• Senior's Club
  • Summer Camps
  • Residential Rehab Program
  • Special Services
  •  


    • OUR PROGRAMS ý

    One of the major philosophies behind Beit Yael’s work is that the vision impaired must be comfortable in their own environment in spite of their limitations. They must understand how their habits and body language either allow or prohibit them from being fully integrated into a visual society. This knowledge when coupled with empowering rehabilitation enables those with vision problems to function effectively by instilling in them the motivation to achieve their ambitions and to cope with all aspects of their lives.

    In addition, Beit Yael provides a social environment for that segment of the population that has been traditionally ignored by other social services. Many social agencies work with those who are severely afflicted with a variety of health problems. However our patrons, those such as the elderly blind and vision impaired are not offered help outside Beit Yael. We don’t work with children who are in need of special education as there organizations have been set up for this purpose. But we do offer summer and holiday camp activities for those who can’t see or have limited vision.

    This is what Beit Yael is all about - to afford people with vision problems the opportunity to manage their own lives independently, to function effectively: to help those with all types of vision problems. We are willing to work with those who come to us with special difficulties and/or special needs. For this reason our basic programs are constantly being enhanced with new activities and projects. The following information illustrates some of Beit Yael’s activities for both children and adults.





    SENIOR'S CLUBý

    There are many senior's programs available in Tsfat. However the only one for those with vision impairment is held at Beit Yael. The seniors who attend this programs must have a certificate that they are vision impaired. In this way we are able to facilitate the social integration of vision-impaired seniors, one of the most important features of this program. Offering them a regular outlet five mornings a week for their energies provides them with friends and the ability to learn to do new things, meet new people, and visit new places. Among the main activities offered are: handwork, ceramics, weaving, sewing, Yoga, outings, painting, games, lectures and entertainment. Their creativity is very evident when people come to visit Beit Yael. Were it not for Beit Yael’s programs, many of our participants would be confined to their homes.

    Currently, a group of 35 older men and women from Tsfat and the surrounding communities come to participate. Some of our participants have total vision impairment while others have vision problems mainly related to aging. With over 150 blind and vision-impaired adults in Tsfat, we are always reaching out to offer our services. We request input and welcome suggestions for interesting programs.

    Mindful of the need for health consciousness, we recently began visiting therapeutic health facilities located in Israel’s north. Both Hamat Gader and Tiberias are about an hour’s drive from Tsfat. Both places have hot mineral springs, which offer a positive healing effect on those who come to bathe there. A dip in the thermo-mineral pool relaxes tense muscles and is particularly helpful to those who suffer from pains in their joints. In addition, the heat of the water expands peripheral blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and increasing the heart rate. It is said that ten minutes of relaxation in the hot pool of Hamat Gader is equal to the physical exercise one gets while walking briskly for three kilometers. We plan to expand this program as the demand and financial support allow.

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    SUMMER CAMPS


    For over 30 years Beit Yael has been sponsoring Summer Study Camps during July and August for blind and visually impaired children mainly between the ages of 9 – 18. These summer camps provide a meaningful experience. Our camps - as all of our services and programs - are open to Israel’s general public. Children including Christian, Moslem, Arab, Druse, Ethiopian, along with Jewish children come from all over the country. Since the inception of our program, over 1,100 youngsters have enjoyed school vacations at Beit Yael's camps. We accept everyone who is sightless or poor-sighted, those who can pay full tuition and those who cannot pay at all. Young people who might previously have been kept secluded at home now have a place to go where they can meet their contemporaries who share the same problems. The friendships that are made here last a lifetime. Many children have literally grown up with us as they have attended our camps every summer.



    Camp Activities
    Camps may be held from Sunday to Thursday evening or Friday, or for ten days. We offer the same variety of regular camp activities as are offered to sighted children. This includes: swimming in both local pools as well as outings to The Kinneret, horseback riding, country wide tours, jeep tours, berry picking, boat rides, kayaking, nature hikes, yoga, other sports, crafts, all depending on the ages of the campers.

    We go for hikes and picnics, and our campers love the jeep tours. All our activities are specifically arranged for them and are made pleasurable and comfortable. In this way they get to know the country safely while enjoying themselves.

    Some of our camps have also offered study sessions in order to help the students with their schoolwork. During the summer of 2004 we were requested to add extra classes in English. Our fully equipped computer room also facilitates our ability to teach and/or upgrade camper’s computer skills.

    Our students and campers have gone on to higher academic studies, to professions, to the army, to national service and to other endeavors. All have become useful and productive and have learned to maintain a good quality of life.

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    RESIDENTIAL REHAB PROGRAM

    This unique program, the only one in all of Israel, focuses on teaching adults of working ages, who are either newly blind or who are becoming blind, how to cope physically, psychologically and emotionally with this new handicap, one that is taking over their lives. Here in our month long program, they are helped to adjust to their new disability.

    Participants learn to cook and sew, to walk with the white cane, to use computers and other aids for the blind and vision impaired. They receive training in many special techniques enabling them to function successfully both at home and at work: they also participate socially. Many special speakers are brought in to tell them of their options in both job and social service areas.

    This program has offered a positive rehabilitation experience for both men and women who have learned to re-evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Thus they return home with a structured plan to continue their rehabilitation process. From time to time the graduates of this program come together for 'keep up' sessions.

    More than 150 individuals have participated in the program since it began. Israel’s Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and Migdal Or co-sponsor this program. Migdal Or supplies the teachers.

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    Vacation Camps

    Vacation camps have afforded organized groups of sightless and poor-sighted adults the opportunity of spending vacations in specially organized programs that include: touring, swimming, boating, nature walks and other activities. This has been one of our most popular projects as vision handicapped people come from all over the country to attend. Our camps during the intermediate days of Passover and Succot are usually booked well in advance. Many of those who participate in these programs have first attended our annual summer camps: now they have the opportunity of continuing the friendships they made at that time. Camps are booked ahead and very well attended.

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    Music Workshop


    Many of those who attend our summer camps have musical talent. They take lessons during the year and want to continue both practicing and performing during their vacations. It was the children who learned to play various instruments in our summer camps who motivated us to develop this activity. This workshop includes groups of youngsters who have learned to play any one of several instruments. The advanced group has already played professionally and recently put on a very successful concert in Tsfat. ý




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    SPECIAL SERVICES

    The Computer Lab
    Our computer lab offers a wide variety of special equipment used by those with various vision problems. Recent donations have made possible the purchase of a new Braillex unit that translates computer documents into Braille; a translation program that translates any written computer document into either spoken Hebrew or English; and three computers. We also have a wide variety of additional computers as well as readers and screens of various sizes.

    We have offered computer classes in conjunction with our local community college. We empower the vision impaired to become proficient in their use of computer equipment. One of our student groups began their own magazine using the Braillex. As improvements are being made constantly in the computer world, we must often upgrade our equipment in order to serve our participants. Donations to our lab are always needed and welcome.

    The Gym
    Beit Yael is used by: seniors who come to us for regular programs; children and young adults who attend our summer and holiday programs; those of working ages who have become blind and/or vision impaired who come to us for our month long live in retraining program and many others. Yoga and other fitness programs are offered in all our programs. Those who participate in our activities use our facility even when there are no specific programs in session. As our exercise equipment was old and out of date, a recent donation has allowed us to renovate the gym and purchase many new pieces of equiptment.

    Horseback Riding


    Participants in Beit Yael's programs, whether they are fully blind or only partially vision ý impaired, take part in our riding program.ý

    Young and old alike find this a most enjoyable way to spend a few hours. And the scenery around ý Tsfat is so breathtaking that a ride through the local forests can truly be a magical experience. Those ý who are vision-impaired make use of all their senses especially their senses of smell and hearing as ý they enjoy this experience of being outdoors in the hilly areas near Tsfat.ý

    Specially trained therapists facilitate this vital part of our rehabilitation process. It is incorporated into all our overnight programs for children and adults regardless of their ages or sight limitations. Since it was first held many years ago at Amuka, a small village just outside of Tsfat it has become one of our most requested events by all our participants.







    For more information on any of these as well as some additional programs, please contact Beit Yael.

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