(Courtesy of Keren Or) On Sunday, December 15, the Paramus community hosted Mrs. Shira Reifman, CEO of Keren Or Inc., for a “Spread the Light for Keren Or—Kids Chesed Party.” Keren Or: The Jerusalem Center for Blind Children With Multiple Disabilities is a unique school and therapeutic center in Israel that provides vital services for children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.
Eighteen children and their families gathered to learn about Keren Or and participate in hands-on activities designed to help the participants understand the challenges faced by the Keren Or students, and build empathy by simulating the experience of blindness. From matching shoes while blindfolded to topping ice cream sundaes while wearing special glasses that mimic cortical visual impairment (CVI), the program combined experiential education with a healthy dose of fun! The children brought Chanukah gifts from an Amazon Wish List and packaged art supplies for Keren Or students. They also learned about braille by writing “Happy Chanukah” using raised dot stickers, and watched a short film featuring a virtual tour led by Addi Zolty and Hanna Schmidt, both from New Jersey.
The Keren Or Center is home to a special education school, an after-school enrichment program, a hydrotherapy center, and a department of family services. Keren Or aims to give its students the tools they need to communicate and reach their full potentials, while providing parents with the support they need as they face the joys and challenges of raising a special child. Each student has an individually tailored educational plan that combines social and academic goals with a wide range of therapies, including physical, occupational, music, speech, art, pet and hydrotherapies.
“At Keren Or, every class, every therapy, every activity takes the students’ visual and other needs into account” explained Reifman. “The school’s teachers all have special training in vision and are able to make their subjects come alive through multi-sensory experiences.” The special tactile art projects that were prepared and packaged at the “Spread the Light” event will be used by the art teacher in the after-school program to teach the students about Chanukah while simultaneously working on fine motor skills and social interaction.
Keren Or extends its thanks to the Paramus community, especially Ariana Hotz and Natalie Jonas, who co-chaired the event. Looking ahead, Keren Or is excited about its Tu B’Shevat and other holiday events. For more information or to host a Keren Or celebration or themed party, contact Shira Reifman at [email protected] or visit www.keren-or.org/school.
