist who gave him the diagnosis of the 90’s called ‘PDD,’ or ‘Pervasive Development Disorder.’ My husband and I both heard it wrong, and thought it was ‘Pervasive Development Delay.’ We thus assumed that if we could give him so much therapy, time, attention and love, whatever this was we would be able to overcome it.” Bassie gave me a metaphor of a train. They thought he had missed the current train, but that eventually he would make the next train to get to the “typical” station. At that time they thought that Yosef would be able one day to catch up developmentally with his age cohort.
Bassie described the moment that she realized that Yosef would not be typical. “When he was about 5, I would see “typical” 5 year olds, and then I would see Yosef, and I recognized the ocean of difference between their development. I realized then that this was not something that was going to go away. We were not going to be able to “therapize” or even “love” this condition out of him. My husband and I understood that Yosef has autism; this is who he is. It was a terrible time for me personally. I was still crying, but I threw myself into researching everything I could in order to try and find ways to make life better for him.”
As Yosef grew, his behavior became more challenging for the family. “He was tantruming constantly, and any transitions in his schedule would cause another tantrum. He would constantly try to escape the house. He was like a mini Houdini; we would all be locked in the house and he would be outside. He would find a window to climb out of, and passers-by would sometimes knock on the door and say “Your son is on the roof.” The whole family felt the stress of managing Yosef’s behavior, and his siblings concern for his safety and happiness, and their parents’ stress, led them to do whatever they could to be helpful and supportive to Yosef. When Bassie found research that showed that a gluten and casein free diet might be helpful, they convened a family meeting to discuss whether all the children would be willing to sacrifice having those foods in the house. “We asked our other children if they would be OK no longer having pizza bagels, pasta, snacks, and many other things they were used to, and they said they would do anything to make life easier and better for Yosef. After some time, we began to see significant changes in his behavior.”
When I asked what Yosef’s autism has meant to his siblings, Bassie relayed this story. Several years ago, the entire family went to the Yachad Family Shabbaton, a weekend where the families of Yachad members go all together to spend shabbos at a wonderful retreat. Dr. Pelcovitz was running a siblings workshop (for siblings of special needs individuals). They were talking about the benefits of having a sibling with special needs. One of Bassie’s sons remarked, “If there was a pill for Yosef to take, that would make his autism go away, I would want him to take it.” His perspective was to hope to make Yosef’s life less challenging. In this discussion, two of her other children disagreed, suggesting that, “They would not want him to take it. Because then Yosef wouldn’t be himself, he wouldn’t be their brother.” They all truly love him for who he is, and want to support and love their brother.
Once Bassie was able to move on from her grief over the fact that Yosef would not be following a typical track, she felt like she was finally able to embrace all the unique and beautiful things that his autism gives him. “He loves others very deeply, and he has none of the barriers that typical people have. He’ll tell me, ‘I love you so much’ at any time, any day. He will randomly come up to me and just give me a kiss. Any person who comes into our house gets the warmest hello and when he sees people he knows on the street or in Shul he makes it clear that he is truly glad to see them. That is one of his gifts. People always tell me that they love spending time with Yosef. I ask them, ‘He is not exactly a great conversationalist, what do you love about him?’ And they say, ‘We just love being around him. He has such a happy energy.’ He is good-natured and never says anything negative about anybody or anything. There is nothing fake about him; he couldn’t even be fake if he wanted to.”
Yosef also has the capacity to be attuned to deep spiritual messages. “He is also unusually spiritual. We picked up on that very early on in his life. The concept of Shabbos is an abstract concept, and yet being restricted on Shabbos about what he could and could not do was never a problem for him, and that was shocking to us. So was his willingness to put on his Tefillin daily – he has never missed a day – despite having certain sensory issues.
Yosef has conversations with God – like I am talking to you right now. He goes to Tashlich on Rosh HaShanah, and tells me, ‘I am going to throw away all my bad things that I have in my chest.’ I ask him, ‘Yosef, what bad things could you possibly have in your chest?’ He answers mainly by identifying some of his unusual behaviors. ‘I am going to throw away my jumping up and down, and that I talk to myself; I am going to tell Hashem I am sorry.’ To me, it is heartbreaking that he feels in any way negative about who he is and how Hashem made him. I tell him that Hashem loves him just the way he is; he smiles and says, ‘I know, Mom.’ But he goes to Tashlich anyhow. It breaks my heart every year. Those moments are the only times that he expresses in his way that he feels different than everyone else.
On Rosh Chodesh, every month, he works very hard on himself and in addition to wearing a special white shirt, he has something that he calls his ‘Rosh Chodesh behavior.’ For reasons which we are unsure about ourselves, he has on his own come to the conclusion that Rosh Chodesh is a special day – a day on which he wants to do something special for Hashem – and that he should therefore modify his behavior as best he can on this day. And so, once a month, he does not talk or sing aloud to himself, and he does not pace back and forth in public. It must require an immense amount of self control (especially when it’s a two day Rosh Chodesh), and that is channeled from what he thinks God wants from him based on his own intimate relationship with Him. It makes me feel sad to watch him work so hard, and yet my family and I are in awe of his unique spiritual connection and devotion.”
Yosef also has an incredible memory. “Any event that has happened in our family, we can ask him who was involved, where it happened, and when. He will tell you the year, the date, the time and location on anything that has happened to him or the family almost since his birth. He is the keeper of the family calendar.”
I asked Bassie what the future looked like for herself and for Yosef. “Someone gave me very good advice when Yosef was young. ‘Don’t look forward, just look back and see how far you have come.’ I lived with that philosophy for a long time. I didn’t look towards where we were going; I was focusing on the progress we had made. It worked, but it’s not working anymore. What his future will be is very scary for me to think about. I don’t know what it will be like. He is the youngest child, and everyone else is now out of the house. My husband and I are not so young anymore. What will be in ten to fifteen years from now? Will we still be able to take care of him? We have to create a future for him that is not so dependent on us. It’s hard for us to know what that is going to look like. This is a big unknown. It is a scary time.” Yosef is a very independant person. Functionally competent- he can cook and take public transportation on his own. He would love to move out and live in an apartment, but living arrangements with some supervision that would be appropriate for Yosef are hard to come by. They are hoping that one day soon they can find a good match.
A big piece that plays into Yosef’s current life and future is his experience with New Jersey Yachad. Yosef started his tenure with Yachad when he was 8 or 9 years old and when he went away for the summer to the Yachad program at Camp Nesher. It was a great experience for him and much need respite for the family. He participating in events and shabbatonim as he grew older, and greatly enjoyed and benefitted from the Yachad experience.
“At this point in his experience with Yachad, the number one thing has been his friends and peer groups, the other Yachad members. As the participants like Yosef get older, their peers can’t really be other high school or college students. Don’t get me wrong, they love the company of students their own age – Yosef definitely does – but their friends for life are going to be each other.”
When Yosef was younger, he enjoyed many of the friendships that he made with community members his age who came to visit and spend time with Yosef. They would come over Shabbos afternoon and hang out in school. “As Yosef got older, his “typical” friends graduated from high school, went off to Israel and college, and moved on to the next stage of their lives. Some of them he never saw again. I am not being critical of these youngsters, as they certainly were well meaning, and I do appreciate the time they spent with him, but this is just the reality of the position that Yosef is in. His long term friendships are therefore going to be with people like himself. In Yachad, Yosef has friends who are just like him in this way. They can be with each other and maybe they won’t have amazing conversations, but they enjoy each other’s company. Yachad’s vocational program, and the Mendel Balk Yachad Community Center- these are the places where he makes his friends. Among his peers at Yachad, they do not “hang” together because they are “doing chessed” for each other, these are mutual friendships. All people enjoy having friends who are similar to themselves. The more we can do to facilitate experiences for Yosef with other young adults with disabilities, the fuller his life will be.”
Yosef also participates in New Jersey Yachad’s Vocational program. Yachad facilitates job placement, job coaching and counseling, to help participants learn how to function and succeed in the workplace. I have a special place in my heart for the “Voc program” (as they call it) because I myself worked as a job coach on site with a Yachad member during my tenure as a social work intern at NJ Yachad. Through Yachad, Yosef this past year was placed at Amazon, where with the mentorship of an on-site coach, he is learning the skills required to function in a workplace. Bassie is looking forward to Yosef continuing to learn new life skills as he continues to grow within the program.
At the end of our conversation, I asked Bassie how she felt parenting Yosef has informed her as a person. “I’d like to think that I am more accepting of people than I was before. I have broadened my base of people that I’ve connected to and met. Difference is no longer a barrier to relationships. I don’t take things for granted. If I see a three year old in Dunkin Donuts talking to his mother, I think to myself, ‘Wow. That is amazing that a three year old can have a conversation with his mother.’ My own grandchildren- I watch their development. There isn’t a piece of it that I don’t marvel over. I take much less for granted.”
Bassie shared with me that the research that she did to help Yosef influenced her decision to shift her career. For many years Bassie was a nurse working with cancer patients, a very demanding and rewarding job. But through her research on how people’s diets can affect their health (that she began when looking to help Yosef), Bassie moved to open her own health and wellness practice, and became a certified Health Coach, fitness trainer and yoga instructor. Since creating her company, Wellness Motivations, she has helped people from all walks of life lose weight, become more active, decrease dependency on medication and lead healthier, more wholesome lives. Beth offers her clients on-going personal guidance and devoted support as she helps them in their quest to, as she says, “Eat Well, Move Well, Sleep Well and Be Well!” I truly enjoyed visiting her office and studio in Teaneck, and I think I might sneak in for a yoga class or two…
Bassie’s final message to me was all about love. “People have a lot of identities. Especially women. When they are younger they are someone’s daughter, sister, good friend. Then I was someone’s spouse, mom, nurse and now health coach, but I would say, that a big part of my identity, is that I am the mom of a child that has unique needs. He takes up so much of my heart, thought process and emotions. I am always thinking about Yosef, he is with me all the time. Myself, my husband, my children, his aunts, uncles, cousins we love him and support him, and he loves us back.”
Maximus Foundation Announces Grant to the Jewish Union Foundation
On April 27, Jewish Union Foundation, a non-profit organization that works closely with Yachad, was awarded a $2,000 grant from the MAXIMUS Foundation. The grant goes toward the vocational training program where JUF works with individuals who have developmental disabilities and trains them in job specific industries such as retail, construction, restaurant and office.
The grant recognizes the foundation’s commitment to serving these populations by helping them move towards self-sufficiency through the vocational training program.
“I’m honored to recognize the Jewish Union Foundation with this MAXIMUS Foundation grant for its tireless work to promote self-sufficiency and personal growth that empowers families in the local community,” said John Boyer, Chairman of the MAXIMUS Foundation. “JUF’s commitment to enhancing health outcomes and family and community development – while implementing innovative programs and services – continues to inspire the MAXIMUS Foundation. We look forward to seeing more of JUF’s work in the future as they serve the community.”
“I want to thank the MAXIMUS Foundation for giving the individuals in our program the opportunity to further develop the skills necessary to gain competitive employment,” responded Jack Gourdji, Executive Director of Jewish Union Foundation.
About MAXIMUS
Since 1975, MAXIMUS has operated under its founding mission of Helping Government Serve the People®, enabling citizens around the globe to successfully engage with their governments at all levels and across a variety of health and human services programs. MAXIMUS delivers innovative business process management and technology solutions that contribute to improved outcomes for citizens and higher levels of productivity, accuracy, accountability and efficiency of government-sponsored programs. For more information, visit www.MAXIMUS.com.
About the MAXIMUS Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of MAXIMUS, the Foundation extends the mission of the Company by identifying and awarding grants to partners with specialized expertise to deliver results within the same populations and communities served by the public programs the Company operates. The MAXIMUS Foundation is completely funded by MAXIMUS and its employees, and provides grants to local community organizations with programs and projects in the areas of child and youth development, health and community development.
About Jewish Union Foundation
The Jewish Union Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. JUF offers a wide array of services, ranging from Day Habilitation Programs to Vocational Training Services to Respite services for families. Through our various programs, we believe that we have helped our clients to achieve greater independence, make immense personal strides, and become better able to participate in the full spectrum of life.
This article was written by OU Staff.
To view the original article on the Orthodox Union website, click here.
The Moriah School and Team Yachad Join for a Color Run
The Moriah School, in Englewood, NJ, partnered with Yachad this Yom Yerushalayim for a Team Yachad Color Run. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders and all their teachers ran a full 5k on May 24, 2017, while getting colorful! This was the school’s first color run.
The runners raised close to $20,000 that will go directly to help those with disabilities attend Yachad Shabbatons, Summer Programs and other inclusive activities. The Color Run ended with all the runners, teachers and 20 Yachad members and job coaches singing together at an inspiring and beautiful Kuzmitz led by Zusha.
Rabbi Eitan Lipstein, director of student activities and the Mendel Balk z”l Jewish Life Fellowship, expressed his pride in the students and their accomplishments. “Through the Mendel Balk z”l Jewish Life Fellowship, our students have compiled over 5,000 combined hours of chesed and talmud Torah this year. By partnering with Yachad and helping to raise almost $20,000 for such an incredible organization, along with the special shiurim that our students participated in, we appropriately capped off a year of tremendous spiritual growth.”
Yachad thanks The Moriah School, Principal Tziporah Boim, Rabbi Eitan Lipstein, Judiac Studies Teacher, and Rabbi Yoni Fein, Assistant Principal, Middle School Judaic Studies and Jewish Life Teacher for creating a fun and inclusive Yom Yerushalayim event at their school. Shoava Berezin-Bahr, Development Associate for Yachad said, “This was one of our most successful school Color Runs this year and it was wonderful to be a part of a colorful inclusive activity!”
Yachad held a previous Color Run in 2015 with the Kushner Middle School and hopes to bring the event to as many schools as possible.
Check out the photos from the Moriah School Color Run on Team Yachad’s Facebook Page. For more information contact at shoava@ou.org or 212.613.8105.
This article was written by Amy Lerner, Yachad Content Writer.
Yachad’s Northeast Family Shabbaton Touches Over 1,000
Over 1,000 people attended Yachad’s Northeast Family Shabbaton on May 5-7 at Crowne Plaza in Stamford, CT, from 120 families, and 140 volunteer staff helped to make the event a success.
“Yachad takes great pride in being able to host a weekend devoted to families of individuals with disabilities, providing daycare, childcare and programming for all children in attendance, allowing the parents and caregivers to focus on the workshops and experts presenting,” said Ahron Rosenthal, director of Yachad New York.
The event had something for everyone in the family. Sessions and networking opportunities for parents, support groups for parents and siblings, programing for individuals with special needs, and full day camp programming for the siblings. Workshops covered a variety of topics, including developmental milestones, social skills vocational readiness, family dynamics, and diagnoses including Autism, Down Syndrome, and ADHD. These sessions, led by caring professionals who are leaders in their fields, provided families with vital and timely information.
Families were entertained with a magic show (Magic Mehl) on Saturday night and an inflatable carnival on Sunday.
“Some of the most special experiences I have had are with the parent support groups we run all weekend long,” said Chani Herrmann, New Jersey Yachad director. “The incredible bonds that are formed in a short period of time can lead to long time friendships and mutual support.”
“We just left the Shabbaton, and my family is on cloud nine,” said one parent. “Tova had an amazing time. Her advisor was terrific, kind, personable and responsible. My daughters and son had a great time at day camp and the carnival. Elissa and I enjoyed not only the sessions, but simply meeting and talking with families we could relate to and who could relate to us. The entire event was well thought out and organized…no small feat. We are so very appreciative of you making this something attainable for us.”
The Shabbaton featured 25 presenters, and the keynote speaker was Dr. David Pelcovitz. Dr. David Pelcovitz holds the Gwendolyn and Joseph Straus Chair in Psychology and Education at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School, where he also teaches pastoral psychology courses. Dr. Pelcovitz has published and lectured extensively on the psychological impact of trauma and loss, child and adolescent behavior problems, parenting, and the impact of divorce and stress on children. His most recent book, which he co-authored with his father, is Life in the Balance: Torah Perspectives on Positive Psychology. In his keynote address, he outlined strategies for actively meeting the psychological and social needs of the entire family, promoting healthy communication, and making space and time to balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the entire family.
New for this Shabbaton, Yachad responded to interest from younger families by opening a pre-juniors track for children between the ages of 2 and 7, in addition to the tracks for juniors (ages 8-16), seniors (17-25) and rayim (age 26 and older). Modeled on the programming for juniors, seniors, and rayim, the pre-juniors track included a full weekend of programming. Twenty-four young children participated in the new pre-junior program this year, and each child was matched with a one-on-one advisor.
The 8th grade leadership program welcomed 30 students who were nominated by their schools. They participated in in sensitivity trainings, team building activities, had a Q&A with someone who has a sibling with special needs, and enjoyed many social programs with the junior Yachad division. “These students have displayed the passion and commitment to community devotion and attended the shabbaton, learning together about leadership and how to effect change in their own schools and communities,” Rosenthal said. “Yachad looks forward to seeing these young students continue to be involved in the disabilities community and grow into the next generation of leaders.”
This article was written by Amy Lerner, Yachad Content Writer.
To view the original article on the Orthodox Union website, click here.
Team Yachad Toronto Recap
On Sunday, May 7, 135 people of Toronto Team Yachad participated in the Goodlife Fitness Marathon, Half-Marathon and 5K under the leadership of Devorah Marmer, Director of Toronto Yachad. For the first time Yachad had a fabulous post-marathon BBQ party at the Prosserman JCC where pictures from the marathon were displayed on a large-screen TV.
Yachad/The Canadian Jewish Council for Disabilities, a newly registered nonprofit organization and an affiliate of the Orthodox Union, champions the inclusion of all Jewish individuals with disabilities in the full spectrum of Jewish life. The Toronto branch is more than 30 years old and has significantly expanded in the past 4 years. The funds raised from the marathon support over 60 programs each year and Yachad’s Shabbatonim throughout the year.
From left: Racheli Samuel, Guitti Perman, Alexa Charlat
“On Sunday, May 7th I ran the Yachad Marathon,” Guitti Perman said. “It was amazing! I told my running partner Racheli Samuel that when I was born, many people including my doctors, said that I would never walk. Now I am going to run the marathon and prove I can walk and run. My brother said, ‘If Guitti can run a marathon, we all need to do more and be the best we can be!’”
Guitti joined fellow Yachad runners at the BBQ and received a medal and a gift for raising over $1800. Yachad gave awards to the top 5 fundraisers who raised $1000 or more, Team Captains, elementary school-age runners, Toronto’s “Dream Team Volunteers” and others.
Eliana Benia completed the full marathon, 23 people ran the half marathon, and over 100 people ran the 5K, including a dozen Yachad members. Aryeh Spiegel led “Team Hershel” for the half marathon along with 16 other people and Esther Klein ran the half marathon and 5K with Hershel.
Team Bnei Akiva
Jonny Lipczer, Shaliach, Bnei Akiva of Toronto, created a team with more than 25 runners.
“Today was incredible, and Team Bnei Akiva was proud to be a part of it!” he said.
“I am so happy that Bnei Akiva has developed such a wonderful relationship with Yachad – working hand in hand for such important values, and with such inspiring people.”
Each runner raised a minimum of $300 to benefit Toronto Yachad.
Shields Family
Mordie and Zahava Shields’s four children have participated in Yachad’s Shabbatons, marathons, and other programs for many years. “Yachad has taught our kids that those to whom the world refers to as ‘special needs kids’ are really just kids with special needs. They see the kid first and foremost and understand that their special needs do not define them but are only one characteristic among many that make up who they are. We’re so appreciative to Yachad for spreading this message of understanding and inclusion to our community!”
TK Rosenblum ran the marathon with 2 of her girls and a Yachad member. “It was cold outside… but our excitement and energy kept us all warm,” she said. “We did the Toronto Goodlife 5K with Yachad and we crossed the finish line! We ran, skipped, walked, sang and danced as a team for the whole 5K. This was something extraordinary. We were hand in hand the whole way (except for the dancing part) with an amazing Yachad member.”
From left: Mia Rosenblum, Julia, TK Rosenblum and Emme Rosenblum
This article was written by Amy Lerner, Yachad Content Writer.
What Does Yachad Mean To You?
Zachary Perlmutter, a member of Toronto Yachad, wrote this beautiful letter about what Yachad means to him.
“Growing up as an Autistic individual was no easy feat. Doubly so in the Jewish community. Sure, there were always outlets for growth, and my parents were always incredibly supportive of me, but when it came to safe, friendly spaces where people could relate to me on a personal level, I always felt at a loss. I always felt like everyone was moving ahead at too fast a pace, leaving me behind and struggling.
That’s why Yachad is so great. Not only do I have a safe place where I can be myself, but I can do it without feeling like a fish out of water. Because everyone in Yachad, be it adviser or participant, is out of their comfort zone on some level, and it’s through that that we can all grow as individuals. Not to mention, there are individuals who can relate to me on a personal level in the process, making it that much less awkward.
And this is why I recommend Yachad so strongly to parents and family members of those individuals with special challenges. Is it awkward at first? Perhaps, but I guarantee that the benefits far outweigh the initial awkwardness. And besides, at the end of the day, the experiences and life skills gained from Yachad will overshadow any doubts you may have at first glance. And really, isn’t that what matters most? I think so!”
If you’d like to share what Yachad means to you, please email us. You too could be featured in an upcoming newsletter!
Runners raise 1/2 million dollars for special needs children
OU Yachad runners in Jerusalem marathon raise $500,000 for special needs English-speaking children in Israel.
Israel is home to tens of thousands of immigrants from the US and other English speaking countries. Children with disabilities from English-speaking families struggle to find their place in Israeli society, as the language barrier can be even more difficult for individuals with special needs to overcome.
The organization ‘Yachad,’ a branch of OU Israel, is the only organization in Israel which works to meet the needs of immigrants and the children of immigrants with disabilities, including their integration into Israeli society. 600 runners, including 80 from the US, joined with Yachad to participate in the Jerusalem marathon this morning to raise money for the special needs children.
Each participant raised money on his or her own, and the total amount of money raised by all participants was approximately $500,000.
In addition, about 40 special needs students participated in their own race of about 800 meters alongside NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire, who has been playing for Hapoel Jerusalem recently.
OU Israel CEO Rabbi Avi Berman said: “The OU organization has undertaken many missions of social assistance, including assistance to disabled youth across the country, as well as assistance to immigrants from the United States, including English speakers with disabilities, immigrants and the children of immigrants who have no supporting framework which is suitable for them in the language they speak.”
This article was written by the Arutz Sheva Staff.
To view the original article on the Arutz Sheva website, click here.
Yachad, Camp Stone create work partnership
Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and Camp Stone, an Orthodox Jewish summer camp in Sugar Grove, Pa., announced a partnership that will allow Yachad members to work at the camp as staff through a vocational training program offered by Yachad.
Irving I. Stone, founder and chairman of American Greetings, founded the camp.
Nechama Braun, administrator of Yachad summer programs, said that though they have a number of similar programs in other camps, most of those programs are located in northeast New York and Pennsylvania. According to Braun, partnering with Camp Stone gives Yachad access to a community that it may not have had the chance to collaborate with in the past.
“The camp directors, Yakov and Estee Fleischmann, were very committed from the start to open up a Yachad program at Camp Stone,” Braun said. “(The partnership) will give us an opportunity to allow more young adults with special needs to be involved in a summer camp experience as a staff member, which is very beneficial for each participant.”
“This is because they gain tremendous social skills, independence skills, self-confidence and also boosts their vocational skills, which in turn allows them broader opportunities throughout the year. So, (the partnership) really just extends the ability for Yachad to provide these types of services.”
Estee Fleischmann, co-owner of Camp Stone, which is about 145 miles from Cleveland, said that the partnership was a logical step for the camp to further insure that everyone is welcome at the camp.
“This (partnership) would send messages to campers and the whole community that we are building Camp Stone to be a place where everyone is welcome,” Fleischmann said. “Though we have already had special needs staff members as part of our community, this partnership enables us to have more special needs staff members and allow others that are interested to see that we are making their time more inclusion-focused.”
Fleischmann said the partnership won’t necessarily impact the future of the camp, but more notably will impact the whole feel of the camp’s inclusion culture and culture in general.
“The direction that we are hoping to grow in and see the culture of our camp change is to a truly seamless, inclusion focused environment,” she said. “We want the inclusion to be something that everyone is involved in and nobody thinks twice about. And no matter who your staff member is, the camper would love spending time with and look up to – and that this is an environment that has all kinds of people in that position.”
This article was written by Becky Raspe for the Cleveland Jewish News.
Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center Opening in Teaneck, Providing A Home Away From Home for Individuals with Disabilities
TEANECK, NJ — Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, announced its opening of the Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center, which will, initially, provide four nights a week of social activities for young adults with disabilities, creating a “home away from home” experience. The Center will be fully staffed to accommodate the needs of Yachad participants, and evening programs will blend structured learning opportunities in a relaxed, social and caring atmosphere. This is the first center of its kind — launching Yachad’s first ever inclusive community center.
As part of the program, a new van will be purchased in order to provide transportation for members, creating more independence for participants and easing the burden for Yachad parents.
“My husband Mendel Balk was an amazing father, and was especially wonderful with our son Yoel,” said Mrs. Ariela Balk, the benefactor of the Center. “He carried him around everywhere as a baby and young child, and shared his love of people with Yoel. Adults with special needs face unique challenges. While their peers and siblings will often move away and marry, these adults may be left lacking socially. Yachad has been extremely collaborative in exploring this opportunity, and addressing the challenges in offering a nightly program. I am excited to find a special way to honor Mendel as well as help enhance Yoel’s life and many others in similar situations.”
“My vision for New Jersey Yachad has always been to meet the needs of the whole family,” said Chani Hermann, Director of New Jersey Yachad. “Ariela Balk’s incredible generosity is a testament to who the Balk family is. Whenever I spoke with Mendel, he would always speak with such pride about all of his children. I would often send him pictures of Yoel at Yachad events, knowing it would bring him great joy to see Yoel smiling and being with his close friends. We are honored that Ariela has given us the honor to carry on Mendel’s name through this one of a kind Yachad Center. The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center is going to make a huge impact on the entire community, engaging Yachad participants, high school students, college students and beyond.”
The center will be directed by Racheli (Ambinder) Israeli, a veteran Yachad staff member, formerly serving as a Yachad chapter coordinator, a Yad B’Yad counselor, and most recently, the assistant program director of Yad B’Yad. Basi Eisenberg, noted interior designer, designed the center’s interior, generously volunteering her time to create an innovative and beautiful space.
“All of us at the OU share in the excitement of the opening of The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center,” said Allen Fagin, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union. “We are deeply grateful to the Balk family for their extraordinary generosity. This new Center will allow Yachad to substantially expand its inclusive programming in a warm and embracing environment. It is truly a unique endeavor for Yachad, one we hope we can replicate in other communities as well.”
For more information, contact Chani Herrmann at herrmann@ou.org.
This article was written by the OU Staff.
To view the original article on the Orthodox Union website, click here.
Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center to Launch Feb. 27
Evenings can be quiet, and sometimes extremely lonely for adults with special needs. Those who live at home need activities to do and events to attend in the evenings with friends, as well as ways to keep their minds sharp, just like others their own age. “Adults with special needs face unique challenges. While their peers and siblings will often move away and marry, these adults may be left lacking socially,” said Ariela Balk, of Englewood, who has commemorated the recent first yahrzeit of her husband, Mendel, with the creation of the Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center. The center, which is being built at the Yachad New Jersey Headquarters at Heichal HaTorah, is located at 70 Sterling Place in Teaneck.
The center will include a lounge as well as a dining area where dinner will be served nightly. The space will have an activity area to support themed programming that will be offered four evenings a weeks. “Yachad has been extremely collaborative in exploring this opportunity and addressing the challenges in offering a nightly program. I am excited to find a special way to honor Mendel as well as help enhance Yoel’s life and many others in similar situations,” Balk said. Yoel is Ariela and Mendel’s son and has been part of Yachad for many years, participating in shabbatonim, summer programs and vocational services.
The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center will open its doors on Monday, February 27th, and will run initially for 16 weeks, through Thursday, June 22, when many adults depart for summer programming. The center will be open from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Racheli (Ambinder) Israeli, a veteran Yachad staff member, will be the program director for the new center. She brings years of experience to the position, having served as a Yachad chapter coordinator, several summers as a Yad B’Yad counselor and most recently as the assistant program director of Yad B’Yad.
NJ Yachad enlisted the help of interior decorator Basi Eisenberg, owner of MBliving, who volunteered her time to help the Yachad team design the layout of the new center and has worked to make the space beautiful. She has helped the Yachad team carry out their vision for the look and feel of the room. “My vision for New Jersey Yachad has always been to meet the needs of the whole family. To look for ways in which we can continue to grow and serve individuals with special needs, enhancing their lives in the most meaningful ways,” said Chani Herrmann, director of NJ Yachad. “Ariela Balk’s incredible generosity is a testament to who the Balk family is. Whenever I spoke with Mendel, z”l, he would always speak with such pride about all of his children. I would often send him pictures of Yoel at Yachad events, knowing it would bring him great joy to see Yoel smiling and being with his close friends.”
Balk agreed that Mendel would truly appreciate seeing Yoel happy. “Mendel was an amazing father and was especially wonderful with Yoel,” Balk said. “He carried him around everywhere as a baby and young child and shared his love of people with Yoel,” she added.
“We are honored that Ariela has given us the honor to carry on Mendel’s name through this one-of-a-kind Yachad Center. The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center is going to make a huge impact on the entire community, engaging Yachad participants, high school students, college students and beyond. The center will be the place to be!” said Herrmann.
“Working closely with me on this special project is NJ Yachad staff member, Elinor Solomon. Elinor, an integral part of Yachad’s programming team, has been instrumental in helping to launch the center, working tirelessly to overseeing the project with such incredible attention to detail.”
“All of us at the OU share in the excitement of the opening of The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center,” said Allen Fagin, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union. “We are deeply grateful to the Balk family for their extraordinary generosity. This new center will allow Yachad to substantially expand its inclusive programming in a warm and embracing environment. It is truly a unique endeavor for Yachad, one we hope we can replicate in other communities as well.”
“The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center will be a groundbreaking program which will truly change the landscape of services provided by NJ Yachad,” said Ken Saibel, Associate Director of Yachad.
A new Yachad van will be purchased in order to facilitate transportation home from the Center, allowing parents a break from driving and creating more independence for our young adults.
For more information about The Mendel Balk Yachad Adult Community Center please contact njyachad@ou.org or call
201-833-1349.
This article was written by JLNJ Staff.
To view the original article on the Jewish Link of New Jersey website, click here.
Photo by Shira Sheps Photography
Over 1,000 people attended Yachad’s Northeast Family Shabbaton on May 5-7 at Crowne Plaza in Stamford, CT, from 120 families, and 140 volunteer staff helped to make the event a success.
responsible. My daughters and son had a great time at day camp and the carnival. Elissa and I enjoyed not only the sessions, but simply meeting and talking with families we could relate to and who could relate to us. The entire event was well thought out and organized…no small feat. We are so very appreciative of you making this something attainable for us.”
