Yachad Israel: A Promising Chapter for the Promised Land
Picture this: You’re an 18-year-old American studying in a seminary or yeshiva in Israel. It’s a new experience for you to spend an entire year away from your family and sometimes you’re a bit overwhelmed by unfamiliar surroundings. But then, walking down a street, you see a flyer for a Yachad Shabbaton. Yachad! You know Yachad; you loved Yachad Shabbatonim in high school. You loved having a Yachad program in your camp. But Yachad in Israel? You rush back to sign up for the Shabbaton, but you’re too late.
The Shabbaton is already sold out. That’s what happened at Yachad Israel’s last Shabbaton held in Ra’anana — sold out within ten hours, a testament to Yachad Israel’s success. “We had to close registration because we quickly had 94 people registered,” explains Yoel Sterman, Yachad Israel co-director.
While Yachad is well known throughout the United States — promoting its mission of inclusion for individuals with special needs in dozens of Jewish communities across the continent – Yachad Israel is relatively new. It was officially launched at the end of 2012.
The development of Yachad Israel was organic, says Dr. Jeffrey Lichtman, international director of Yachad. “We had wanted to start a chapter in Israel years ago, but just as we were gearing up to begin, the Intifada started and our plans had to be shelved until a better time. Later, following our initial success with Team Yachad’s participation in the Miami Marathon, I had this idea that we could use the Jerusalem Marathon as a foundation to start a chapter in Israel.” When Team Yachad announced its participation in the Jerusalem Marathon, more than 110 runners rushed to sign up. Since then, 215 ran in 2013, and 252 in 2014. With the funds raised from the Jerusalem Marathon, Yachad Israel was founded under the direction of Joe Goldfarb, director of Yachad Summer Programs, with Lisa (Rich) Galinsky and Yoel Sterman as Yachad Israel’s co-directors.
Team Yachad runners celebrate their completion of a Color Run
Part of the need for Yachad Israel came from the structure of services available for the special needs population in Israel, according to Joe, who now directs Yachad Israel along with Yachad Summer Programs. “Israel has some special needs services, but little that directly promotes inclusion,” he says. “There is a vacuum in those services for English-speaking people who made Aliyah.”
The first inclusive program was a Chanukah party, followed by weekly events and four Shabbatonim that year. Yachad Israel quickly realized the tremendous value and popularity of Shabbatonim: monthly Shabbatonim were quickly introduced alongside the weekly events such as “Pizza and Parshah” and bowling.
To design programs, Yachad Israel recruited two boards, made up entirely of young men and women spending the year in Israel; the leadership board composed of four members; and a larger board that has representatives from major seminaries and yeshivot.
Akiva Marder, 19, a student at Yeshivat Har Etzion, was active in Yachad during high school and in Camp Moshava. He serves as co-president of Yachad Israel along with Racheli Weil, a student at Nishmat.
“I think our message of inclusion is one of utmost importance. It’s both exciting and meaningful to see that message come to fruition and watch it spread here in Israel,” Akiva says.
Among their other activities this year, Yachad Israel participated in the Jerusalem Color Run with more than 800 runners. Enthusiasm for Team Yachad during the Jerusalem Marathon increases each year, with our largest group to date running this year.
“Today Yachad Israel is a fast-growing chapter, providing unique programs and services of inclusion, and responding to unmet needs,” says Dr. Lichtman.
Having Yachad established in Israel was a dream fulfilled for families with special needs members. “Parents of Yachad members are thrilled,” explains Lisa. “Yachad gives individuals an opportunity to feel like anyone else. Yachad Israel is a warm, supportive home where members are able to gain lasting friendships, which is the most important thing.”
For more information about Yachad Israel contact Lisa Galinsky or Yoel Sterman at yachadisrael@ou.org.
Michael Orbach is a staff writer at the Orthodox Union.
This is an article from Belong Magazine 2014. For more information, or to receive your own copy contact belong@ou.org
The Journey of a Lifetime
Zev at the Kotel for the first time
“I can’t say it was a ‘dream come true’ because it wasn’t even a dream,” says Miriam Kahn, a single mom from West Hempstead, New York. “There was no way I could picture my son Zev ever going to Israel. Because of his multiple health issues it takes a lot of planning just to take a short trip, let alone send him thousands of miles away for ten days.”
When Miriam first heard that Yachad was offering a free trip to Israel for young adults with special needs, a gift from Taglit- Birthright Israel in conjunction with OU Israel Free Spirit, she dismissed the idea of including Zev. Though he wears braces on his legs he can walk with a walker, but he would have to be in a wheelchair for such a rigorous trip. Moreover, he is medically fragile, has had numerous back surgeries and can eat only puréed food.
But possibilities began to perk in her mind. What if she could find a way to make it work? Would Yachad take on the responsibility for his care? “I decided to go ahead and apply, to see what would happen. I didn’t really think they’d accept him.”
She had underestimated the perseverance, resourcefulness and idealism of Yachad staffers. Nicole Bodner, director of New York Yachad who runs the Birthright Israel trip, told Miriam she was willing to make all the arrangements necessary for Zev to go on the trip. Yes, extra steps would have to be taken, but she was quite sure that she and her staff could deal with them.
“They were great! Nicole was so willing to take on the challenge,” says Miriam. “I started getting excited that Israel would become a reality for Zev, because I go there often to visit my married daughter. All Zev knew of the experience is that I get on a plane, and I bring back pictures. To him, Israel was just photos of family members at the Kotel, not a real place.”
The first thing to plan was how Zev would have the food he needed. As it happened, Miriam had planned to be in Israel in November for a family event, just six weeks before the Yachad trip. “So I bought my daughter a freezer as a gift and I spent a few days cooking and puréeing and packaging food for Zev. I also prepared powdered soymilk in little packets, so the Yachad staffers could just shake them with water to give him his drinks.”
With all in readiness, she returned home. When the big day came, she accompanied the group on the flight. “It was Zev’s first time on such a long flight and I was little nervous about it. But right after we took off, I went over to where he was seated, among the group of Birthright Israel participants and wonderful counselors, and asked him, ‘How’s it going?’ He gave me a broad grin and a thumbs-up. When we landed, my daughter was at the airport with ‘Round One’ of Zev’s food supply, enough for their upcoming three-day trip to northern Israel.”
While Zev was touring with the Yachad group, Miriam stayed with her daughter in Ramat Eshkol, Jerusalem. She resisted the temptation to follow the tour bus all over Israel in her car. “I davened well that there should be no medical emergencies, believe me. But overall I felt calm and optimistic. The Yachad staff understood all of his restrictions and I saw that I could trust them. They were so attentive to Zev’s every need and determined to include him in every activity. I wasn’t sure how they would accomplish that, but I felt confident they would try.”
“Miriam Kahn was fantastic,” attests Nicole. “She kept us supplied with Zev’s food, including a thermos to keep it hot till lunchtime. Dinner was heated in the hotel’s kitchen. When it became clear that it was not always possible to do that, she supplied us with a microwave for Zev’s room. We carried it on trips with us. She seemed surprised that we would go the extra mile for Zev to join us in all of the fun.”
Like all of the twenty-four participants on the trip, Zev made new friends, traveled the length and breadth of Israel, visited a chocolate factory, took the cable car to the top of Masada, took in parks, danced, played the drums, and went jeep-riding in the Negev. “We had to be mindful that Zev had back surgery, so he rode in a jeep that stayed on the road, rather than bumping over the sand, but we all met at the same destination,” Nicole explains. At Beit Hagalgalim (House of Wheels), a recreational/ educational center for children with physical challenges in wheelchairs, the Yachad group prepared flowerpots to landscape the site. Then one of the Yachad participants suggested painting them, to make them even more beautiful. Zev painted happily along with the rest – even playfully painting the face of a nearby staffer.
Zev Kahn & Max Cohen- Thumbs up at the chocolate factory!
“Zev brought laughter and joy to the whole group,” beams Nicole. “He has a sparkling personality and a great sense of humor. And he had a specific tease for everyone – like a high-five, or a thumbs-up he assigned to every member of the staff. Everybody wanted to hang out with him.”
The high point of the trip was when the group went to the Kotel. Miriam and her family were waiting when they arrived at the overlook from where you can catch a first glimpse. As two staffers lifted Zev up so he could see, his face lit up with recognition and he gasped, “Oh my God!” He had made it. He was at the Kotel, the Wall he had seen in photo after family photo. “It was incredible to see Zev go with the group across the plaza, right up to the Kotel and put a kvital (prayer on a paper note) in one of the chinks,” says Miriam. “Everybody was dancing and singing. I couldn’t stop crying.”
In the several months since they returned to the States, Zev keeps up with his Yachad friends on Facebook and Face Time. “And he looks at the pictures taken in Israel every single day. It gives him such joy,” says Miriam. “I had always dreamed of making Aliyah,” she confides, “but I didn’t know how Zev would adjust. Now that I see how much he loves Israel, I’m going to make plans. I’ve got to research how we will manage there, but from our experience with this trip, I’m sure it can be done. Now that would be a dream-come-true.”
For more information on Taglit-Birthright Israel: Israel Free Spirit Yachad trips to Israel contact Nicole Bodner at bodern@ou.org.
Charlotte Friedland is the editor of Belong.
This is an article from Belong Magazine 2014. For more information, or to receive your own copy contact belong@ou.org
