A highlight for many students at Keren Or is celebrating Jewish holidays and taking field trips outside of the Center.  Just a few weeks ago they were able to do both!   In celebration of Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for Trees, the children and young adults at Keren Or embarked on a field trip to one of the lush forests, operated by JNF, in Israel and planted sapling trees.  This activity, similar to the gardening program at the Center, is a terrific way for Keren Or students to learn through touch.  Students are able to feel the moist, rich soil as they plant the young tree, and then pack the soil back around the base of the sapling to ensure its stability and growth.   

Keren Or, in partnership with the Manhattan JCC, held a screening on Sunday, February 6 of the film "My Spectacular Theater."  The film, shown as part of the Third Annual ReelAbilities: NY Disabilities Film Festival, centers on a young man, Chen Yu, who stumbles upon a theater for the blind, finds employment there, and becomes a part of the community.  His experience learning to understand the needs of those with vision impairment is a lesson for all, and one that attendees enjoyed and appreciated.  

Prior the film, Sarah Kochav, Executive Director of Keren Or,spoke about Keren Or's programs for children and young adults with visual impairment and multiple disabilities.  The film screening, which drew over 75 people, illuminated the fact that the ideas brought up by the film are put into action every day at Keren Or.  Just as in the film, Keren Or aims to create a place where those with disabilities can receive the care and attention that they need at a level appropriate to them.  Keren Or offers unique therapies such as music therapy and art therapy that allow children and young adults to learn and be creative in a way that accommodates their disabilities.    

A number of Israeli soldiers took time away from their unit in December to volunteer at Keren Or's day center for adults who are blind and multi-disabled, "Avukat Or."  The center employs special intervention techniques, an adapted work space, constant stimulation, and a high staff/adult ratio in order to best reach our program attendees. Like all adults, the participants need purpose and a sense of achievement in their daily lives. Avukat Or offers a full, meaningful daily schedule with specially adapted work opportunities, a wage system, opportunity for social contact, and various forms of therapy for their 24 participants. Moreover, the work done at Avukat Or is so reliable that about 14 retailers contract to use the services of Avukat Or.  

Frequently, individuals from army units and youth groups volunteer their time at Avukat Or.  This past Chanukah, a group of soldiers from the military police came to volunteer their time at Avukat Or.  They brought jelly donuts for the students, and then spent several hours helping the participants with their work of assembling party bags, and packing up the bags that had been made
 for one of the retailers that works with Avukat Or. Even as the day grew late and it was time for the army unit to leave, the soldiers enjoyed their time so much that they refused to leave until all the work was completed.

The Women's Division of Keren Or is proud to host a number of exciting cultural events:    

• Whitney Museum tour on Wednesday, March 9, 1:00 pm
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Wednesday evening, March 23, 8:00 pm at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre
• Frick Collection tour on Monday, April 4, 2:00 pm

Save the date for the Women's Division Gala Luncheon on May 11, 2011. Rose and Melodie Scharf will be honored for their outstanding service and dedication.

The proceeds from these events will support programming for the vision-impaired, multi-disabled children and young adults at the Keren Or Center in Jerusalem.

For more information, please call 212-279-4070 or e-mail info@keren-or.org.

We can only succeed in advancing programs for our students' special needs with your involvement and support.  If you are in Jerusalem to visit family or for vacation, we invite you to take a tour of our state-of-the-art facility so that you can see first-hand the amazing work of our staff and the smiles on the faces of our students.  We also encourage you to share your experiences with your home communities, so that they too can understand the importance of caring for these children.  If you are interested, please call in Israel 073.240.0201 or in the United States 212-279-4070 and we would be more than happy to arrange transportation and a short tour of the facilities.