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OUR WORK DURING WARTIME

GLOBAL IMPACT

SOCIAL CHANGE

Provided the following services free-of-charge:

Orly, from Kfar Aza, faced a traumatic event on October 7 when terrorists invaded her kibbutz. She and her husband narrowly escaped harm and relocated to the Center.

Trained at Beit Issie 24 years ago, Orly works as a hydrotherapist down South. After being relocated, she started working at Beit Issie where she can also treat her patients free of charge in our pool.

Among them are Yuval, 5 years old, and Gaia, 4 years old. Despite traumatic experiences facing terrorists, the girls have made remarkable emotional progress through hydrotherapy. This shows the transformative power of the water for healing and resilience.

“Being able to continue to do what I love and help others at Beit Issie is therapeutic and is helping me overcome my own trauma” - Orly

Beyond day-to-day services received at Beit Issie, we have provided additional:

We have worked with:

We are proud to have been able to use our expertise in assistive technology to help people in need across the country

Helping woUnded soldiers

A soldier was seriously injured in battle and left completely paralyzed. Beit Issie Shapiro stepped in to introduce him to the EyeGaze system. With regular visits to the hospital, our dedicated therapists taught him how to communicate using a smart screen that tracks his eye movement. Now, he can reconnect with loved ones and express his needs to the medical staff.

thechnology that Saves lives

Developed an accessible smart bracelet that vibrates with alerts for incoming missiles and other emergencies in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, Israel's Homefront Command, Ministry of Welfare and JDC.

From Special Education Teacher to IDF Soldier

Before Yael became a 2nd grade teacher at Beit Issie Shapiro's Special Education School, she served 4 years in an IDF intelligence unit. Immediately following October 7th, she volunteered to be drafted. "I am proud to be serving in the IDF and helping the war effort. My main concern was leaving my students at Beit Issie. Beit Issie is like family and have been so supportive - it lifts my spirits to receive care packages and messages from the kids and their families. I missed my students so much that I came to visit them at Beit Issie whenever I could, before returning to my base. Being able to be together and hug my students is giving me the strength I need to go on."

Hydrotherapy

Sports Therapy

Occupational Therapy

Speech Therapy

Emotional Therapy

Physical Therapy

IssieSenses Multisensory Therapeutic Environments

Adapted Dental Treatment

Inaugurated a brand new IssieSenses therapy room for the benefit of the Arab population at our Sindian Center in Qalansua

The renovated IssieSenses room empowers 4 year old Rihana, who has autism and developmental delays, to achieve sensory balance. This helps her advance emotionally, behaviorally and make progress in her communication and learning.

Expanded our impact through sports therapy groups in partnership with the Israel Parkinson Association, Israel Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Stop Cancer organization and more

download our issie apps

2023 was a big year for IssieSign - our accessible sign language dictionary app

Upgraded the IssieSign app - adding a feature which allows people to customize and upload their own signs

The Austrian Parliament selected our Self-Advocacy program for adults with intellectual disabilities to be implemented in their local communities

De Lowe Early Intervention Center

ages 0 - 3

Sindian Early Intervention Center

ages 0 - 6

Special Education School

ages 6 - 12

"This year, Shaked finished 1st Grade at Beit Issie’s Special Education School. She can't read, write or do math, but she has learned sign language and communicates with us using her iPad. She has learned to be caring towards her friends and enjoys her time in class.

It is truly a blessing to be at Beit Issie Shapiro! The staff is incredible, supportive, embracing, and loving. Arabs, Jews, religious, and non-religious, all for the sake of Shaked.

It is moving to see them see her as a person and not just a syndrome."

- Reut, Shaked's Mom

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adults with disabilities gained essential life skills and knowledge through Beit Issie's Inclusive University in Israel

Launched our first ever Inclusive University

“Art of Living”

course abroad at Florida International University, America's 5th largest public university

Successfully spearheaded a campaign to secure equitable salaries for special education aides working in Early Intervention Centers; benefitting 4,000 toddlers in 180 centers across Israel

Submitted a bill for the inclusion of toddlers with disabilities in mainstream daycare systems; impacting thousands of children across Israel

Tommy and Osnat, two leaders from Beit Issie's Leadership Center, were selected to join the Knesset's Advisory Committee of the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to play a significant role in advocating for people with disabilities throughout Israel.

Received the prestigious

Zero Project 2023 Innovative Solution Award

for our National Self-Advocacy Group of People with Intellectual Disabilities

Our Founder,

Naomi Stuchiner,

was awarded an Honorary Degree from The Holon Institute of Technology

"Asked to name projects she found most satisfying, Foundation Director Linda Sakacs chose one… Beit Issie Shapiro… It is the kind of results-driven organization in which Zalman Bernstein might have discerned a "royal reach." …We fund organizations that are run by those people, doing quality work with real impact, where we don’t have to worry about what they spend the money on. We see results."

-Excerpt from A Gift of Many Colors, The First Two Decades of Keren Keshet -

The Rainbow Foundation by Tony Proscio, Post Hill Press, USA, 2023

Broke ground on building Israel's 1st Inclusive Early Childhood Campus

Ahmir Lerner, CEO, Sasha Trump-Weiss, Chair of the Board and Naomi Stuchiner, Founder, laying the foundation stone of Israel's first Inclusive Early Childhood Campus at Beit Issie Shapiro in Ra’anana

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE

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AM ISRAEL CHAI