Mrs. L. recalls, “When my son was in cheder some 25 years ago, his rebbes had no idea what to do with him. He’s intelligent, but he couldn’t sit for more than five minutes, so he never actually learned anything. At one point, we took him to a well-known educational advisor. His sagacious counsel: hit him hard. No one even heard of the words Learning Disability or ADHD. Today, my son collects money at the kosel. His family life is a disaster. I have no doubt that had he received the help he needed, things would have been very different.”

The situation has changed – well, somewhat. In the Bais Yaakovs, all teachers have training in dealing with learning disabilities and young children are screened for signs of learning disabilities and/or developmental delays. Intervention is provided for those who need it. In the boys’ schools, however, although there is a general awareness that learning disabilities exist, the majority of teachers are lacking the training to deal with it, and there is no across the board screening and intervention program.

“That’s where Achiya, learn that you can comes in,” explains Rabbi Avraham  Gombo, Committee Head of the Talmud Torah School Systems in Israel and Principal of Karlin Stolin Talmud Torah, Bnei Brak. “So many kids were dropping out of school. Almost all of them had a learning disability, and it was obvious that they chose dropping out to failing. That’s why, twenty years ago, Yitchak Levin founded Achiya – to help those kids to remain in school. At first, Achiya only specialized tutoring for boys with learning problems. When he realized that there was a lack of qualified male teachers, he opened the Achiya Teachers’ Training College. Today, over 3,500 Achiya graduates, all with intensive training in special education, are changing the system from within. Every year, over two thousand children receive professional intervention at Achiya’s Learning Center or at one of the two Achiya Developmental Centers. Teachers and principals attend symposiums to learn how to deal with their students that have learning disabilities. Eight years ago Achiya started its outreach program to screen children within the chedarim for learning disabilities, developmental delays and ADHD and then provide them with the intervention they so desperately need. As a principal who deals with parents, teachers and children on a day to day basis, I can only say that Achiya is literally saving lives.”

To Learn More Click HERE

To Read More Stories Click HERE

(YWN – Studio B)