From Darkness the Dawn How Beit Issie Shapiro Changed the World of Disabilities in Israel Naomi Stuchiner Israel Sykes Sharon Bacher 3 From Darkness the Dawn How Beit Issie Shapiro Changed the World of Disabilities in Israel Naomi Stuchiner Israel Sykes Sharon Bacher Copyright © 2011 by Beit Issie Shapiro, P.O. Box 29, Ra’anana. All rights reserved. Printed in Israel, 2011 Rotem Publishing & Productions ltd www.rotemltd.co.il Dedicated to the thousands of people throughout the world, who have brought hope to the lives of Israeli children with developmental disabilities and their families. You have helped us turn their Darkness into a new Dawn. ַגּ ֹם-ח ֶשְׁך, ַֹלא-י ְח ִשׁיְך ִמ ֶמּךָּ: ְו ַלְיָלה, ַכּיּוֹם ָי ִאיר -- ַכּ ֲח ֵשָׁיכה, ָכָּאוֹרה (תהלים קל"ט, י"ב) Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light (Psalms, 139, 12) 8 contents Contents Acknowledgements................................................................................................ 10 Authors' Personal "Thank You".............................................................................. 12 Preface to the English Edition................................................................................ 14 Foreword Dan Senor.............................................................................................. 17 Introduction Naomi Stuchiner............................................................................... 21 Part One: Beit Issie Shapiro as a Social Entrepreneurial Model The Development of Beit Issie Shapiro as a Social Entrepreneurial Process Naomi Stuchiner.................................................................................................... 29 Beit Issie Shapiro Towards Its Bar-Mitzvah Ora Namir & Naomi Stuchiner..... 49 Learning from our Partners – A Thirty Years Retrospective Israel Sykes..............63 Part Two: Development of Professional Entrepreneurship within Beit Issie Shapiro Bringing Smiles to Faces: A Revolution in the Field of Dentistry for People with Developmental Disabilities in Israel Sharon Bacher.....................95 Waves of Change: A Hydrotherapy Revolution Tuvia Stuchiner..........................103 Developing the Snoezelen in Israel – A Personal and Professional Narrative Michele Shapiro....................................................................................................113 Part Three: Pictorial History of Beit Issie Shapiro 129 contents 9 Part Four: Resource Development Resource Development as a Tool for Social Mobilization Naomi Stuchiner.................................................................................................. 179 The Global Network and International Strategy for Resource Development Naomi Stuchiner....................................................................................................193 Part Five: The Role of the Extended Family A Family Perspective Orli Cohen..........................................................................215 Exploration of Issues Related to Founding Family Involvement and Executive Director Succession in Beit Issie Shapiro's 25th Year Israel Sykes & Naomi Stuchiner...............................................................219 The Family Legacy as a Springboard for Global Development Sharon Bacher........................................................................................................243 Part Six: From the Past Towards the Future The Changes and Developments that Took Place in the State of Israel in the Area of Developmental Disabilities, and the Role of Beit Issie Shapiro Arie Rimmerman..................................................................................................253 Learning From the Past, Shaping the Future Jean Judes......................................261 Epilogue Naomi Stuchiner....................................................................................267 About the authors.................................................................................................. 270 10 Acknowledgements We dedicate this book to all who have accompanied us on our mission for social change. Our work at Beit Issie Shapiro could not have been done without the full partnership of many people and numerous organizations, who adopted our mission as their own. It is our privilege to thank those people within the different circles who dreamt with us and joined with us in making dreams come true: • The children and adults with disabilities, who were our inspiration and allowed us the opportunity to work and learn together, • Their families who became our partners, • The current and previous staff of Beit Issie Shapiro – top professionals, who proved that one can aspire to and achieve excellence and innovate new and better services for people with disabilities. We especially thank Jean Judes, the Executive Director whose work is inspired by her passion and expertise. There is no one better suited to lead Beit Issie Shapiro into the future. • Our colleagues in the Third Sector, for working with us to promote social change, develop community-based services and afford families the right to choose, • Our partners in the Public Sector: Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services – the Division of Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and the Rehabilitation Division, Ministry of Education – Special Education Department; Ministry of Health, The National Insurance Institute of Israel, the Shalem Foundation, the Joint Distribution Committee in Israel and the Municipality of Ra'anana – for proving that working in partnership can make all the difference, • The thousands of volunteers who choose to experience an opportunity of giving and compassion by involving themselves in the mission of Beit Issie Shapiro, and especially our lay leaders led by Caron Bielski, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, who honor us with their involvement, • Our donors in Israel and abroad, who, through their generosity, have enabled us to make dreams come true, and especially to the Trump family, that has accompanied and supported Beit Issie Shapiro since its inception, • Our partners in the academia for providing the training and research platforms and paving the way to raising professional standards in different fields, • The community and Israeli society, for proving that working together in partnership can bring about a more just and inclusive society, • To Rotem Publishers-Gadi Rozmarin and his team. • And a special thank you to the Aaron Beare Foundation for their continued support over all the years, and for their generosity in sponsoring the production of this book. Acknowledgements 11 We remember fondly and with deep gratitude all those people - staff and consultants, donors, volunteers and friends, who contributed to the growth and success of Beit Issie Shapiro and who are no longer with us. Amongst them, Dalia Abadi ; Rivka Ahimeir; Roland Arnall; Gerald Blackman; Motti Bluestein; Sara & Samuel Braun; Aaron Beare; Eric Beyersdorf; Dr. Brian Braude; Albert Cohen; Gertie Cohen; Dr Mati Cohen; Michael Cohen; Uzi Cohen; Dorothy Conzevoy; Richard Darsky; Hilde Delowe; David Diamond; Naomi Ditkovsky; Fay Eisenstadt; Victor Feldman; Gladys Fineberg; Rabbi Joseph Fogel; Shiri Furstenberg; Michael Galant; Max & Ruth Geffen; Elizabeth & Jack Gellman; Betty Goldblatt ; Lionel Gordon; Clara Greber; ; Shirley Hand; Ethel Hiller; Curtis Hereld; Prof. Stan Herr; Dr. Michael Hertz; Ruth Inbar; Harold Kapelovitz; Fay Kaplan; Pearl Kaplan; Natie Katz; Shira Katz; Rita Karklin; Roger Klauber; Fay Klineman; Hershel Kolifson; Jaapi Kroonenberg; Prof. Ben Lappin; Arye Leef; Stanley Lessem; Steven Lessem; Elliott Levine; Rose Levy; Shlomi Lichtman; Yosef Lipski; Jack Luck; Alvin Mackler; Abraham Marchasin; Carolyn Miller; Max Miodownik; Ora Namir; Yuli Ofer ; Kalie Plehn; Zvi Porat; Torsten Press; Chaim Rabinowitz; Doron Raif; Herta & Chester Randolph; Wilf Rayden; Jack Reichman; Alec Rogoff; Louis Rozman; Wolfe Sacks; Barbara Saltzman; Ralph Schacter; Nahum & Nava Scharfman; Sig Schotz; Jack & June Shapiro; Lucie Shapiro; Kay Shall; Lillian Sherman; Sara Siegal; Harold Snyder; Lucy Strauss; Monty Sussman; Lillian Stupp; David Tabatznik; Paul Tashman; Rachel Trotiak; Prof. Larry Taft; Celia and Willie Trump; Myron Weinberg; Harriet Weiselberg; Binyamin Wolfovitz; Lord Leonard Wolfson; Malcolm Zaidel 12 Naomi Stuchiner, Israel Sykes, Sharon Bacher Authors' Personal "Thank You" Naomi Stuchiner I had the privilege of growing up in a family in which giving to and helping others was part of my life. My brother Max, my sister Esther and I were brought up to fight for the rights of those who were less privileged in society and to believe that we could make a difference. I thank them for believing in me when they placed in my hands the task of establishing and leading the venture that bears our father's name. I am proud that the legacy that we received as children has been passed on to the next generations – to our children and even grandchildren. To my husband Tuvia – who stood beside me throughout and succeeded in leaving his own imprint in the world of hydrotherapy in Israel and abroad. To our amazing children Orli, Limor, Giora and Barak – who understood, supported, joined in, and passed on the legacy to their own children – our dear grandchildren. Each one of them is sharing the legacy in his own way. I am very grateful to Israel Sykes, my long-time partner in reflections and vision, and to Sharon Bacher, who has accompanied me with creativity