Even before Israel’s miraculous attacks on Iran, parents of children with disabilities, since Oct. 7, 2023, have been dealing with additional layers of challenges, especially when they have been evacuated from their home communities, or experienced tensions and difficulties that were distressing and sometimes traumatic even in the best of times.
The directive to keep children home from school since the beginning of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” has provided one more challenge.
So it was heartening when Ahmir Lerner, CEO of Beit Issie Shapiro in Raanana, sent out notes this week to supporters and friends of this therapeutic inclusivity center with the following message (excerpt):
“Currently the Beit Issie Shapiro staff is working from home by order of the Homefront command. We are in touch with all the families, out patients and children who rely on us and are doing the best we can to assist them.
“We are also aware of the difficulties the staff is facing both physically and emotionally and we are providing every possible support. Many of our staff partners and children have been called to reserve duty and at least two have close family whose home has been hit by the Iranian missile attacks.
“As in any crisis, we are developing ways to leverage our expertise to help those who need it now. Praying that the war will be over soon and at all times remembering the 53 hostages that are waiting to come home.”
I spoke at length with Lerner, to hear more about how this legendary 45-year-old center is coping now, but first some background.
CLICK to read complete article as published in the Jewish Journal and 5 Towns Jewish Times
