Programmes
Please click here to view our Project Booklet
Fairfield County Activity Garden
Bicycle Riding Therapy
An innovative therapeutic tool for the Children of Afula
The Sarah Herzog Emunah Children’s Center runs a number of projects to meet diverse challenges, as follows:
Therapeutic Day Care Intervention
In our day care program family intervention is the key word. Our task is just that, to intervene on behalf of children from dysfunctional families who live with their natural parents. Our program, which currently serves 46 children from Afula and the surrounding areas shows our children how adults relate to children in a normal home environment, with warmth, patience and a gentle guiding hand. In our day care program, we encourage joint activities with children and their biological parents, who are required to join a parenting training program and support groups. Our day care facilities helps keep families together while allowing children to enjoy the safety and stability of the EMUNAH Sarah Herzog Children’s Center, academic support and a rich program of activities.
Art Therapy
Under this program, our children are taught the creative process of making art as a means of building their self-awareness. Our supervised art therapy sessions help our children cope with stresses and insecurities associated with their past traumas. Through drawings and paintings, our art therapists can learn about our children’s perceptions of themselves and their families. Based on their findings, they can guide our children on the road to recovery.
Music Therapy
At our Children’s Home, we adhere to the widespread belief that music has a healing effect on the soul. Our music therapists take different approaches to ease the pain of our children suffering from emotional distress. Common methods include encouraging children to make a direct connection with the music, using music as a means of communication between the child and the therapist, and playing recorded music and musical instruments. The goals of music therapy are to reach our children’s pure, inner core and in this manner to teach them self-expression.
Psychodrama
Psychodrama is one of the specialized techniques of drama therapy, which combines the techniques of psychotherapy with those of the theater and stage to treat victims of violence in the home and traumatized children. Our psychodrama therapists employ guided dramatic action to examine problems raised by individual children, help relieve their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Our goals are to ease our children’s stress and foster their personal growth.
The Learning Center
Our Learning Center provides a framework for both individual therapy and individual study, with the aim to bridge the academic gaps among high-risk children. Our children have all suffered from emotional neglect and physical and mental abuse. This maltreatment at the hands of their natural parents has engendered huge academic gaps, low self-esteem and learning disabilities, requiring therapy. On the high school and junior high school levels, many of our children require assistance in preparing for tests and matriculation exams. This assistance is also accompanied by therapy.
Petting Zoo
Our petting zoo allows our children to become acquainted with animals, birds and fowl native to the Galilee region. Our facility, which shelters goats, sheep, hens, roosters, turkeys, ducks, rabbits and turtles, offers our children the therapeutic benefits associated with feeding and caring for animals. Many memorable hours of recreation are spent outdoors at our petting zoo.
Building Renovations
Our day care center is in need of renovation and expansion to meet changing building regulations and standards. Our day care renovation will entail new flooring, a complete overhaul of the plumbing and electric systems, and a thorough painting. Our plans also include the purchase of kitchen equipment, a new TV, computer and printer, game room accessories and furniture.
